New Dublin Voices and special guests Madrigal 75 present music from Across the World in a special concert in the beautiful chapel of Trinity College Dublin.
Two leading Irish chamber choirs from Dublin and Cork perform together for the first time in a blended programme. There is stunning music from France, Slovenia, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Germany, Hungary and Spain, and from every century going back half a millennium.
It’s choral concert as perfect choral sampler. The newest music includes Seán Doherty’s gripping ‘Under-Song’, with its haunting words and soundscape from the natural world, and music by American Stephen Paulus and Belgian Rudi Tas.
At the other end of the timeline are absolute jewels of Renaissance style by Lassus and Gallus, and the lesser known Pierre de Manchicourt. In between, the Romantic era is beautifully represented by Mendelsohn and Brahms.
And a tiny musical moment – ‘Le Sylphe’ by Jean Francaix – over in less than 50 seconds. Or, a traditional Scots border ballad… set by a Dane: ‘The Wee Wee Man’. And from that to the sublime meditation of Rachmaninov’s ‘Bogoroditse Devo’ from his much loved All-Night Vigil.
Intended both for people who love choral music and for those who have never heard a choir before, this concert by two of Ireland’s best choirs spans both borders and centuries to offer tastes of so much that is wonderful about music for collected voices.