A Requiem by Puccini: no, not the famed operatic composer, but his great-great-grandfather. Originally billed as a UK premiere, it was subsequently discovered that Puccini the elder’s Requiem had been performed up the road at The Queen’s College a few years ago.

This Puccini was organist and choirmaster of Lucca Cathedral. In Choros’s performance, the Requiem’s slow introduction displayed his broad, mood-setting, grasp of musical architecture as it soared into the roof of St Mary’s. Plainsong introductions to principal sections served as austere reminders that Puccini was setting solemn words: “Nothing will remain unpunished. What then am I, a miserable wretch, to say?” go the words of one alto and tenor duet.

The Kyrie tried to move a little more up-tempo, and there was a jolly orchestral accompaniment to “Find me a place among the sheep, and separate me from the goats”, but as section followed section, everything began to sound wearingly similar – in spite of the best efforts of conductor Janet Lincé, Choros, and soloists Ildikó Allen, Lorna Perry, Hugo Tucker, and Jonathan Stainsby. Certainly the chorus Domine Jesu Christe played to the strengths of Choros’s well-balanced sound, but it was almost as if Puccini was afraid of being judged too operatic – an intriguing thought, in view of the talents to be displayed one day by his great- great-grandson.

Living from 1712-1781, Puccini overlapped with Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi. He was, alas, not in their league, especially when it came to scoring orchestral accompaniment. It was a brave decision, therefore, to partner the Requiem with Handel’s Dixit Dominus. Although conductor Lincé opened at a comparatively stately tempo, there was no mistaking the enthusiasm and alert attack as Choros progressed through this gloriously uninhibited and extrovert work. The accompanying Brandenburg Baroque Soloists also plainly relished the opportunity to let rip, helping to bring this concert to a rousing conclusion.