reviewvancouver: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: A Traditional Christmas

Tonight (December 9th) was an extraordinary night. Under a clear sky illuminated by a full moon music lovers ascended the stairs of St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church at Burrard and Nelson in Vancouver to attend A Traditional Christmas! with the Vancouver Symphony. A very special and heart warming evening was about to unfold. Christopher Gaze hosted the concert which was conducted by Pierre Simard. The UBC Opera Ensemble Choir and the EnChor Choir added voice to this very special evening. The dynamic personalities of Gaze and Simard along with these two magnificient choirs, led by Nancy Hermiston and Diane Loomer, respectively, heightened the joyous experience.

The program began with Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, The audience was invited to join the choir in singing this uplifting carol which resulted in a community of spirit for the duration of the concert. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio Part 4 and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Christmas Eve Suite: Polonaise followed. Under the soaring arches of St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church the music of these beautiful pieces filled the interior of the softly lit space.

The audience was treated to a reading of the Old Testament by Christopher Gaze which cleverly introduced the next piece Silent Night while also imparting the meaning of Christmas to the people gathered in the church . The reading described Mary and Joseph’s arrival in Bethlehem and their resting place in the manger. Silent Night was the second sing-along carol in the program. A selection of three pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker followed: March, Chinese Dance and Waltz of the Flowers. These brought memories to many in the audience whose Christmas tradition includes attending The Nutcracker ballet.

The next selection brought the audience one of the highlights of this uplifting program. Ave Maria was sung by the soprano Julia Kot, a member of the UBC Opera Ensemble Choir. Her incredible voice filled the church with such strength and tender beauty that many held their breath in admiration and awe. There followed Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ: L’adieu des bergers, a reading by Christopher Gaze of Dylan Thomas and the carol Joy to the World which was also a sing-along with the audience. Joy to the World was an appropriate selection as joy is the symbol for the third week in Advent and also mirrored the audience reaction to the program.

O Tannenbaum and a playful rendition of Sleigh Ride led into another highlight of the evening. Christopher Gaze read “Handel’s Messiah – the Yorkshire Variation. Gaze’s command of a Yorkshire accent and the content of the piece brought a delightful element of humour to the program. Three selections from Handel’s Messiah followed: No. 47 Recit: Behold! Tell You A Mystery and No. 48: The Trumpet Shall Sound with Brandon Thornhill on bass for both of these pieces. The final selection from the Messiah was No. 44 Hallelujah: Chorus. The audience was invited to sing-along with the choirs.

A reading by Christopher Gaze of The Irish Blessing followed by the singing of We Wish You A Merry Christmas completed the evening performance. The Irish Blessing was an insightful selection as it reflects the feeling of hopefulness that the Christmas sentiment embodies.

Indeed, as this reviewer walked down the aisle at the completion of such a joyful and insightful performance two young people were sitting in the last pew with heads bowed and hands clasped – perhaps in prayer or perhaps with thanks in their hearts. It is little wonder that A Traditional Christmas with The Vancouver Symphony has been held firmly in the heart of our City.