Ubi caritas - Durufle
Tu es Petrus - Durufle
Tantum ergo - Durufle
Salve Regina - Poulenc
Stabat Mater - Poulenc
Messe Solennelle de Sainte
Cecile - Gounod)
Our Lady's Choral Society gave its "Founders' Memorial Concert" at the National Concert Hall on Wednesday night. The concert commemorated the deaths, 50 and 25 years ago, of the choir's founder, Vincent O'Brien, and the first patron, Archbishop McQuaid. The two main works on the programme were Poulenc's Stabat Mater and Gounod's Messe Solennelle de Sainte Cecile. The orchestra was the National Sinfonia which, under Proinnsias O Duinn's direction, produced some robust yet nicely shaded playing.
The Palestrina Choir, conducted by Orla Barry, sang motets by Durufle and Poulenc. Despite occasional uncertainties with balance and entries, and a phrase-by-phrase delivery, these saw some well-poised singing.
Three soloists are required by the Messe Solennelle. Owen Lynch (baritone) was secure, but had not quite enough projection for the trios. The aptly operatic flexibility of Ronan Tynan (tenor) was impressive. Lynda Lee (soprano) made the strongest impact, via wideranging expression and commanding certainty.
Neither the choir nor the orchestra was at its best in the Stabat Mater. Nobody seemed sure what to do with Poulenc's idiosyncratic mix of austerity and sumptuousness.
The Messe Solennelle was a different matter. This Mass setting will surprise anyone who associates Gounod mainly with the ubiquitous Ave Maria and Faust. Its mix of sacred and secular - notably in the concluding prayer for Napoleon III, with military fanfares for wind and thumping percussion - is dated, and somewhat discomforting. The performance explored the piece well, even though the soprano section was in every respect the choir's strongest. State religion is meant to be rousing stuff, and the ending came across with suitable elan.