by Linda Phillips
In its program entitled “A Christmas Tapestry”, the Greenwich Choral Society, under Director Paul F. Mueller, singers and orchestra welcomed the season with the ordained musical variety in the magnificence of Christ Church.
The concert began differently this year, as the opening music was the premiere of composer Nathaniel Adams work “Ring Out Wild Bells”, which was commissioned by The Choral Society’s Board. As long term audience members know, the program has traditionally begun by the chorus members encircling the audience ringing handbells, casting a spell. At this opening, the ringers sang against an atonal, polytonal leitmotif throbbing in the background, and the usual magical spell was not cast. Based on a text by Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem “In Memoriam”, the work was a departure.
Moving to a more traditional Handel work, I Will Magnify Thee, based on psalms, the stunning mezzo-sopranoTeresa Buchholz sang the opening, moving to a duet with Baritone Luke MacMillan, which moved to the duo and chorus singing Glory and Worship are Before Him together. Again, there was a solo for Ms. Bucholz and orchestra, which moved back to two soloists and chorus for Tell it out among the Heathen, Ms. Bucholz again sang a solo until a dramatic caesura. and the resounding full finish.The orchestra was perfectly balanced, the chorus full, but the soloists needed a microphone to be properly heard above them.
Harpist Maria Banks opened A Carol for all Children, a sweet and lulling work begun by female voices, later joined by males. It was a paean to Jesus, sung a cappella, with a rather indefinite ending.
The Tapestry of the Holy Birth by Stephen Mager is a Cantata that unfolds with the drama of Jesus’ birth, beginning with the shepherds abiding in the fields, then the Angel’s announcement, which included the audience singing Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming, then on to a canticle in which the audience sang Ding Dong Merrily on High.The next scene, Adoration of the Shepherds, featured a strong solo performance by tenor
Scott Joiner. In Processional, piccolo and tambourine sounded.It was a consonant charming choral work, with pat-a-pan drums and woodwinds sounding.
Then came the interesting, ethnically diverse music, beginning with a rambunctious Joy to the World, the audience and chorus collaborating. The choir sang the always-wonderful contemporary Christmas music of John Rutter in What Sweeter Music. A sephardic traditional tune came next, with an Argentine tango rhythm and castanets. A gentle carol for soprano (the excellent Amaranta Viera) and tenor was Duermete, Nino Lindo, abetted by harp. Follow That Star by Peter Gritton, a first for GCS, was swinging jazzy and fun, and the concert concluded with a completely new imagining of Silent Night.
Throughout, the audience could scarcely hear Conductor Paul Mueller, who also needed a microphone. But the musicianship, creativity, exuberance and performance of the program were perfection.
The next performance of the Choral Society will be on March 14, 2020 for “Beethoven 2020” and will include the Greenwich High School choirs. For information and tickets. go to www.GreenwichChoralSociety.org.
Linda Phillips’ classical musical reviews have won four best Column of the Year awards from the Connecticut Press Club, and were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in criticism, as was her novel “To The Highest Bidder” for fiction.
