Vespers evoke 17th century

IF you aren't familiar with Claudio Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers of the Blessed Virgin, you may be surprised to hear it described as "exotic". Yet that, according to the conductor of the Guinness Choir, David Milne, is exactly what it is. "It's a wonderful piece - a landmark piece," he says.

"The Vespers is, musically and culturally, centred at the beginning of the 17th century; it goes from one tenor voice accompanied by a gentle lute up to 10 different choral parts in one of the choruses, with orchestra as well, so there's an incredible range of effects; and it's exotic in the sense that there are wonderful musical effects, both in the polychoral writing and for interesting combinations of instruments."

The choir's performance of the piece at St Patrick's Cathedral next Saturday evening constitutes something of a rare event in Ireland - which is a pity, says Milne, who expresses surprise that the Vespers isn't heard more often, and says that those who attend the concert have a treat in store.

"We'll be bringing Quintessential, a group from London featuring three cornetts and three sackbutts; there'll also be recorders, three continuo players, a chamber organ and a Renaissance harp. And also a lute and a theorbo, which is a lute with a very, very long neck and very low bass notes."

With its dramatic choruses and continuous tapestry of sound - not to mention three tenor soloists - the Vespers is an almost operatic work; and such is the lavish nature of the score that early performances must have been a spectacle in themselves. "As far as we know there were seven areas in St Mark's Cathedral in Venice where musicians and singers would have performed simultaneously," says Milne.

"That wasn't Monteverdi's invention, of course - the Gabrielis had exploited those techniques in the middle of the 16th century - but he seemed to be able to bring all the richness of the Renaissance and polyphonic music, while anticipating the decoration of the baroque period that was to follow.

"And the idea that such rich musical textures should be part of the liturgical office is part of what was going on in Venice at the time, where the culture had developed to match the wealth of the city."

The Guinness Choir's Vespers will not be a "period" performance as such - "it's easier to bring all the elements together using modern pitch," says Milne, "but it won't affect the sound in any way" - but the choir has worked closely on the work with an English musicologist by the name of Dennis Stevens. Co-editor of the score, he was responsible for one of the first modern performances of Monteverdi's Vespers in London's Westminster Cathedral in the early 1960s; and he will attend Saturday's concert, presumably to keep an eye - not to mention an ear or two - on his "baby".

The Guinness Choir's performance of Monteverdi's Vespers at St Patrick's Cathedral on Saturday December 11th begins at 8 p.m. Tickets cost £10 and are available at St Patrick's shop, and at the door.