Enthusiasm, commitment and energy were very much in evidence at the City of Oxford Choir's concert at the Wesley Memorial Church last Saturday. This was a finely-balanced programme of music by Brahms and Dvorák, ranging from romantic lieder to Dvorák's stunning Mass in D.

Soprano Lisa Wilson was both eloquent and dramatic in her treatment of three Brahms lieder, from the spirited Vergebliches Ständchen, which was inspired by folk songs of the lower Rhine, to the more melancholy Sapphische Ode and Wir Wandelten, which reflect longingly on lost love. Singing songs from her homeland was the Prague-born Lucie Spicková, whose ravishing mezzo was an absolute joy in a selection of Dvorák gypsy songs.

Sandwiched in between was Brahms' Fünf Gesänge, an eclectic set of poems by Rückert, Kalbeck, Wenzig and Groth, composed between 1886 and 1888 and scored for an SATB choir. These echoed the melancholy of the composer's lieder, with their exploration of lost youth and happiness and acceptance of approaching death. The choir managed to convey these feelings with exceptional clarity, showing great sensitivity for both words and music. It did seem, at times, as though their confidence faltered a little, and there were some rather tentative sounds from some areas of the choir. This was a careful and meticulous presentation, but one that just seemed to lack the necessary drive.

No such problems, though, in the Mass in D, surely one of Dvorák's greatest masterpieces. Composed in 1887 to inaugurate the private chapel of Czech architect Josef Hlávka, its glorious, folk-inspired tunefulness was realised by both choir and soloists in the most glowing terms, combining radiance and eloquence with thoughtful and fluid phrasing. Once again, Lisa Wilson and Lucie Spicková delighted with some sparkling solo work, and there were strong contributions from tenor Alistair Carey and baritone Andrew McIntosh. Paul Dean accompanied flawlessly on the organ throughout, and Duncan Aspden's focused conducting ensured an enthralling performance.