This year’s centenary of the death of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford might have been expected to throw up plenty of buried treasure, but so far there has been little on disc of his orchestral music, long-form choral works or operas (Retrospect Opera’s pioneering recording of Shamus O’Brien excepted).

One thing we do have, however, is this excellent survey of some of the composer’s orchestral songs, especially welcome as many of them have never been recorded before. And by avoiding the better-known Songs of the Sea and Songs of the Fleet there’s room for discoveries galore.

Stanford had a felicitous habit of revisiting his songs with piano, often quite some time later, and working them up for his favourite soloists to include in orchestral concerts. His friend and fellow Irishman (and early biographer) Harry Plunket Greene was the beneficiary of many, some of which are sung here by Morgan Pearse. The Australian baritone is clearly enjoying a fruitful career in the UK (he also pops up on a splendid new Lyrita recording of the Stanford’s orchestral...