Moy Mell: An Irish Tone Poem, to give the work its full title, is an evocation of the "happy" or "pleasant plain," one of the three earthly paradises of the ancient Irish. Bax was of course fascinated with Ireland, a country that inspired many of his compositions. The Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916, in which Bax lost many friends, was a particularly decisive moment for him and led him to write a series of Irish-flavored works including, along with Moy Mell, the Elegiac Trio and In Memoriam. Moy Mell was dedicated to pianists Myra Hess and Irene Scharrer, both of whom were friends of Bax from their student days at the Royal Academy of Music; Hess, the better-known of the two, was an important early champion of Bax's music, playing his works frequently in recital. Hess and Scharrer gave Moy Mell its first performance on December 5, 1916 at Aeolian Hall in London.

This ten-minute tone poem calls to mind both the worlds of Ireland and of impressionist composers like Claude Debussy in its melodies and gestures. The work begins with a gentle melody that is repeated, more fully harmonized, over rolling arpeggios. The mood is peaceful and somewhat melancholy, with delicate filigree embroidering the Irish-tinged melodies. After an impressive build-up at its center, the work returns to its opening languorous mood, leading to its unclouded, lovely final moments.

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