Par LACHNER FRANZ. Among his compositions, Franz Lachner, the long-serving Music Director of the Court of Munich and Director of the Royal Choir, left behind a considerable number of sacred works, including two settings of the Stabat Mater. The first Stabat Mater, op. 154, from 1856 was strictly for a vocal ensemble; the second, op. 168, from 1870 (see p. 5) included strings and organ, in which the darker timbre was achieved through the absence of the violins. In its harmonic expression the second composition is especially oriented towards the, at that time, modern style of the North German School centred around Liszt and Wagner, but without ever exceeding a moderate degree of technicaldifficulty in the voice parts./ Répertoire / Choeur SATB/SATB