The collaboration was entirely convincing, with right amounts of the Romanians' vivaciousness manifest in the midst of the Vanbrugh's wisdom and containment.

Of the programme of Enescu, Shostakovich and Mendelssohn, only the first work presented any problems; there were some slight mis-pitches and octave-intonation problems in the violins, and the symphonic textures in the inner parts were somewhat apologetic.

For all the balance difficulties of the score, this Enescu was well communicated and well received.

Based on his depth of sound in the Shostakovich, Bogdan Sofei of the Con Tempo might have also led the Enescu, which is to say more of the Romanian's soloistic flamboyance than anything of any deficiency on Greg Ellis's part.

But, with Ellis back in the hot seat in the Mendelssohn, the sound was just right . The perfect composition was given a near perfect performance . . . every line neatly in its place and a terrifically tight ensemble, most notably in the Scherzo with the Andante boasting touches of a "senza vibrato" colour in the accompaniment.

Barry Douglas and Camerata Ireland attracted a full house to the National Concert Hall on 29 November in a concert that, as the last in a trio of performances that were also welcomed in London and in Paris, marked the culmination of their 2006 international series. As soloist and director in an all-Mozart programme, Douglas demonstrated an attention to detail in his interpretation that the music of this composer has too rarely received this year.

Stylistic fidelity was employed in judicious amounts, enough to leave room in the interpretation for a certain whimsical mischievousness that nodded aptly to the character of both the composer and his composition and yet still had its own fresh personality.

Articulation and phrasing in the orchestra were again both reverent and daring and Douglas's technical command at the keyboard was first rate. Nonetheless, tiredness seeped into the pianist's playing at times, as it would in the face of such a demanding undertaking.

The performance by the Vienna Brahms trio of the Beethoven triple concerto in the RTE National Symphony Orchestra's concert on 1 December was a mixed affair.

Stand-in pianist Jasminka Stancul and cellist Orfeo Mandozzi gave convincing performances and Mandozzi overcame the notorious technical difficulties of his part with relative ease. But violinist Boris Kuschnir was well below par, exposing grave intonation problems and little or no personality in his approach. From an ensemble point of view, which the logistics of the stage set-up inevitably attempt to thwart, proceedings were quite successful. But for a much-anticipated performance of this great concerto, the overall result was more than slightly marred by Kuschnir's struggles.

If you are going to see a Messiah this month, let it be that of the Irish Baroque Orchestra and the Resurgam choir on Wednesday 13 December on St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. With period instruments, and directed by Monica Huggett, they are set to give a rendition closest to that which Handel himself first heard 264 years ago.

The performance is repeated in Waterford IT's Good Sheperd Chapel on Thursday (14).

Finally, the National Chamber Choir gives their last non-seasonal programme at the National Gallery, Dublin on Thursday. A Vaughan Williams mass and Elaine Agnew premier are set to be the highlights of this performance.