In Hearing Sacred Harmonies, the second of Chamber Choir Ireland's sacred programmes of the season, the Choir perform works composed in 1936, 1937 and 1938 respectively (Howells, Messiaen, Poulenc) together with Gregory Rose’s contemporary Stabat Mater, premiered by Paul Hillier in Portugal in 2017.

Although written in the 1930s after the death of his son, Howells’ Requiem, now considered a standard in choral repertoire, was not released until the 1980s with the composer preferring to keep it private until nearing the end of his own life.

O sacrum convivium—Olivier Messiaen
Mass: Kyrie, Gloria —Francis Poulenc
Stabat Mater —Gregory Rose
Mass: Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus—Francis Poulenc
Requiem—Herbert Howells

Chamber Choir Ireland
Paul Hillier Conductor
Noel Eccles Percussion