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Q&A with The Priests
Meet The Priests, the singing trio who broke the Guinness world record for the fastest-selling classical debut album of all time. With their second album, Harmony, out now, Fathers Martin and Eugene O'Hagan and their friend Father David Delargy, took some time out to answer a few questions for us
How were you discovered by Sony?
The Epic label along with producer Mike Hedges were looking for a priest to sing the parts of the Latin Mass and sent a scout to find that priest. After some search we were contacted by Liam Bradley and asked if we would do a demo. We did it in Belfast and after a few weeks we were asked if we would sign a contract with Sony, which has been fabulous. The idea of the album of the Latin Mass was put on hold and then we all three were asked to produce an album.
How long have you been singing together?
We've been singing together for 35 years, which has been amazing and I hope that we will continue to sing for many years to come. Eugene and myself have been singing since we were small and our mum was so good, she was a great singer. I met David when I was 11 and we have been singing since then. We are so grateful to all those who have supported us and continue to do so today in so many ways.
How do you balance recording and touring with being priests?
It is not always easy. There is the need to establish that balance and we rely on the support of our colleagues to assist us when we have to be away. The people of the parish are thrilled and are very much part of the journey. Life in the parish is paramount and the concerns of people's lives are vital. There is a sense of providence in this and may we give glory to God in all that we do, and the family and parishes are so much part of this.
Are you comfortable with fame
As clergy we are accustomed to having a public profile and being in the public eye, but it is true that as The Priests we are much better known now than we were this time last year. Fame is not something that we aspire to or seek, at least not for its own sake. It is an unavoidable aspect of being involved in the music industry. Our families and parishioners help us to keep our feet firmly on the ground - they wouldn't tolerate any inflated egos.
What are your musical influences?
We were brought up with the wide repertoire of Irish folk songs, and often listened to the recordings of the great Irish tenor, Count John McCormack. The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins were very popular films in our childhood and we were very familiar with their songs. As teenagers we wouldn't miss Top of the Pops. At school we became familiar with Gilbert and Sullivan operettas such as The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, The Gondoliers, Patience, HMS Pinafore, Iolanthe, etc. Each year at Christmas we performed a different operetta for pupils, staff and parents. It was a great training for us. At university we widened our musical education under the tutelage of Mr Frank Capper, a well-known Belfast-based singing teacher who introduced us to German Lieder, Italian bel canto repertoire and the likes of Britten, Finzi, Delius, Vaughan Williams, Handel, Purcell etc. In more recent years while singing with Castleward Opera we have enjoyed performing the music of Verdi, Puccinci, Donizetti, Britten, Balfe, Bizet, etc
What are your favourite Christian pieces of music?
It's very difficult to single out just a few pieces from such a vast body of work. We love the Passions by Bach, Handel's Messiah, the Dream of Gerontius by Elgar, Allegri's Miserere, Spem in Alium by Tallis, Mozart's Requiem, Faure's Requiem, Vivaldi's Gloria to name but a few. And who could forget the wonderful music of Palestrina and Gregorian Chant? Where do you stop?
With Christmas coming up, which is your favourite carol, and what does it evoke for you?
Silent Night is one of our favourite carols. It captures perfectly the mystery of the Nativity which all Christians of every denomination celebrate together. It is a simple and enchanting piece. A few years ago all three of us had the opportunity of visiting the small chapel in Oberndorf, Austria, where Silent Night was first performed with the simplest of accompaniments. It still, to this day, evokes a stillness in listeners' hearts today whether it's sung by a professional choir or a small children's choir. It's no wonder we chose to include Silent Night on our new album.
What was it like to sing in the Vatican?
Having been seminarians in Rome for several years and invited to sing at Papal liturgies we had the privilege of singing in St Peter's Basilica on several occasions, including Christmas and Easter. It was very special for us to record our debut album with the Choir of the Philharmonic Academy of Rome, because it's not everyone who gets the chance, let alone the permission to record, in the Basilica itself. So singing and recording in the Cappella del Coro inside St Peter's Basilica was a thrilling experience; the acoustics, the environment, the history makes singing in St Peter's Basilica truly unique.
Is there anywhere else you would love to sing?
We have had the wonderful experience of singing in London's Royal Albert Hall so our experiences and hopes of singing in venues other that Church locations is current. We would really love to sing in iconic buildings like Westminster Cathedral or Westminster Abbey or venues like Hampton Court or Blenheim Palace in the UK and Carnigie Hall, New York, or the Sydney Opera House.
Are there any artists with whom you would love to collaborate?
We have had the opportunity of meeting some big names in the musical business; Tom Jones, The Killers, Boyzone and although we come from a very different type of musical background we'd welcome the chance of singing with them or other contemporary bands. Having said that we probably would be more at home with music championed by Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Bryn Terfel and Cecilia Bartoli.
Harmony, featuring tracks such as The Lord’s Prayer and Amazing Grace is out now
