Absolutely nothing to do with New College, newChoir was founded two months ago, and fielded some 40 members at this, its debut concert. It was good to see Oxford music lovers willing to try something new — an almost full house greeted this new venture. Perhaps that was at least partly due to the fact that newChoir’s conductor is Janet Lincé, and she rarely does anything dull.

Lincé chose the title Romantic Praise for this concert, with music from the religious repertoire of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The centrepiece was Vierne’s Messe Solennelle, Op 16. Designed for the grandest of French cathedrals, this Mass is scored for choir and two organs — a very large instrument far away at the west end, and a smaller accompaniment organ. But Exeter has only one, very powerful, organ, and it sits comparatively close to the choir. This meant that organist James Brown frequently swamped the singers — Vierne no doubt wished to impress his ecclesiastical employers, so the organ part is far from being modest and retiring.

Much more successful were two motets by Bruckner, Os justi and Libera me Domine. In these rare and moving works, the choir showed the group sound is developing well under Lincé’s experienced and efficient direction. As members get used to each other, confidence will no doubt grow, and words will be projected with more consistent clarity.

The rest of the programme was devoted to British music — Bairstow, Stanford, and Parry. Bairstow’s confident Blessed City, Heavenly Salem received a suitably robust performance, while Stanford’s The Lord is my Shepherd displayed a good sense of phrasing. For lo, I raise up, also by Stanford, ended with a nice sense of stillness and calm. In contrast, Parry’s resplendent I was Glad was just the right finale in this Jubilee Year.