THERE are some performances that feel less like concerts and more like sonic spiritual experiences. Drone Mass, the haunting, posthumous masterpiece by Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, is exactly that.
Following last year’s sold-out Irish premiere at the Kilkenny Arts Festival, Drone Mass hits the road, and on Wednesday May 7, lands at Lime Tree Theatre for one night only.
Presented by two of Ireland’s most respected ensembles — Crash Ensemble and Chamber Choir Ireland — and led by guest conductor Gabriel Crouch, this tour is a sonic pilgrimage through time, mysticism, and grief.
At its core Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Drone Mass is a work that defies easy classification: drawing on ancient Egyptian Coptic hymn, filtered through Jóhannsson’s signature blend of classical minimalism and electronic texture, it feels like a requiem written in a language older than memory.
Since Jóhannsson’s sudden death in 2018, Drone Mass has taken on a near-mythic status among modern classical circles. Its shadowy drones and celestial choral lines float somewhere between the sacred and the cinematic — a soundscape that’s both ancient and post-modern.
Jóhannsson, who rose to global acclaim for his film scores (Sicario, The Theory of Everything), was never one to play by the rules. His compositions, often soaked in melancholy and layered with meaning, redefined what orchestral music could be in the 21st century. Drone Mass, widely considered his magnum opus, might be his most personal and transcendent creation — a meditation on mortality that feels as intimate as it is otherworldly.
Crash Ensemble are no strangers to innovation. Under the direction of Artistic Director Kate Ellis, they’ve made a name for themselves by commissioning and performing some of the boldest contemporary music around.
Pair that with the vocal precision and emotional depth of Chamber Choir Ireland. Through broadcasts, streaming, and live performances, they bring the joy of world-class choral music to over a million listeners each year.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of Jóhannsson or completely new to his world, Drone Mass isn’t just a concert — it’s an invitation to lose yourself in something vast, mysterious and richly atmospheric.
