There is Christmas music for all tastes in ARMINTA WALLACE'Sround-up and some of the less obvious choices may be the ones to favour, she argues
CAROLS
CORK
Carols by Candlelight. UCC Choral Society's annual celebration will pair Vivaldi's Gloria with traditional carols. Honan Chapel, UCC, Dec 9, 10, 11, 8pm, €12/concs €8/€5 for students on the Wednesday night), from UCC visitor centre. For more details, e-mail choral@uccsocieties.ie.
DUBLIN
Good cheer comes to the John Field Room with the DIT Chamber Choir's annual lunchtime carol session . National Concert Hall, Dec 4, 1.05pm, €10; 01-4170000 or nch.ie.
A carol concert in aid of the Fr Peter McVerry Trust for the homeless, with the Guinness Choir, the Dolce Choir and StringQuartets4U. St Patrick's Cathedral, Dec 6, 7.30pm, €25 or €20 from the charity; 01-8230776 or stpatrickscathedral.ie.
Carols with a swing. Dublin Gospel Choir at the President's Hall, Law Society, Blackhall Place, Dec 7, 6.30pm. No charge, donations accepted on the night; 01-6705419 or sanctuary.ie.
There will be dogs at the annual fundraising carol service for pet therapy group Peata. Christ Church Cathedral, Dec 8, 1.15pm; peata.org.
New Dublin Voices bring carols to Draíocht, Blanchardstown, Dec 19, 3pm and 8pm, €16 (concessions €14, under-16s €12); 01-8852622 or draiocht.ie.
Carols at the cathedrals. Traditional services of Five Lessons and Carols at Christ Church Cathedral (Dec 20, 3.30pm) and Nine Lessons and Carols at St Patrick’s Cathedral (Dec 20, 3.15pm). No tickets needed, but go early to get a seat.
KERRY
Carols by the sea. Traditional service of Nine Lessons and Carols with choral group Canteloupe. St James's Church, Dingle, Dec 20, 7pm.
MAYO
The Holly Bears a Berry . Celebrate the winter solstice and the coming of Christmas through traditional tunes with musician Emer Mayock and guests at the National Museum of Ireland: Museum of Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Dec 6, 2.30pm. Entry free but numbers limited; 094-9031751, museum.ie.
WATERFORD
Civic Carol Service. Christ Church Cathedral, Dec 20, 4pm. All welcome, but please come early.
CONCERTS
DUBLIN
Here come the girls . For the first time, the Palestrina Choir (see photograph, above) will be joined by the newly formed St Mary's Pro-Cathedral Girls' Choir for a celebratory performance of music by Purcell, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn as well as seasonal favourites and carols. Conductor Blánaid Murphy and soloist Andrea Ehrenreich will be joined by the Orchestra of St Cecilia. National Concert Hall, Dec 4, 8pm, €28 or €20 (choir balcony, €15); 01-4170000 or nch.ie.
From sparkling Russian orchestral set pieces to traditional carols, the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra takes a journey through the music of Christmas in three contrasting lunchtime concerts, with RTÉ Cór na nÓg and guest soloists. National Concert Hall, Dec 8, 15, 18, 1.05pm, €10; 01-4170000, nch.ie.
They're calling it the "Great" Christmas concert and it features the 2009 Feis Ceoil prizewinners alongside the Lassus Scholars and Piccolo Lasso, which is pretty good by any standards. There's Handel's Zadok the Priest, Haydn's Missa Brevis and a singalong Hallelujah Chorus into the bargain. National Concert Hall, Dec 9, 8pm, €30, €25, €20 (choir balcony, €15); 01-4170000, nch.ie.
Crash at Christmas. Electronic experts Crash Ensemble play an "unplugged" candlelit gig of acoustic music by Gerald Barry, Michael Smetanin, Christopher Fox and Salvatore Sciarrino in the intimate setting of one of Dublin's most beautiful Georgian houses. 12 Henrietta Street, Dec 11, 8pm, €22/€18, from tickets.ie.
A Ceremony of Carols. The Mornington Singers present Britten's iconic Christmas work alongside traditional favourites. St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough Street, Dec 12, 8pm, tickets at door, €15/concs €10.
Christmas by Candlelight. The Locrian Ensemble, in full period fig, perform Corelli's Christmas concerto, among many other works. The Helix, Dec 15, 7.30pm, €27.50, €25, €22.50, €20; 01-7007000, thehelix.ie, locrianensemble.co.uk. (Also at City Hall, Cork, Dec 16, 8pm, €30, €25, €20, from Pro Musica, Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork.)
The combined choirs of Christ Church Cathedral will sing carols and Christmas music old and new in the glorious cathedral, Dec 15, 16, 8pm. Tickets €18/concs €14, from City Discs in Temple Bar, Road Records in Fade Street, or tickets.ie.
Early music for Advent and Christmas will be on the menu at Newman University Church, St Stephen's Green, when the UCD Choral Scholars, with the Ulster Brass Quintet, perform works by Heinrich Schutz, Samuel Scheidt and Giovanni Gabrieli, Dec 16 and 17, starting with a mulled-wine reception at 7.15pm, concerts at 8pm sharp. Tickets €25 from ucd.ie/alumni.
Christmas Tidings . The National Chamber Choir (pictured right), conducted by David Brophy, offers a feast of seasonal music, from Gabrieli and Victoria through Elgar and Stanford to John Tavener and Ward Swingle. Shaw Room, National Gallery of Ireland, Dec 22, 3pm, €14/concs €12. NCC's earlier concert, One Fine Day, explores Irish influence on choral music. Same venue, Dec 3, 6.30pm; 01-7005665, nationalchamberchoir.com.
Carols from Australia, eastern Europe and the US will feature alongside the usual suspects when RTÉ Cór na nÓg is joined by pianist Alison Thomas and harpist Andrea Malir. St Ann's Church, Dawson Street, Dec 22, 6pm. Tickets €12/concs €6, from the Central Ticket Bureau; 0818-205205, ctb.ie.
GALWAY
Handel 250 Years/Joyful Mystery: Music for Galway presents the English duo Gandolpho. Eleanor Harrison (baroque violin) and David Wright (harpsichord) will play works by Handel and Biber. St Nicholas Collegiate Church, Dec 2, 8pm. Tickets €20/ concs €16/students €6, from 091-705962 or Opus II, The Cornstore, Galway; tht.ie.
An eight-part setting of In Dulci Jubilo plus lullabies in Irish and Chinese are promised by Cois Cladaigh Chamber Choir. Loughrea Cathedral, Dec 12, 8pm. Tickets €15/concs €10 at the door. The choir will also sing at Claddagh Church, Dec 19, 9pm. Tickets €10 (proceeds to the Lions Club); coiscladaigh.net.
KILKENNY
A Christmas Miscellany with music and readings as well as mince pies, Sonas choir and a roaring fire. Rothe House, Kilkenny, Dec 2, 7.30pm. Tickets €20; 056-7722893 or reception@rothe house.com.
KILDARE
Joy to the World.The RTÉ Concert Orchestra joins New Dublin Voices and soprano Cara O'Sullivan in a programme which ranges from John Williams to Tchaikovsky to Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. St Conleth's Church, Newbridge, Dec 4, 8pm. Tickets €2/concs €18, from Newbridge Parish Centre; 045-431121. (Also at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dundalk, Co Louth, Dec 5, 8pm, €20/€18 from An Táin Theatre, 042-9392919.)
MEATH
Shining sounds from Navan Silver Band at their Christmas concert. Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Dec 13, 8pm. Tickets €20/concs €16; 046-9092300, solsticeartscentre.com.
A serene celebration with soprano Eimear Quinn, including carols and winter songs with string quartet, harp and guitar. Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Dec 21. Tickets €20 from 046-9092300, solsticeartscentre.com.
WATERFORD
Christmas Voices. The cathedral choir led by Eric Sweeney, with guest soloists. Christ Church, Dec 5, 8pm. Tickets €18/concs €16, from 051-858958, christchurchwaterford.com.
The City of Waterford Brass Band is now in its 77th year, and will celebrate Christmas with special guests Ad Hoc Chorale. Christ Church, Dec 12, 8pm. Tickets €10 from 051-858958, christchurchwaterford.com.
MESSIAHS
CORK
The Irish Chamber Orchestra with the National Chamber Choir and soloists Sinead Campbell, Martha Bredin, Eamonn Mulhall and Owen Gilhooly. City Hall, Cork, Dec 17, 8pm. (Also at University Concert Hall, Limerick, Dec 18, 8pm, and RDS, Dublin, Dec 19, 8pm.) Tickets €25/concs €15, irishchamberorchestra.com.
DUBLIN
The Culwick Choral Society , with orchestra led by Alan Smale and soloists Roisin O'Grady, Alison Browner, Eamonn Mulhall and Roland Davitt. St Patrick's Cathedral, Dec 2 and 3, 8pm. Tickets €30 (proceeds to Arc Cancer Support Centre), 01-4539472 or stpatrickscathedral.ie.
Enchiriadis Treis with National Philharmonia Orchestra and soloists Majella Cullagh, Cliona McDonough, Nicholas Sharratt and Charles Johnston. The Helix, Dec 5, 8pm. Tickets €30, €25, €15/concs €27, €22.50, €13.50, from 01-7007000 or thehelix.ie.
They sang for the Pope in the Vatican earlier this year, now they'll sing for the rest of us. Our Lady's Choral Society, with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra , conducted by Proinnsias Ó Duinn, and soloists Daire Halpin, Hiroya Aoki, Robin Tritschler and John-Owen Miley-Read, are at the National Concert Hall, Dec 16, 17, 18, 8pm. Tickets €32.50, €28 (choir balcony, €22.50), from 01-4170000 or nch.ie.
Dublin Bach Singers , with the Orchestra of St Cecilia, conducted by Blánaid Murphy (soloists Lynda Lee, Chloe Hinton, Ross Scanlon and John Magee), will give a candlelit performance in aid of Pro-Cathedral charities. St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dec 17, 8pm. Tickets €20/concs €15, from cathedral shop or at door.
GALWAY
A period-instrument Messiah with the Irish Baroque Orchestra, Resurgam and soloists Louise Walsh, Ann-Marie Gibbons, Jeremy Budd and Lukas Jakobski, at St Nicholas Church, Galway, Dec 17, 7.30pm. (Also at Christ Church, Dublin, Dec 18, 7.30pm, and the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Barronstrand, Waterford, Dec 19, 8pm.)
Tickets €35/€25/concs €28/€20); 044-34522 or irishbaroqueorchestra.com.
LIMERICK
Limerick Choral Union with soloists Roisin O'Grady, Edel O'Brien, Dean Power and Derek Ryan. University Concert Hall, Limerick, Dec 13, 8pm. Tickets €20/concs €22, from 061-331549 or uch.ie.
No more Mr Handel? A different festive beat
"WHY DO PEOPLE want to go to choral concerts at Christmas anyhow?" asked the arts editor. Ah, but there's the thing: they don't. They want to go to the same concert they went to last year, and the year before, and the year before that. They want to hear Silent Night(again) and Winter Wonderland(again) and Messiah. Again. Year in, year out. Or in the case of Messiahin Dublin, twice a year, since we get it all over again in April and – if we're really lucky, and there's a Handel anniversary going on – every time there's an "r" in the month.
Why? It's a good question. One might just as well ask: where are the performances of Bach's Christmas Oratorioor Berlioz's L'Enfance du Christor Schutz's Christmas Story?Nowhere, is the answer. From time to time the tireless chorus masters and mistresses of Ireland are brave enough to programme such works into their Christmas concerts – only to find their ticket sales down while the hordes gravitate to Messiah.
If I sound a bit bah-humbug on this topic, I'm not alone. A few years ago one particularly fearless conductor proposed putting a moratorium on performances of Handel's Oratorio, for a modest five years, in order to allow other works from the glorious and multifaceted choral tradition to take root and maybe even flourish. The howls of outrage are echoing still.
As for what’s echoing by the time you read this, it will doubtless be the relentless parade of “festive favourites” with which the supermarkets and shops try to create a spray-on Christmas atmosphere every year.
You know what, guys? Repetition is comforting, but only up to a point. Didn’t the CIA, in its heyday, attempt to drive dictators mad by playing them the same piece of music over and over again – very loudly?
The real musical deal, however, is also out there, and in spades. Which is why you’ll find the listings stuffed with good and even, sometimes, offbeat things. A beguiling evening of music-plus-readings at Rothe House in Kilkenny; a series of informal lunchtime concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra at the National Concert Hall; a celebration of the winter solstice through traditional tunes at the Museum of Country Life in Co Mayo.
And if you truly want something new and different, how about the Crash Ensemble's extremely appealing gig at 12 Henrietta Street, Dublin, on December 11th. The electronic wizards are going to unplug themselves to premiere pieces by Michael Smetanin and Christopher Fox – as well as Gerald Barry's quartet, First Sorrow– in the intimate setting of a beautiful Georgian house. Bah, humbug? I don't think so.
