ABSTRACT
Thomas Moore's relationship with his music publishers, James and William Power, had a significant bearing on the direction taken by later numbers of the Melodies and, as the years progressed, James Power eventually became the dominant force in the all-important relationship with Moore by taking full control of the project. This chapter aims to untangle the complexities of these associations, both individually and collectively, and draw conclusions on how they impacted on production of the Irish Melodies through the twenty-six years of their creation. Moore's first musical collaborator Sir John Stevenson was a musician who attracted considerable attention. Moore's close bond with Stevenson stands in sharp contrast to his relationship with Henry Rowley Bishop; such warmth of recall displayed by the previous sentiments are entirely lacking in his dealings with the Englishman. In summary, it seems that Moore had something of a love-hate relationship with his first collaborator, Sir John Stevenson.
