Review: The Bach Society Illuminates the Sounds of the Season

In real estate, we are told, location is everything. During the Bach Society’s annual Christmas Candlelight Concert at Powell Hall on December 23rd, it occurred to me that the same can often be true of a performing arts event. Some seats are better than others, especially when there’s a strong visual component to the performance.

The Bach Society at Powell Hall

That’s not usually a major issue for classical concerts, but the Bach Society’s annual event isn’t like most. That’s primarily because of the candlelight procession that opens the second half. The lights dim and the members of the Bach Society walk down the aisles singing, each with an electric candle. If you're lucky enough to be sitting downstairs in the orchestra section, you're soon surrounded by singers—some carrying the melody, some the harmony, enveloping you in a constantly changing kaleidoscope of sound. It’s unforgettable.

This year, though, I was late in requesting tickets, so we were in what is now called the Mid Balcony. From up there, the chorus and orchestra still sounded fine, but the surround-sound experience of the candlelight procession was mixed down to stereo, and the procession itself wasn’t visible. That meant that over half of the audience at this sold-out concert missed what has become the event’s trademark.

That said, this first Candlelight Concert in the new Powell Hall did not lack for fine musicianship and holiday cheer. Bach Society Music Director and Conductor A. Dennis Sparger led the society’s orchestra and chorus with his usual authority, making the evening of holiday sounds old and new a fitting tribute to mark the Bach Society’s 85^th birthday.

Usually dedicated to more serious/traditional classical works, the first half of this year’s event was taken up almost entirely with a brightly celebratory performance of the 1990 Magnificat by Sir John Rutter (b. 1945). A prolific composer of choral music—including popular Christmas tunes such as “The Shepherd’s Pipe Carol,” “Angels’ Carol,”  and “Donkey Carol”—Rutter is one of what was, until fairly recently, a small number of contemporary composers writing in an accessible, audience friendly style. As Sparger writes in his program notes, the composer’s “infectious melodies, along with colorful harmonies and brilliant orchestrations…have made Rutter a favorite in churches, schools and concert halls around the world.”

The text of the Magnificat, per the composer’s web site, is “based on the prayer ascribed by St Luke [Luke I:46-55] to the Virgin Mary on learning that she was to give birth to Christ, [and] is extended by the interpolation of Marian prayers and poems chosen by the composer to create a celebratory work reminiscent of outdoor processions in honour of the Virgin.” In notes for a Naxos recording of the work, Rutter added that “it is mainly in the sunny southern countries—Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico—that Mary is most celebrated and enjoyed. This led me to conceive the music as a bright Latin-flavoured fiesta.”

Scored for orchestra, chorus, and soprano solo, the Magnificat covers a wide range of moods, from the exuberant first movement (“Magnificat anima mea Dominum”) with its lively Latin-American percussion to the majestic and celebratory final movement (“Gloria Patri”), complete with a fervent Marian Antiphon in a translation by Ron Jeffers. The second movement, “Of a Rose, a Lovely Rose,” is a tranquil setting of an anonymous 15^th-century English poem comparing Mary to a rose. The fugal fifth movement, “Fecit potentiam in brachio suo” (“He has shown strength with His arm”), is a dramatic depiction of divine might reminiscent of Vaughan Williams—a sharp contrast with the rocking, near-lullaby “Esurientes implevit bonis” (“The hungry He has filled with good things”) that follows.

Under Sparger’s sympathetic direction, the Bach Society Orchestra and Chorus ensured that all those moods and colors came through with superb clarity.  The occasional cracked note in the horns and brasses notwithstanding, this was quite a solid reading and created the proper festive spirit.

Emily Birsan

Soprano Emily Birsan, who was the soloist the last time the Bach Society presented the Magnificat in 2016, brought a pure and precise tone and good stage presence to her performance. The part calls for a wide vocal range, dipping into the low end of the soprano tessitura in “Esurientes,” but Birsan sounded entirely comfortable with it.

Birsan returned in the second half of the concert for an impressively virtuosic “Laudamus Te” from Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor, K. 427. The composer wrote this and other soprano solos in the Mass with the coloratura voice of his future wife, Constanze Weber, in mind, so a large range and vocal flexibility are called for. Birsan is a lyric soprano rather than a coloratura per se, but she sounded very much on top of her game in the piece.

Other highlights of the evening included a pair of inventive arrangements by Texas-based composer/arranger Tyler Scott Davis of the classic carols “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”  and “Joy to the World.” The former wrapped the 15^th-century tune in a shimmering, modernist haze while the latter had an appropriately triumphal feel that placed the shining brass section in the foreground. The Latin-American sound of “Angels We Have Heard on High” (by Dr. Barlow Bradford of the University of Utah) was a pleasant surprise and kept percussionists Erin Elstner and Paul Brumleve busy with multiple instruments, including marimba, gourd, wood block, and bongos.

The program included a recurring favorite, A Musicological Journey through the 12 Days of Christmas by contemporary American composer Craig Courtney. In this witty arrangement of the popular Christmas memory challenge, each verse is orchestrated in the style of a different composer and/or musical era. As a bonus, most of the arrangements also include a nod to the lyrics.

So, for example, the “seven swans a-swimming” uses the “Swan” theme from Saint-Saëns’s Carnival of the Animals, the “eleven pipers piping” is set to the “Dance of the Mirlitons” (toy flutes) from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, the “eight maids a-milking” become the eight Valkyries from Wagner’s Die Walküre, and the “twelve drummers drumming” are setting the beat for Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever. The program lists only the century and country of inspiration for each verse (e.g., “19th-century France” for Saint-Saëns), leaving it to listeners to fill in the blanks. Judging from the laughter, the audience had no difficulty doing so. I’m not sure the visual jokes (mostly chorus members dancing in period costumes) added anything, but neither did they detract.

Now that they are back in Powell Hall, my hope is that the Bach Society can make better use of the space in the future. Use of the hall’s projected text capabilities, for example, would have been helpful during the Magnificat, as would an awareness of the fact that placing soloists too far down stage center makes them invisible to some of the balcony seats.

The Bach Society’s 2026 season continues with Parts II and III of Handel’s Messiah in March, Bach’s Magnificat in May, and the 2026 Bach Festival at multiple locations this spring. More information is available at the Bach Society web site.

Symphony Preview: 'Tis the season, Part 2

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s regular concert season traditionally goes on hiatus during December, but special holiday events continue right up through New Year’s Eve. This week is relatively light, with only two shows.

Take 6

Friday, December 13^th at 7:30 pm it’s a long-standing SLSO holiday event: the IN UNISON Chorus Christmas concert.  Chorus director Kevin McBeth leads the chorus and orchestra in a mix of gospel, jazz, and traditional favorites for the season.  Guest soloists are basses Reginald Davis and Charles Stancil, sopranos De-Rance Blaylock and Rochelle Calhoun, alto Mary Moorehead, and the Grammy Award®-winning a cappella vocal sextet Take 6.

Now celebrating its 30^th anniversary, the IN UNISON chorus is an auditioned ensemble of volunteer singers that performs a variety of musical styles, with a focus on the interpretation, performance, and preservation of music from the African diaspora. Kevin McBeth, who became director of the chorus in 2011, is Adjunct Professor in Choral Music at Webster University as well as Director of Music at Manchester United Methodist Church, where he serves as full-time administrator for the Music Ministry.

It's worth noting that the IN UNISON Christmas show has often sold out at Powell Hall, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see history repeat itself at the Stifel Theatre.

Conductor Ron Spigelman

Saturday at 7:00 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, December 14^th and 15^th, it’s “The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert.” Ron Spigelman conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and members of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus as they perform Miles Goodman’s original score for this 2023 version of the Dickens classic while the film plays on the big screen overhead. Songwriter Paul Williams, who penned the Muppet classic “Rainbow Connection,” contributed original songs.

The SLSO movie nights are generally family-friendly affairs, so expect a fair number of wee folk, especially at the Sunday matinee.  And it is, after all, The Muppets.

Next week: the big Mercy Holiday Celebration. Stay tuned!

Symphony Preview: 'Tis the season, part 1

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s regular concert season traditionally goes on hiatus during December, but that doesn’t mean the orchestra and chorus aren’t kept busy. Far from it, as a quick survey of the coming month’s concerts clearly demonstrates. Let’s take a glance at what’s happening just this week.

Amanda Stewart and Steven Franklin
Photo courtesy of the SLSPO

The festive mood begins on Thursday, December 5, at 7:30 pm as Steven Franklin (Principal Trumpet) and Amanda Stewart (Associate Principal Trombone) curate a program of “Fanfares and Festivals” as part of the “Live at the Sheldon” concert series. Along with eight of their fellow SLSO brass players plus Alan Stewart on percussion, they’ll treat you to five centuries of music for brass and percussion. The oldest music on the program is suite from “The Danserye,” a 1551 collection of 60 toe-tappers by Renaissance composer and publisher Tylman Susato (c. 1510/15–after 1570). The newest is the world premiere of a low brass quintet by Franklin.

The evening promises to deliver a wide variety of sounds as well, from the reverential (Francis Poulenc’s “Four Short Prayers of St. Francis of Assisi”) to the rousing (the selections from Susato’s “The Danserye”). The SLSO has a very solid brass section. This should be a great opportunity to hear them in action in the much-admired Sheldon Concert Hall.

On Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, the action moves to the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at Washington University’s 560 Music Center for “A Baroque Christmas.” Guest conductor Patrick Dupre Quigley leads the SLSO in music of Bach, Telemann, Corelli, and Vivaldi. Associate Principal viola Alejandro Valdepeñas is the featured soloist in Telemann’s Viola Concerto in G major, while Ann Choomack takes the virtual spotlight in Vivaldi’s Piccolo Concerto in C major, RV 443.

Alejandro Valdepeñas and Ann Choomack
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

Bach is well represented with Sinfonia from the second of the six cantatas that make up his “Christmas Oratorio” along with the Sonata from his appropriately titled Cantata BWV 31, “Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret” (Heaven laughs! Earth exults) and the lively Orchestral Suite No. 3 (BWV 1068).

That last one was written for Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen, Bach’s employer from 1717 to 1723. The Prince was fond of dance music, so the suite was also likely a hit with the him. It’s being an appealing collection of dances preceded by a short "French overture" (the name referring to the form's origins in the ballets of Jean Baptiste Lully) with its characteristic majestic opening followed by a lively main section. Bach's mastery of counterpoint gives the music a bit of weight, but even so, the terpsichorean roots of this work are as obvious as they are delightful.

Those roots are especially apparent in the last two movements, the sprightly "Bourée" and "Gigue." The former was a dance that was especially popular at the court of Louis XIV of France, eventually morphing into a classical ballet step known as the pas de bourèe.

Arcangelo Corelli’s contribution is his justifiably popular Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 6 No. 8. It’s known as the “Christmas Concerto” because the first page of the score bears the inscription “Fatto per la notte di Natale” (“made for the night of Christmas”). Although the twelve concerti grossi of the composer’s Op. 6 weren’t published until after his death, No. 8 was composed in 1690 and played that Christmas for Corelli’s patron and friend Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni.

Celtic Woman
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

Check out my Spotify playlist to listen to the complete "Baroque Christmas"  program in advance.

To close out a very musical week, the Irish vocal/instrumental group Celtic Woman brings their “White Christmas Symphony Tour” to the Stifel Center on Sunday, December 8, at 7:00 pm. Lloyd Butler conducts the SLSO in an evening that “combines centuries of Irish musical tradition with the thrill of a full symphonic orchestra, highlighting the artistry of the internationally recognized quartet.”

The group was created in 2004 years ago as a “one off” for a concert in Dublin that was such a hit that it immediately sparked an American tour and an international following. Two decades later, the group’s catalog of CDs, DVDs, and even jewelry is impressive and the popularity of their concerts shows no signs of waning.

But wait—there’s more! And I’ll tell you all about it in next week’s preview. Stay tuned.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Happy classical holidays

Well, here it is Christmas Eve and while it’s unusual to open presents a day early, I have one for you here that just won’t keep: a free Spotify playlist of classical holiday music.

Cally Banham and Cortango
Photo: Celeste Boyer Photography

Of course, my definition of “classical” is, shall we say, fluid. Or just make that idiosyncratic. You might not see some of these are “classical music” in the traditional sense. And some are “classical” only in the fact that the performers are generally considered to be classical musicians.

But what the heck, it’s free, right?

Here are the albums and artists represented.

Apollo’s Fire: Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain. Known primarily for their performances of Baroque music, this innovative group has been known to branch out into other areas. This particular release “celebrates the ancient Celtic folk carols that were brought to America by the Irish immigrants – and then transformed into soulful Appalachian carols.” It debuted at #3 on the Billboard Classical Chart when it was release in 2018

The Players: Christmas. OK, maybe this oddball ensemble of British buskers led by ex-Roxy Music art-rockers Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay isn’t really a classical group, but they play with a cohesion and gusto that’s just irresistible. And they all play acoustic instruments, which is good enough for me.

Pro Cantione Antiqua: A Medieval Christmas Feast. I first stumbled on this album way back in the LP days and was immediately captivated by the way it evoked the quiet mystery of the medieval era. For this 1986 disc, the a cappella vocal group partnered up with the Medieval Wind Ensemble.

The Baltimore Consort: Christmas Music (Bright Day Star). I have several albums by this group, which brings an unbuttoned sense of theatricality to early music. I will also confess to being a massive fan of soprano soloist Custer LaRue. This 2009 release is a mix of traditional seasonal tunes, at least some of which are so old they’re new again.

The Waverly Consort: A Renaissance Christmas Celebration. What can I say? I’m a sucker for early music.  This 1977 release is a winner. It eventually became the basis for an annual holiday show, “The Christmas Story.”

The Boston Camerata: A Renaissance Christmas. The Boston Camerata’s roots are in early music, but (like many such ensembles) they have also branched out into other areas such as the 2019 “Free America!” disc of Revolutionary War popular songs. I have included their Baroque Christmas album in the playlist as well.

Marie-Claire Alain: Daquin: Noëls pour orgue (Noels for organ). The name of Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772) might not be familiar, and with good reason. While famous as a harpsichord and organ virtuoso in his time he does not appear to have been a prolific composer. His twelve “Noëls” are keyboard fantasias on popular French Christmas songs. I first discovered them on a Musical Heritage Society LP back in the 1960s and they still say “Christmas” to me.

Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir: The Joy of Christmas. I had to include at least one big-band carol bash in here. This one dates from 1960 and features the blitzkrieg power of the choral group my late friend Bryce used to refer to as the “Mormon Brass Knuckle Choir.” Unsubtle but fun.

Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra with the John Alldis Choir: An Olde English Christmas. Very much in the same vein as the previous, but with a British slant. Recorded in 1980, it has the advantage of somewhat cleaner sound than the Bernstein disc.

The Gabrielli Consort and Players: A Venetian Christmas. Described as the First Mass of Christmas at St. Mark’s as it might have been celebrated in Venice circa 1600, this 2001 release consists mostly of the antiphonal music of Giovanni Gabrielli (1554/5 – 1612) along with the “Missa ‘Praeter rerum seriem’” by Cipriano de Rore (1516 – 1585).

The Taverner Consort, Choir, and Players: The Carol Album. Lots of very old carols in this 1989 disc conducted by Andrew Parrott. Parrott formed the group back in 1973 to feature English renaissance music.

Various: The Big Christmas Box. Originally a subsidiary label of the now defunct Vanguard Recording Society, The Bach Guild still offers its many “Big Boxes” (so called because they contained anywhere from 3 to 10 hours of music on big boxes of CDs) at its own web site. Most (if not all) are now available as digital downloads both there and at Classic Select World. The Big Christmas Box includes performances by Alfred Deller, the Canterbury Choristers, and even a few music boxes.

The Knights: The Knight Before Christmas. A self-described “musical collective,” The Knights are “flexible in size and repertory” and “dedicated to transforming the orchestral experience and eliminating barriers between audience and music.” This 2021 release demonstrates that with innovative arrangements of a wonderfully varied collection of seasonal songs old and new. It includes one of only two versions of “The Little Drummer Boy” that I can actually listen to.

The Imani Winds: This Christmas. I guess you’d describe the Imani Winds as a contemporary classical/jazz crossover group. They specialize in new music, but this 2008 album consists of traditional carols and Great American Songbook classics.

Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops: Pops Christmas Party. Yeah, I know: how mainstream can you get? But it’s festive as all get out and includes a terrific performance of one of my favorites, Leroy Anderson’s “Christmas Festival.”

Cally Banham and Cortango: Cor Christmas. This is a “home team” thing. Banham is the Principal Cor Anglais (English Horn) with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. For this 2018 solo debut, she’s backed up by her classical/jazz/tango fusion group Cortango as well as the Adam Maness Trio and the Trombones of the St. Louis Symphony. The arrangements are brilliant, which is why the “Little Drummer Boy” on this album is the second of the two versions I can actually listen to.

Maggie Sansone and Ensemble Galilei: Ancient Noels. As the title says, it’s an assortment of medieval and renaissance carols from around the world in which Sansone’s hammered dulcimer is prominently featured.

The Vienna Symphony conducted by Steven Mercurio with vocalists Placido Domingo, Sarah Brightman, Helmut Lotti, and Ricardo Cocciante: Christmas in Vienna V. This was originally issued as “A Gala Christmas in Vienna” in 1998. It’s essentially a holiday “pops” concert from Vienna that includes some more contemporary numbers along with the usual favorites.

Quire Cleveland: Carols for Quire from the Old and New Worlds, V. 3. This is probably the most variety you’ll find in any holiday album anywhere, ranging as it does from “The Coventry Carol” to Tom Lehrer’s “(I’m Spending) Hannukah in Santa Monica.” Seriously. Quire Cleveland is, as the name implies, a Cleveland-based a cappella choir with a wide-ranging repertoire.

New York’s Ensemble for Early Music: A Medieval Christmas. Yes, more Very Early Music from the days of drafty castles and pointless battles. Still lovely stuff.

The Choir of King’s College Cambridge: Benjamin Britten: A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28. Written for a three-part treble chorus (which usually means a boys choir) and harp, this 1942 composition evokes visions of a medieval Christmas service, complete with a Processional and Recessional.

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande conducted by Ernest Ansermet: Rimsky-Korsakov: Suite from “Christmas Eve.” First performed in 1895, this operatic adaptation of Gogol’s story “Christmas Eve” is rarely seen these days, but you will hear this orchestral suite every now and then.

The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gavin Sutherland: Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901 – 1947): “A Carol Symphony.” This four-movement work can be more accurately described as a set of chorale preludes on popular Christmas carols for orchestra. Also on this album are Bryan George Kelly’s “Improvisations on Christmas Carols,” Patric Stanford’s “Christmas Carol Symphony,” and carol arrangements by Philip Lane.

If that looks like a lot of music…well, it is. It’s just a little over a full day of holiday cheer. Grab some eggnog (or whatever) and enjoy. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and happy holidays of all kinds (Kwanzaa, Hanukah, Festivus, Saturnalia, Ramadan or whatever else floats your winter solstice boat).

Review: Opera Theatre's Holiday Concert offers peace on earth for troubled times

It’s December. In the performing arts world, that would normally mean at least one of the following: a stage adaptation of Dickens's “A Christmas Carol” (probably with music), Handel's “Messiah,” Tchaikovsky's “The Nutcracker,” or just anything with visions of sugarplums.

L-R: Ryan Johnson, Angel Riley,
Benjamin Taylor, Stephanie Sanchez,
Alex Rosen

But it’s 2020 and an unchecked pandemic has filled hospitals and emptied theatres and concert halls. That doesn’t mean you can’t find plenty of musical holiday cheer; it’s just that you’ll be enjoying it online instead of in person.

Opera Theatre has gotten into the spirit of the season early with their Holiday Concert. Available all month for on-demand streaming from their web site, it's the first program in their 2020-21 Digital Studio series. It stars a talented cast of five singers (most of whom are alumni of OTSL’s Young Artist program) accompanied by pianist Mauro Ronca under the skillful direction of OTSL Artistic Director James Robinson and conductor Roberto Kalb. The show is a holly jolly mix of traditional Christmas carols, Great American Songbook classics, and a well-chosen set of festive numbers from the worlds of opera and operetta.

Recorded at the Levy Opera Center on the Webster University campus, the Holiday Concert is an impeccably staged event, complete with a seasonal set of fake snow and Christmas trees backed up by digital projections by Greg Emetaz that can change the scene in an instant from a snowy forest to Art Hill to the Gateway Arch. The performers are all decked out in cold-weather garb courtesy of Costume Coordinator Stacy Michele Harris, and even their music books have colorful gift wrap covers. In short, it’s a visual treat as well as an auditory delight.

Not only do the singers sound heavenly as an ensemble in the opening set of traditional carols, but they each get a chance to shine in solo and small-group numbers as well.

Baritone Benjamin Taylor is the program’s first soloist in a celebratory rendition of the classic spiritual “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” complete with a joyful final verse by the whole group. Next, soprano Angel Riley and mezzo Stephanie Sanchez combine their clear, well-matched voices in a moving performance of “Oh Holy Night” (the English version of Adam’s “Cantique de Noël”). The trio of tenor Ryan Johnson, bass Alex Rosen, and Mr. Taylor follow with, appropriately, “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” Mr. Rosen’s powerful low notes are especially impressive in the “Myrrh is mine” verse as well as in the final verse of “Let It Snow” later.

L-R: Mauro Ronca, Angel Riley, and the ensemble

In the second half of the concert, Ms. Riley and Mr. Taylor get a chance to display their operatic chops with some soaring high notes in the “Brindisi” from “La Traviata,” followed by Mr. Johnson’s impassioned “Dein ist mein ganzes Herz” from Lehar’s “The Land of Smiles.” Then the whole ensemble has plenty of fun with of a pair of numbers from “Die Fledermaus.”

For me, though, one of the most moving things in the entire program was Ms. Sanchez’s heartfelt “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Written by Ralph Blaine and Hugh Martin for the 1944 film “Meet Me in St. Louis,” the song’s wistful hope that “through the years we all will be together / If the fates allow” seems especially appropriate in the Age of COVID.

Opera Theatre’s enchanting Holiday Concert is available on demand through December 31st. It offers a welcome dose of peace on earth and goodwill to all at a time in our nation’s history when both seem to be in short supply. For more information on the concert as well as the rest of OTSL's 20201 Digital Sudio series, visit the company web site.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Review: So this is Christmas

No matter how much resentment, spite, and general bad behavior pollutes the Internet in general and social media in particular I always find it easier, at what Dickens calls this "kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time" of year, to believe that there still might be hope for some "tidings of comfort and joy."

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Stuart Malina
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

That's especially true in the afterglow of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's annual "Mercy Holiday Celebration" (which we saw Friday night) with guest conductor Stuart Malina. With its thoughtful mix of sacred and secular holiday tunes (including a nod to Chanukah), a dusting of classical selections, and the concluding "Holly and Jolly Sing-Along," it was a program likely to warm the Scroogiest (is that a word?) of hearts.

While the music mix varies from year to year, some things (like the sing-along) are as reliable as the Christmas fruitcake. To begin with, there's always a featured singer who joins the orchestra and the Holiday Festival Chorus for a few numbers and some repartee with Whit Richert's jovial Santa--another reliable element of the celebration.

This year it's Rachel Potter whose career started on Broadway but has since moved to Nashville and whose warm and flexible voice does, indeed, sound a bit "country" every now and then. Past editions have featured performers with classical and musical theatre backgrounds, but I think this is the first time we've had someone with a Music City connection. It was a pleasant change of tone. I was especially taken with her "White Christmas," in which she sang the verse a cappella, and her soaring "O Holy Night" with the Festival Chorus.

I was, by the way, happy to see that David T. Clydesdale's arrangement included this often omitted verse from John Sullivan Dwight's 1885 translation:

Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother; And in His name all oppression shall cease.

It felt like a particularly important reminder these days.

Rachel Potter
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

The Holiday Festival Chorus, made up of singers from area high schools and colleges, sounded especially solid this year--a tribute to the work of long-time chorus director Kevin McBeth. They got a bit of electronic amplification as always, but it was done with a subtlety that made it almost unnoticeable. Their "Silent Night," was an elegant arrangement by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Mack Wilberg, was a thing of beauty. The use of harp and celesta--expertly played by Allegra Lilly and Henry Palkes, respectively--gave it a wonderfully transparent texture.

I also loved the work of this year's guest conductor. The man or woman with the baton is expected to act as MC as well as orchestra leader, and Mr. Malina excelled in both roles. His chatty and informative comments on each number were very engaging, and the choice of music was a nice blend of the familiar and the unusual. The latter included Irving Berlin's "Snow" (which appears to have been prescient, given the current weather forecast), a rarely heard number from the popular film "White Christmas," and two of contemporary composer Terry Mizesko's dances from "A Chanukah Celebration."

The latter cleverly combined traditional classical and Klezmer elements, including a wonderfully idiomatic duet by Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews and Associate Concertmaster Heidi Harris. Neither of the traditional tunes that formed the basis for the piece was familiar to me, although a brief violin passage in the second dance sounded an awful lot like the Klezmer-esque section of the third movement of Mahler's Symphony No. 1.

There's a final performance of the "Mercy Holiday Celebration" at Powell Hall tonight (Sunday, December 15) at 7 pm. Weather permitting, it's a great way to celebrate the solstice holiday of your choice. Get a glass of Poinsettia Punch at the bar and enjoy. Holiday events continue this coming week at Powell Hall with "A Gospel Christmas" on Wednesday and Thursday, December 18 and 19, a showing of the film Home Alone with the SLSO playing the score on Friday and Saturday, December 20 and 21, and the Compton Heights Concert Band's annual holiday show on Sunday, December 22.

The St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 16, 2019

More holiday sounds are in the air this week, as well as with a non-traditional Christmas movie at Powell Hall.

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Tenor Hugh Smith

The Compton Heights Concert Band presents their annual Holiday Pops Concert on Sunday, December 22, at 3 pm. "The Compton Heights Concert Band's 21st Annual Holiday Pops Spectacular! features its 60-piece Band, with an all-star lineup of guest artists, Hugh Smith, tenor, Gina Galati, soprano, Bob Ellison, baritone, Beverly Stewart-Anderson, soprano, and the Abbey Road Warriors." The performance takes place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus presents Christmas Down Under on Sunday, December 22, at 3 pm. "Celebrating the season at the hottest time of the year changes one's perspective, as shown by the “bush carols” of William James. Even familiar carols find new harmonies by Australian and New Zealand composers from Malcolm Williamson & Peter Sculthorpe, to Owen Elsley & Clare Maclean. Fresh arrangements of holiday favorites will resound in one of St. Louis' most original buildings." The concert takes place at the St. Louis Abbey Church, 500 S. Mason Road in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.chamberchorus.org.

The St. Louis Low Brass Collective presents a Holiday Low Brass Play Along on Saturday, December 21, at 10 am. "Every year the STLLBC welcomes all low brass musicians to the Missouri Botanical Garden to ring in the holiday season the best way we know how, on low brass instruments. This event is free and open to everyone. There is a rehearsal for all performers starting at 10 and we will perform at noon." The event takes place at Missouri Botanical Garden in the Shaw Neighborhood For more information: www.stllbc.org.

The IN UNISON Chorus

Kevin McBeth conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and IN UNISON Chorus, along with vocal soloist Kennedy Holmes, in A Gospel Christmas on Wednesday and Thursday, December 18 and 19, at 7:30 pm. "Celebrate the holiday season with the SLSO and IN UNISON Chorus as they perform Gospel renditions of your holiday favorites. This season's celebrations feature fourteen-year-old St. Louis native Kennedy Holmes, who recently placed 4th on Season 15 of NBC's hit show The Voice. This powerful performance is a perfect way to celebrate the joyous season." Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Sympony Orchestra, conducted by Joshua Green, presents a showing of the film Home Alone, with the score performed live, on Friday at 7 pm and Saturday at 2 pm, December 20 and 21. "Back by popular demand, the SLSO performs the 1990's holiday classic, Home Alone, complete with John Williams' whimsical score. When the McCallisters left on family vacation, they forgot one thing-Kevin! From plain cheese pizza to elaborate pranks, this cherished film will put you in the holiday spirit." The performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The 442s

The Washington University Department of Music presents The 442s Holiday Spectacular on Tuesday, December 17, at 7:30 pm. The 442s are Shawn Weil, violin; Michael Casimir, viola; Bjorn Ranheim, cello; Bob Deboo, bass; and Adam Maness, multi-instrumentalist. "Back by popular demand, The 442s are joined by some of the brightest stars of the local and national music scene in presenting their not-to-be-missed annual Holiday Spectacular! Performing traditional and original favorites that break down boundaries between jazz, soul, pop and classical music, this concert will get you in the perfect holiday spirit! Special guests include Peter Martin, Brian Owens, Montez Coleman, Anita Jackson and many other surprise performers." The concert takes place in the Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu or call 314-935-5566.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 9, 2019

Two big annual holiday concerts take place at Powell Hall this week, along with chamber music just down the block at the Sheldon.

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The Bach Society Christmas Candlelight Concert

The Bach Society of St. Louis presents the annual Christmas Candlelight Concert on Tuesday, December 10, at 7:30 PM. “A St. Louis Christmas tradition, the Christmas Candlelight Concert is sure to leave you feeling merry and bright. Plan to join us for Poulenc's Gloria with soprano soloist Michele Kennedy, the beloved candlelight processional, and even the “12 Days of Christmas” with a special appearance by The St. Louis Children's Choirs and Webster University Chamber Singers. Come experience a night filled with Christmas cheer to kick off your holiday season!" The performance takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.bachsociety.org

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents The British Are Coming on Monday and Tuesday, December 9 and 10, at 7:30 pm. "Enjoy some British charm, courtesy of Holst and Purcell, and a 'London' trio by honorary Brit Franz Joseph Haydn." Performances take place at the Sheldon, 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

The New Music Circle presents Fred Frith on Saturday, December 14, at 8 pm. "Renowned and exploratory British guitarist / composer Fred Frith is an icon of avant-garde music, employing a rare musical intelligence, accompanied by an omnipresent sense of humor." The performance takes place at Joe's Cafe, 6014 Kingsbury. For more information: newmusiccircle.org.

The Mercy Holiday Celebration

Stuart Malina conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra along with the Holiday Festival Chorus and soloist Rachel Potter in the Mercy Holiday Celebration Friday through Sunday at 2 and 7:30 pm, December 13-15. "Check laughter and cheer off your holiday list at the Mercy Holiday Celebration with the SLSO. Enjoy your favorite holiday classics performed by the SLSO and Holiday Festival Chorus, plus a special visit from Santa Claus himself. This unforgettable experience will put you in the holiday spirit and show you why thousands of St. Louis residents make this concert an annual tradition." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Department of Music at Washington University presents a Winds Division Recital on Monday and Tuesday, December 9 and 10, at 3 pm. The concerts take place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: music.wustl.edu/events.

The Department of Music at Washington University presents a Flute Choir concert on Monday, December 9, at 7:30 pm. The event takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: music.wustl.edu/events.

The Department of Music at Washington University presents a Messiah Sing-Along on Sunday, December 15, at 3 pm. "Join the choirs of Washington University in singing the Christmas portion of G.F. Handel's 'Messiah.' Bring your own score or borrow one at the door!" The event takes place at Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus. For more information: music.wustl.edu/events.

Review: The happiest season of all

The Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge unwrapped an early Christmas present for St. Louis audiences last night (December 5) with a jazz-inflected holiday show by local singer/actress/educator Debby Lennon that definitely made the evening (in Irving Berlin's words) "merry and bright."

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Debby Lennon at the Blue Strawberry

"My Favorite Christmas" combined two dozen seasonal songs from the Great American Songbook and Broadway with a sprinkling of traditional favorites to produce a tasty holiday treat that went down quite well with an enthusiastic audience.

Backed up by a combo of Nick Schlueter on piano, Jeremy Pfeffer on bass, and Joe Weber on drums, Ms. Lennon's flawless voice rang out loud and clear, while her ebullient stage persona (which bears a striking resemblance to her ebullient offstage persona) won the audience over from the very first notes of her opening medley of "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," We Need a Little Christmas" (from "Mame"), and Irving Berlin's "Happy Holiday" (from "Holiday Inn," where it's actually performed on New Year's Eve).

When she enthusiastically told us a bit later that "Christmas songs make me high," she was just confirming what was surely obvious to everyone: that she was having a great time up there and wanted all of us to be a part of it. You could see that in her happy interactions with the band and in the polished assurance with which she delivered each number, be it comic novelties like "Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)" (a hilarious song from a forgettable musical) or the sentimental 1970 Carpenters classic "Merry Christmas, Darling," dedicated to her husband.

Stringing this all together were personal reflections on Ms. Lennon's own Ghosts of Christmases Past that went deep enough to provide context without ever descending into the "this is my life" school of cabaret that erroneously assumes everyone else finds the intimate details of your biography as interesting as you do.

So, for example, her comments about past dating failures were just detailed enough to provide background for the "Elf" song without slopping over into "too much information" territory, and her thoughts about spending the holidays without loved ones who have moved on to the Grey Havens told us just enough to set up the medley of what she called "sad Christmas ballads": "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Debby Lennon at the Blue Strawberry

True to the show's jazz roots, the band was featured prominently. That included a purely instrumental medley of "O Christmas Tree" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" during which Ms. Lennon retired to the sidelines and turned the stage over to them. The medley gave all three band members a chance to show off, with some smokin' solos, especially from Mr. Schlueter and Mr. Pfeffer, who also did the arrangements for the show. Not every performer is that generous with her time.

At just under 90 minutes, "My Favorite Christmas" was perhaps a bit on the long side, but there were so many entertaining moments that it hardly mattered. Some of my favorites included her take on the manic version of "Jingle Bells" Jack Gold and Marty Paich created for Barbara Streisand's 1967 "A Christmas Album" and her smoldering "Santa Baby," as well as a "White Christmas" that sounded a bit more provocative than Mr. Berlin might have had in mind.

Debby Lennon now moves on to her next theatrical project, Max and Louie Productions' local premiere of Joanna Murray-Smith's one-woman play "Songs for Nobodies" in January 2020. Meanwhile entertainment, seasonal and otherwise, continues at The Blue Strawberry pretty much every weekend; check out their calendar for details. St. Louis's newest cabaret space boasts clean sightlines, excellent sound, and a small but very well balanced food and drink menu. It's a welcome addition to the local scene, to say the least.

Review: Holly jolly novelty

Gemma New conducts the orchestra and chorus
Photo courtesy of St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

What with the unseasonably warm weather and irrationally dumb politics, it can be hard to get into the festive spirit right now, but last night (Friday, December 21st) a Poinsettia Punch and the annual "Mercy Holiday Celebration" with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Holiday Festival Chorus did the trick for me. I strongly recommend the combination.

As was the case last year, Resident Conductor Gemma New was the conductor and MC. Back then I wrote that I was very taken with her elegant and fluid style on the podium and her charm as the evening's host, and I see no reason to change that opinion now. She has both the musical and PR aspects of the proceedings firmly under control.

As is usually the case with the holiday show, the evening was a mix of familiar classics and seasonal songs. Whit Richert's irrepressible Santa made his usual appearance, bringing out a child from the audience to "conduct" the orchestra in Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride," and the evening concluded with "A Holly Jolly Sing-Along."

Soprano Camille Zamora
Photo by Liron Amsellem

The big difference this year was the vocal soloist. Usually it's someone from the world of musical theatre like Doug LaBrecque (2017), Nicole Parker (2016), or Whitney Claire Kaufman (2013 and 2015). This year is was the captivating Spanish soprano Camille Zamora, who has a substantial classical and operatic background. Her powerful voice added to the impact of Jeff Tyzik's inventive arrangements of traditional carols like "Silent Night" and "We Three Kings" (with its lively percussion line), as well as less familiar songs like "Tu scendi dalle stelle" (roughly, "You descend from starry skies"), written in 1732 by Alphonsus Liguori.

The Holiday Festival Chorus, composed of singers from local high schools, was in fine form as always but here, too, there was a new wrinkle in the form of 20th century German composer Franz Biebl's popular "Ave Maria." Chorus director Kevin McBeth took a leaf from the book of the Venetian polychoral master Giovanni Gabrielli by putting some of his singers (members of the Pattonville High School Choir) upstairs in front of the dress circle. The antiphonal effect was striking from our seats in the Dress Circle boxes; from the orchestra floor it must have been like hearing the angels sing.

Mr. McBeth sang the introductory verse of the piece himself from his perch in front of the upstairs choir. That, too, was a first, at least for me. I'd never had the chance to hear him sing before.

Kevin McBeth

Other delightful musical discoveries this year included "Chanukah 5776," a lively collection of Jewish seasonal melodies by Miami-based trumpeter and composer Sam Hyken, and Steve Amundson's "On Christmas Day" an ingenious fantasy on the British carol "I Saw Three Ships," originally written for the St. Olaf Choir's 2017 Christmas festival. There was even a Rodgers and Hammerstein number I'd never heard before: "Happy Christmas, Little Friend." It was commissioned by "Life" magazine in 1952 and performed with great warmth by Ms. Zamora.

The more familiar numbers included a couple of my favorites: Leroy Anderson's "A Christmas Festival" and the "Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy" from "The Nutcracker," with an impeccable celesta solo by Peter Henderson. I have loved the Anderson piece since I played the trombone part in my high school orchestra. I dare anyone not to smile at the finale, which combines "Adeste Fideles," "Joy to the World," and "Jingle Bells" in clever counterpoint.

Holiday events continue for the rest of December with "Walt Disney Animation Studios: A Decade in Concert" on Friday and Saturday, December 28 and 29 and the "BMO Private Bank New Year's Eve Celebration on the 31st. The Disney event has only "limited view" tickets at this time. All concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 10, 2018

Christmas music dominates the listings this week, but there's also contemporary chamber music at the Pulitzer and a celebration of Hollywood at the Sheldon.

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The Bach Society Christmas Candlelight Concert

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents the annual Christmas Candlelight Concert on Tuesday, December 11, at 7:30 PM. “Special guests include The St. Louis Children's Choirs directed by Barbara Berner, and legendary jazz singer Denise Thimes. Soprano Emily Birsan and baritone Ian Greenlaw open the concert with Mendelssohn's anglelic cantata 'Vom Himmel hoch', followed by familiar carols and the enchanting, beloved candlelight processional." The performance takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.bachsociety.org.

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents its 10th Anniversary Gala, Notes from Hollywood - The Sequel on Monday, December 10, at 7 pm. The event, which honors Leonard Slatkin, features music by Hollywood film composers. The concert takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

Conductor Joshua Gersen

Joshua Gersen conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Webster University Chorale in a showing of the film comedy Home Alone, with the score played live by the orchestra and chorus, Friday at 7 pm, and Saturday at 2 and 7 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, December 14 - 16. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra perform In the Light of Air by Anna Thorvaldsdottir Wednesday, December 12, at 7:30 pm. The piece "conjures the natural drama of the composer's native Iceland. This piece will physically glow in the Pulitzer with a lighting design created specifically for the music." The performance takes place at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation on Washington in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Town and Country Symphony Orchestra presents a special Holiday Concert on Sunday, December 16, at 2:30 pm. "The guest soloist is St Louis native Lola Toben, a singer, pianist, songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Known as “the little girl with the big voice,” Lola has been staggering audiences her whole life with the depth of soul she possesses in both her timeless songwriting and penetrating singing." The performance takes place in Ridgway Auditorium at The Principia, 13201 Clayton Road. For more information: tcsomo.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Holiday Concert by the University Chamber Choir on Friday, December 14, at 7 pm. The performance takes place in the Holmes Lounge in Ridgley Hall on the Washington University campus. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

Symphony Preview: Why a "Messiah"?

G.F. Handel

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This weekend (December 7 - 9) British conductor Matthew Halls leads the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Handel's popular 1742 oratorio "Messiah." In doing so, he's following a tradition nearly two centuries old.

Which is odd, because (as I wrote in a preview article for the SLSO's 2015 performance of "Messiah") the composer never intended the piece to be Christmas music.

The oratorio was first performed on April 13th, 1742 in Dublin, repeated that same June, and then moved to London, where it was first presented on March 23, 1743. I can't find any evidence that the work was in any way associated with Christmas during Handel's life. In fact, as Christopher H. Gibbs points out in his program notes for a 2007 NPR broadcast of Messiah from Philadelphia , "Handel performed it some three dozen times--every time, it should be noted, around Easter, not Christmas."

And then there's the fact that Jesus himself never even puts in an appearance. "Jesus is born without mention of his mother or any wise men," writes Tim Munro in his program notes for the SLSO. "Jesus's specific good works don't appear, and the disciples are entirely absent. And Jesus dies, but there is no Pilate, no real mention of a crucifixion."

Charles Jennens
Painting by Thomas Hudson

Indeed, the key dramatic events described in "Messiah" happen off stage. Would-be playwrights and screenwriters are usually told to "show, not tell." The libretto for "Messiah," by upper-crust arts patron Charles Jennens, does the opposite.

Still, as Jonathan Kandell notes in an article for the September 2009 edition of Smithsonian, "[b]y the early 19th century, performances of Messiah had become an even stronger Yuletide tradition in the United States than in Britain."

An important piece of the puzzle is supplied is supplied by Luke Howard in his program notes for a 2009 "Messiah" performance by UMS Choral Union:

The tradition of performing Messiah at Christmas began later in the 18th century. Although the work was occasionally performed during Advent in Dublin, the oratorio was usually regarded in England as an entertainment for the penitential season of Lent, when performances of opera were banned. Messiah's extended musical focus on Christ's redeeming sacrifice also makes it particularly suitable for Passion Week and Holy Week, the periods when it was usually performed during Handel's lifetime. But in 1791, the Cæcilian Society of London began its annual Christmas performances, and in 1818 the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston gave the work's first complete performance in the US on Christmas Day--establishing a tradition that continues to the present.

It apparently took a while for the Christmas tradition to become well established, though. As Marie Gangemil of the Oratorio Society of New York wrote in her program notes for their 2012 "Messiah," the first December performance by that organization didn't take place until 1874.

But are these events sufficient to explain why the tradition became so widespread? Might there also be a supply and demand issue here? As Laurence Cummings (director of the London Handel Orchestra) observed in the Smithsonian article cited above: "There is so much fine Easter music--Bach's St. Matthew Passion, most especially--and so little great sacral music written for Christmas. But the whole first part of Messiah is about the birth of Christ."

So there you have it. Boston and New York picked up the idea from London, and the rest of the USA, seeing a chance to fill a product gap, picked it up from them. It's a reminder that memes were spreading long before the Internet, just a lot more slowly.

Another puzzle connected with "Messiah" is the business of standing during the "Hallelujah" chorus that ends Part II. More on that anon.

Finally, a few quick words about this weekend's conductor. Originally a keyboard player and early music specialist, Matthew Halls has since expanded his repertoire to include Mozart, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and even Messiaen and Michael Tippet. Reviewing his Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with the Toronto Symphony, the Toronto Star said that he "captured much of the energy and excitement that its first audience must have felt at its premiere nearly 200 years ago." He made a notable debut with the SLSO this past February and I look forward to seeing what he does with Handel's classic this weekend.

The Essentials: Matthew Halls conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, December 7 - 9 in Handel's "Messiah". Soloists are soprano Karina Gauvin, mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabó, tenor Nicholas Phan, and baritone William Berger. Performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 18, 2017

The Bach Society at Powell Hall

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents the annual Christmas Candlelight Concert on Tuesday, December 19, at 7:30 PM. "This year, the Bach Society Chorus and Orchestra will present Handel's Messiah along with favorite holiday carols, joined by the St. Louis Children's Choirs and soloists: Scott Kennebeck, Martha J. Hart and Sari Gruber." The performance takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.bachsociety.org.

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in The Music of John Williams on Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2:30 p.m., December 21 - 23. The program includes music from ET, Schindler's List, The Cowboys, Superman, Star Wars, and other classic film scores. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents The 442s Holiday Spectacular with special guests Peter Martin, Christine Brewer, Erin Bode, Brian Owens, and Montez Coleman on Tuesday, December 19, at 7:30 pm. "Back by popular demand, The 442s are joined by some of the brightest stars of the local and national music scene in presenting a not-to-be-missed holiday spectacular. Performing traditional and original favorites that break down boundaries between jazz, soul, pop and classical music, this concert will get you in the perfect holiday spirit!" The concert takes place in the Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu or call 314-935-5566.

Review: A Holly Jolly Holiday Celebration

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
and Holiday Festival Chorus

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What with one thing and another, I haven't been feeling much in the holiday spirit lately, a situation not helped by seeing people walking around in t-shirts a week before Christmas. If that's the New Normal, get me a time machine, please.

Friday night (December 15th, 2017), though, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra came to the rescue with its annual holiday show. What with the festive music, the seasonal décor at Powell Hall, and the potent Poinsettia Punch served at the bar, I soon started feeling like a right jolly old elf.

Things got off to an exuberant start as SLSO Resident Conductor Gemma New led her forces in a lively and nuanced performance of Leroy Anderson's Christmas Festival, an ingeniously arranged collection of classic carols that I have loved ever since I played the trombone part in my high school orchestra. I dare anyone not to smile at the finale, which combines "Adeste Fideles," "Joy to the World," and "Jingle Bells" in clever counterpoint.

This was my first chance to see Ms. New when she wasn't playing second fiddle to dinosaurs, and I have to say I was very taken with her elegant and fluid style on the podium and her charm as the evening's MC. Not every conductor is comfortable with a wireless body mic, but she seemed right in her element.

Resident Conductor Gemma New

Up next were a couple of traditional carols arranged by Mormon Tabernacle Choir music director Mack Wilberg and performed, as is the case every year, by the Holiday Festival Chorus, composed of singers from area high schools. Ms. New conducted "Ding! Dong! Merrily on High" and then yielded the baton to chorus director Kevin McBeth for "Still, Still, Still." The kids sounded great, as they always do, and thanks to some fairly tasteful amplification they also were easier to hear than has sometimes been the case in the past.

Guest vocalist Doug LaBrecque took the stage next for engaging performances of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (combined with "The Christmas Waltz") and "White Christmas." Mr. LaBrecque's theatrical background guaranteed a strong connection with the lyrics, and his strong tenor made his microphone a bit superfluous.

Ms. New brought the focus back to the orchestra with three all too brief selections from The Nutcracker. It was nice to have the "Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy," with an impeccable celesta solo as well as solid counterpoint from Diana Haskell and Tzuying Huang in the clarinet section, but I really wish we could have had the "Waltz of the Flowers" as well.

The Holiday Festival Chorus brought the concert's first half to a rousing conclusion with Mr. Wilberg's "Carol to the King," with its lively "fife and drum" interchanges among the flutes, trumpets, and snare drums.

The pop orientation of the concert continued in the second half, starting with a suite from Alan Silvestri's music for the film Polar Express (arrangement by Jerry Brubaker, Chief Arranger of the US Navy Band for 13 years). That was followed by something I hadn't heard before: the "Christmas Lullaby" by contemporary English composer John Rutter, who seems incapable of writing a Christmas song that isn't irresistible. If you've heard his "Donkey Carol" or Shepherd's Pipe Carol," you know what I mean.

Doug Labrecque

Mr. LaBrecque returned as well to give us smooth takes on a couple of Great American Songbook standards and to take on the narrator role in Randol Alan Bass's cinematic treatment of "The Night Before Christmas," which he did with real theatrical flair. Backed by the chorus, he also turned in a performance of Adolphe Adam's "O Holy Night" that showed off his solid low notes and wide range.

Whit Richert's irrepressible Santa made his usual appearance, bringing out a child from the audience to "conduct" the orchestra in "Sleigh Ride," and the evening concluded with "A Holly Jolly Sing-Along." It was, in short, a program as bright as the blinking lights Roger Kaza and his fellow horn players attached to their instruments and as cozy as a red Christmas sweater (which, of course, I was wearing).

Sponsored by the Mercy Health System, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Holiday Festival continues Sunday at 2 pm, December 17, at Powell Hall in Grand Center. It's a bit less classically oriented this year than it has been in the past, but brimming with good cheer as always.

Seasonal events continue at Powell Hall, with the Bach Society's Christmas Candlelight Concert on December 19, The Music of John Williams (with David Robertson back at the podium) on December 21-23, Dreamworks Animation in Concert December 29 and 30 and, of course, the New Year's Eve Celebration (Mr. Robertson's last one as Music Director) on the 31st. They're now selling standing room tickets for that last one, which will give you some idea of how popular these holiday concerts can be.

Symphony Preview: Christmas time is here

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Kevin McBeth and the IN UNISON® Chorus

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If you can't wait until December 25th to open your presents, take heart; the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has some musical stocking stuffers for you right now.

December 14: Kevin McBeth leads the IN UNISON® Chorus in A Gospel Christmas -- The originally scheduled soloist, Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, has had to cancel due to unexpected health concerns. Appearing in her place will be St. Louis native Brian Owens, an accomplished singer and recording artist in his own right. The program will include Gospel favorites, popular Christmas tunes, and Yuletide classics like Adolphe Adam's "Oh Holy Night," with tenor Robert Jackson doing the high-flying solo. There's even a soulful version of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from "Handel's Messiah: a Soulful Celebration" by Paul David Wilson. Tenor Curtis McGruder will be the featured soloist for that one.

Celebrating its 21st season with the SLSO, the IN UNISON® Chorus is "an all-volunteer, 120-voice auditioned ensemble that performs a variety of musical styles, with a focus on the interpretation, performance, and preservation of the music of African-American and African cultures." Kevin McBeth, who became director of the chorus in 2011, is Director of Music at Manchester United Methodist Church and serves as full-time administrator for the Music Ministry, which includes 18 choral and handbell ensembles, involving nearly 500 youngsters and adults.

Note that this show always sells well and, in fact, only a limited number of tickets are available as this is being written.

Doug Labrecque

December 15-17: The Mercy Holiday Celebration -- Resident Conductor Gemma New leads the orchestra and Holiday Festival Chorus (consisting of students from local schools and colleges conducted by Kevin McBeth) in a program of traditional carols and seasonal pop songs. The featured soloist is singer and actor Doug Labrecque, whose stage credits include the roles of both the Phantom and Raoul in the Harold Prince production of Phantom of the Opera.

The program this year includes one of my all-time favorite Christmas medleys, Leroy Anderson's A Christmas Festival, along with selections from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, a mix of traditional and contemporary holiday songs, a "Holiday Sing-Along," and a suite from Alan Silvestri's score for the film Polar Express. There will also presumably be the annual "surprise" visit from Santa (usually played by the ever-charming Whit Richert). "Pops" events like this are usually big moneymakers for the orchestra and great fun as well. Only a dedicated Scrooge could complain.

The Bach Society at Powell Hall

December 19: The Bach Society Christmas Candlelight Concert -- Soloists Scott Kennebeck , Martha J. Hart and Sari Gruber join the Bach Society Chorus and Orchestra for Handel's Messiah and the usual assortment of traditional holiday carols. What makes this annual program truly special, though, is the candlelight procession that starts the second half.

The lights dim, and the members of the Bach Society walk down the aisles singing, each with an electric candle. If you're lucky enough to be sitting downstairs in the orchestra section, you find yourself surrounded by singers - some carrying the melody, some harmony, enveloping you in a constantly changing kaleidoscope of sound. Charles Ives would have loved it. It's a St. Louis tradition and every music lover should get to experience it at least once.

This isn't an SLSO event, but the SLSO is handling the ticketing and it does take place in Powell Hall, so I figured it's fair game for this article.

December 21-23: The Music of John Williams -- SLSO Music Director David Robertson is a great admirer of the work of famed film composer John Williams, and his concerts of Williams film music have become something of a holiday tradition in recent years.

John Williams receiving the
2009 National Medal of Arts
from President Obama

Mr. Williams, who will turn 86 in February, is probably the best known and most frequently recorded film music composer of the last 100 years. He's certainly one of the most honored, with five Oscars, four Golden Globes, 22 Grammys, seven BAFTA awards, and, for all I know, a partridge in a pear tree. With 49 Oscar nominations, he is the second most-nominated individual in that award's history. His most visible work has been for blockbusters like Jurassic Park, the first Harry Potter film, the Indiana Jones films, and the Star Wars series, but Mr. Williams's involvement with the film music business extends all the way back to his days as a jazz keyboardist and film and TV studio pianist. Remember piano riff for Peter Gunn? That's him.

The program for this year hasn't been released yet, but the SLSO web site promises music from ET, Schindler's List, The Cowboys, Superman and Star Wars. If the concert two years ago was any indication, I'd expect selections from the Harry Potter films as well and if a program this close to Christmas doesn't include the popular "Christmas Memory" song from that Home Alone, I'll eat my mistletoe.