{TABLE} Sicilian Vespers Overture .................... Verdi Danses sarree et profane ..................... Debussy Jack-in-the-Box .............................. Saite Sarka and Vltava ............................. Smetana {/TABLE} YESTERDAY'S lunchtime concert at the National Concert Hall was given by the RTE Concert Orchestra, and conducted by Fergus Sheil who was recently appointed Chorus Master/Head of Music for DGOS Opera Ireland. The programme was promising," and Sheil's conducting showed a thoughtful approach to many aspects of it. Yet for much of the concert the results were frustrating Sheil's attention to detail and evident awareness of large scale issues, such as the balance between contrasting speeds, rarely produced a clear sense of priorities.
This was most obvious in Sarka and Vltava from Smetana's Ma Vlast. Poor orchestral balance often blurred the distinction between melody and accompaniment, and Sarka in particular lacked that forceful shaping essential for the accumulation of tension, and for definition of climaxes.
There and in Satie's Jack in the Box originally a piano piece, but orchestrated by Milhaud it seemed as if misjudgment or reticence was overpowering Sheil's evident musical perception. This performance of the Satie was too smooth, and missed the quintessential acerbity of Milhaud's recasting.
I would have preferred a more muscular approach to Debussy's Danses sacree et profane. Nevertheless, the performance gave a clear impression of what this music is about. That impression was helped by Maria Clearys neat and nicely coloured account of the solo harp part, by some delicate playing from the RTECO, and by Sheil's good sense of pacing.