LACRIMOSA, A concert of classical music and song to mark Good Friday, will be heard when the Collegium Chamber Choir, tenor Eoin Hynes, and organist David Leigh perform in St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, on Friday March 25 at 5pm.
The title, Lacrimosa, is drawn from the poetic imagery of 17th century metaphysicists Phineas Fletcher and Patrick Carey, which inspired Orlando Gibbons' 'Drop, Drop, Slow Tears', William Byrd's 'Miserere Mei, Deus', William Walton's 'A Litany', and Thomas Tallis' 'Miserere Nostri', all of which will be performed at the concert.
In the centre of the programme, in contrast to the English works before and after, are German compositions from the 17th and 19th centuries - Bach's 'O Lamm Gottes, Unschuldig', Heinrich Schütz's 'Ach Herr, Straf Mich Nicht', Mendelssohn's 'Mein Gott Mein Gott, Warum Hast Du Mich Verlassen?' and Brahms' 'Herzlich Tut Mich Verlangen'.
The concert concludes with Kenneth Leighton’s cantata Crucifixus Pro Nobis. In four movements, it is in effect a mini-passion, its concentrated intensity and dark harmonic astringency matching perfectly the vivid imagery of the Gospels.
The Collegium Chamber Choir will be under director Mark Duley. David Leigh is the assistant organist and director of the Cathedral Girl Choristers at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. Eoin Hynes is an alumnus artist with Opera Theatre Company.
Tickets are €18/14/6 and available from Music For Galway (091 - 705962 or www.musicforgalway.ie ), or Opus II, High Street.
