The sounds of Notre-Dame de Paris will be evoked in Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell during May and June as the Cathedral Choir embarks on a season of music inspired by the French capital.

The Mass settings at the 10am Choral Eucharist each week will be those composed for the vast space in Notre-Dame over the past hundred years.

An extra organ has been loaned by Ralph Cullen of Keyboard Music Stystems Ltd to allow the antiphonal ‘double organ’ nature of the works to be realised in spectacular fashion, with guest organists Myles Hartley and, on 10 June, internationally renowned organ virtuoso Olivier Latry – currently organist at Notre-Dame itself.

The cycle begins on 13 May with the Mass for Two Choirs and Two Organs by Charles-Marie Widor (composer of the famous Toccata), and the following week the monumental and thrilling Messe Solennelle by Jean Langlais will be performed.

On 27 May, the Missa Parisiorum for upper voices by Holy Trinity’s music director, Timothy Noon, will receive its world premiere, performed by the Cathedral Junior Choristers with the women’s voices of the Cathedral Choir.

On Trinity Sunday (3 June), the Cathedral’s patronal festival, the choir will perform the New Zealand premiere of the sensational Mass for Notre-Dame by David Briggs.

The season closes on 10 June with the most famous work in the set, the Messe Solennelle by Louis Vierne, who was organist at Notre-Dame in the early twentieth century.

As it is rare to find two organs together in this country, these exciting works are seldom heard in New Zealand, especially in their original liturgical context.

The Dean of Holy Trinity, Jo Kelly-Moore says: “We are excited to be offering this extraordinary season of music to the city as part of our Cathedral worship, and to have world-class musicians in our midst. 

"Everyone is welcome to join us for these services, which will undoubtedly be good for the soul.”