The St. Louis Chamber Chorus is known for its beautiful renditions of eight-voice a cappella mass settings and anthems, along with new commissions of interesting texts, usually performed in architecturally significant, acoustically felicitous churches.

That made Sunday afternoon's performance, "A Chorus Carouse," unusual in almost every way. First, there was the setting: the upper chamber at the Schlafly Tap Room, interesting chiefly as an early example of a recycled downtown building. The acoustic was, well, tavernous, and the music praised ale, wine and drinking in general.

Part of artistic director Philip Barnes' duties for this concert consisted of taking long pulls on a pint. The audience cheerfully followed his example.

It was all a barrel of fun (although the SLCC's pre-5 p.m. formalwear seemed even less apt than usual), with settings of bibulous texts by Holst, Hans Leo Hassler, Schubert, Samuel Barber, Francis Poulenc, Felix Mendelssohn and Paul Hindemith, among others.

True to Barnes' gift for presenting unusual choral works, the first half closed with Paul Crabtree's "Five Romantic Miniatures from 'The Simpsons,'" using words by Abe (Grampa), Lisa, Homer and Marge, and making more of the phrase, "Mmmmm, pork chops" than one might think possible.

There was a madrigal by Thomas Arne that we never sang in high school, "Which is the Properest Day to Drink?" (all of them), and John Blow's let-the-good-times-roll celebration of the return of King Charles II after the glum Puritan interlude, "On the King's Coming Home."

The highlight of the performance was "The Ale Songbook," by British composer Robert Walker. Newly commissioned for the Chamber Chorus by Stacey Albin-Wilson and Jon Wilson, the five-song cycle seems likely to have further performances. Walker, who was present for the performance, wrote music of high quality that went beyond the joke, although he clearly knows his way around a pint.

The best of the set was "Gude Ale," with text by Robert Burns and bagpipe drone effects provided by a semichorus of singers identified as having Scottish heritage.

The low ceiling made the vocal blend iffier than usual, and some voices — particularly masculine voices — stuck out in places. The overall quality of singing was excellent, and the texts came through clearly. To quote the end of Walker's cycle, "Cheers!"

On Saturday night, the St. Louis Classical Guitar Society welcomed The Romeros — Celin, Pepe, Lito and Celino — to the 560 Trinity Music Center for an overdue return. "The Royal Family of the Guitar" hadn't been to St. Louis in more than a decade, but they still perform like a dream.

In a program that ranged from Vivaldi and Boccherini to Granados and Falla, with music by some Romeros thrown in, they offered quartets, duets and solos, all played with immense skill and musicality. Celino, soloing on "Three Dances from Suite Andaluza," by his grandfather Celedonio, demonstrated outstanding style and dexterity, but this is perhaps the best-matched set of guitarists imaginable. They earned their ovations from the large and enthusiastic audience.