Katia and Marielle Labeque (pianos), NSO/Colman Pearce

{TABLE} Roman Carnival Overture ........ Berlioz Carnival of the Animals ........ Saint Saens Concerto for tsvo pianos ....... Poulenc La mer ......................... Debussy {/TABLE} PLACING Saint Saens' Carnival of the Animals and Poulenc's Concerto for two pianos at the centre of the National Symphony Orchestra's all French programme last Friday guaranteed the evening a high spirited core. And choosing as soloists the dynamic French duo of Katia and Marielle Labeque seemed a fair guarantee that the performances would sizzle and spark.

The Labeques' nicely judged wit in Saint Saens "zoological fantasy" was enlivened by the interspersion of verses by Ogden Nash, spoken with point by Cathryn Brennan.

The Poulenc, composed in 1932 in the composer's cheekiest vein of pastiche (including references to the Balinese music he had encountered at the Colonial Exhibition the previous year) was delivered with freedom and levity.

Conductor Colman Pearce, however, didn't seem to have the measure of the works which opened and closed the concert. For music regarded as an orchestral showpiece, Berlioz's Roman Overture was here lacking in precision, and Debussy's La mer sounded less than convincing in a pressurised, heavy weather reading.