Three Biblical Scenes - Schutz

O Sing Unto the Lord - Purcell

Cantemus - Rossini

Ave Maria - Rossini

Mount of Three Lights - Martinu

THE Prague Chamber Choir's concert in Wexford on Saturday morning demonstrated some of the best aspects of the central European choral tradition. In the beautiful St. Iberius Church they were conducted by Wexford Festival Opera's chorus master, Lubomir Matl. The largest piece on the programme was Martinu's Mount of Three Lights, a sort of semi-dramatic folk cantata. This delicately hued performance, paced in sympathy with the declamatory text setting, felt just right for the composer's attempt to capture the human aspects of village church devotion. So did the slightly asthmatic sound of the St. Iberius organ, which was ably played by Mark Duley.

Elsewhere, apart from in two beautifully sung pieces by Rossini, such authenticity was wilfully and refreshingly ignored. Three settings by Schutz of Biblical dialogues had a fervour one rarely hears, and in Purcell's O Sing Unto the Lord the gutsy choral singing was riveting. Then there was the gob smacking flamboyance of the Purcell's bass soloist, the Italian Alessandro Guerzoni. Add all that to the vibrato rich accompaniment from the Duke String Quartet, and it sounded as if the early music revival had never happened.

This concert will be repeated on Saturday.

The Wexford Opera Festival continues until November 1st. To book phone 053-22240