United Kingdom Gabriel Jackson, The Christmas Story: Woman Choristers of Merton Faculty (conductor, Carys Lane), Owen Chan & François Cloete (organ), The Choir of Merton Faculty, The Kayan Quartet, Oxford Up to date Sinfonia / Benjamin Nicholas (conductor). Chapel of Merton Faculty, Oxford, 10.12.2023. (JQ)
Again in 2015, I got here to the Chapel of Merton Faculty for the world premiere of Gabriel Jackson’s compelling work The Ardour of our Lord Jesus Christ, given by soloists, the Choir of Merton Faculty and the Oxford Up to date Sinfonia below the course of Benjamin Nicholas (assessment). A couple of years later, Nicholas directed a really nice recording of the work (assessment). Tonight, we heard Jackson’s musical response to the story of Christmas. This efficiency wasn’t the premiere; that had been given the earlier night at St John’s, Smith Sq., London by the identical forces.
The work, which was commissioned by the Warden and Fellows of Merton Faculty, performs for simply over an hour. It’s scored for trebles (right here, the Woman Choristers) accompanied by organ, SATB choir and an ensemble of 11 gamers, comprising flute, alto saxophone, 2 tenor trombones, bass trombone, percussion (1 participant), 2 violins, viola, cello and double bass. The lone percussionist is stored very busy: I realized from the composer’s web site that the participant makes use of no fewer than eleven totally different devices.
The libretto has been compiled by Dr Simon Jones, the Chaplain of Merton Faculty. In recent times, Dr Jones has completed an immense quantity to foster the music at Merton, not least by commissioning a great variety of new items for the choir. He compiled the libretto for The Ardour of our Lord Jesus Christ and once I reviewed the recording of that work, I commented that Jones had ‘long-established a libretto of appreciable liturgical discernment and literary advantage’. It appears to me that this new libretto is not any much less profitable. Jones has once more introduced collectively texts from a variety of sources, together with the 4 Gospels (principally that of St Luke) and the Ebook of Isaiah. He has additionally delved into the liturgy of Introduction and Christmastide for Workplace Hymns, Responsories and Antiphons in addition to the Nunc Dimittis and a part of the Benedicite. Notably necessary within the scheme of issues are 4 poems by two up to date writers, Penny Boxall (b.1987) and Mary Clark (b.1995). They’re each related to Merton Faculty – one is a analysis Fellow and one is an alumna – and the poems, two by every author, have been written, I imagine, particularly for this challenge. (Sadly, the programme booklet, although it contained the total textual content, had no details about the work itself and its genesis; that might have been very useful on condition that this can be a brand-new work. Such background info as I used to be in a position to uncover prematurely got here from Gabriel Jackson’s web site and a really helpful quick preview within the journal Choir and Organ.)
In that article in Choir and Organ Gabriel Jackson defined the considering that had ruled the instrumental scoring as ‘partly an try to reimagine the soundworld of Heinrich Schütz and different early German Baroque composers; certainly, the title itself, The Christmas Story, comes from Schütz’s 1664 work of the identical title.’ Moreover, it appeared to me that, particularly within the early a part of the work, the writing for trombones and saxophone gave the music a intentionally primitive really feel, as if we have been listening to archaic devices reminiscent of rams’ horns. All through the efficiency, the taking part in of the members of the Kayan Quartet and Oxford Up to date Sinfonia was tremendously incisive. The instrumental components are sometimes very uncovered however the gamers rose to all of the challenges. My solely slight concern was that there have been occasions when the trombones and, particularly, the saxophone appeared moderately too distinguished. Possibly this was simply what the composer supposed however within the pretty small acoustic it appeared to me that sometimes these devices dominated the choir.
The Christmas Story may be very firmly a piece for choirs. Although there are various passages of Gospel narration, a few of them lasting a couple of minutes, Jackson consciously averted using an Evangelist soloist. As a substitute, these passages have been set for the principle choir, although sometimes we heard a solo voice from throughout the choir; all these solos have been taken very well. I favored the variability with which Jackson set these narrative passages. Not solely was there selection throughout the music itself – they have been all totally different in character – but additionally, he intelligently various the vocal forces in order that typically the feminine voices sang, typically the male voices, and infrequently the total choir. Moreover, totally different devices or mixtures of them have been employed each in these episodes and elsewhere, so there was all the time the added curiosity of fixing instrumental colors (the imaginative use of the percussion battery was significantly spectacular).
The 4 up to date poems have been entrusted to the Woman Choristers. The primary choir and instrumental ensemble have been positioned on the chancel finish of the chapel and the viewers have been seated within the choir stalls. The imposing and versatile Dobson organ is located on the reverse finish of the chapel and it was from there, out of our sight, that the choristers sang. This created an necessary and telling differentiation; it was fairly startling (in a great way) when these younger voices sang for the primary time. The choristers’ music is in unison all through however the organ accompaniments are very various – I cherished the swirling accompaniment, which sounded nearly tipsy at occasions, when the women sang Penny Boxall’s poem ‘A Visitor at Cana’ after the Gospel narrative of the miracle of the water being modified to wine. All through the efficiency I used to be mightily impressed by the singing of the Woman Choristers. I presume they sang below the course of their conductor, Carys Lane (I couldn’t see them in motion in fact) and the self-discipline of their singing ensured constant unanimity. Moreover, their voices rang out clearly and confidently and the sheer sound of their voices was a delight. Organists Owen Chan and François Cloete supported them expertly.
The Christmas Story performs repeatedly however is split into 4 sections: Introduction, Christmas, Epiphany (which additionally consists of one other revelation of Christ, the wedding feast at Cana), and Candlemas. The narrative was perceptively chosen from the Gospels in order to provide a well-paced account of occasions. The poems offered moments of reflection whereas Simon Jones had interpolated such texts because the Christmastide Antiphons in such a manner {that a} unified, natural entire was offered. Given the absence of a solo narrator it was necessary that the diction of the Merton Faculty Choir was crystal clear; the singers handed that take a look at with flying colors. Although I had the total textual content in entrance of me I not often wanted to seek the advice of it. All through the night their singing was as completed, disciplined and dedicated as we’ve come to anticipate from this very nice choir.
Sure episodes significantly impressed me. One such, maybe my favorite a part of the entire work at first listening to, was the gradual, rapt setting of ‘O magnum mysterium’. Right here, the one instrument accompanying the choir was the vibraphone. The addition of its distinctive timbre was a masterstroke. I used to be additionally impressed by the pronounced exaltation within the music on the level the place, having introduced the beginning of Christ to the shepherds, the angels sing ‘Glory to God within the highest’. Shortly afterwards, the unaccompanied choir sang the Magnificat antiphon for the Second Vespers of the Epiphany (‘Tribus miraculis ornatum’). Right here, Jackson’s gradual, expressive music fitted the phrases like a glove. Later, within the Candlemas part, the Nunc dimittis got here in its rightful place in St Luke’s narrative. I cherished the music to which Jackson set this canticle. A lot of the textual content was carried, on gradual and solemn music, by the tenors and basses with a fantastically judged accompaniment from the trombones. Ultimately, the feminine voices took over earlier than we heard the total choir singing the radiant music to which ‘et gloriam plebis tuæ Israel’ was set; this splendid conclusion was enhanced by the addition of tubular bells.
There have been two moments which struck me as dramatic coups. One occurred after the choir had sung ‘O magnum mysterium’ on the finish of the Christmas part. That hushed music was adopted instantly by a brief full-organ paean which acted as an exultant bridge to the Epiphany part. The influence of this music was all of the better because it was fully sudden. The second coup occurred because the work drew to its shut with a setting of ‘O nata lux de lumine’. Up thus far we had not heard the total ensemble performing collectively, however now the Woman Choristers processed in from the rear of the chapel, singing as they did so. They took up a place proper in entrance of the principle choir. Jackson’s music for this episode was heat, expansive and affirmative, although even right here he paused alongside the best way a few occasions to introduce softer, reflective moments which offered wonderful distinction. This remaining ensemble shaped a most satisfying conclusion to The Christmas Story.
By my watch, the work performed for some 74 minutes. My consideration was held all through. Largely this was as a result of musical invention which was persistently imaginative. By a marvellous mixture of phrases and music Jackson and his collaborators have created a compelling entire. Equally necessary in holding my consideration, although, was the assured and dedicated nature of the efficiency. Singers and gamers have been proper on prime of the music and projected it expertly. I overheard feedback earlier than the live performance to the impact that the premiere efficiency the earlier evening had gone very properly. I believe that these of us who attended this second efficiency could have benefitted from the arrogance that the London efficiency will need to have given everybody. Benjamin Nicholas had clearly ready his forces with nice thoroughness. I had a great view of him throughout the efficiency and famous that his conducting was always calm and clear; simply what you need with a brand new work.
The Christmas Story is a major work, not least as a result of phrases and music converse very on to those that hearken to it. From the very heat reception of the viewers, it was clear to me that it had made its mark. On the 2 days following this live performance the work is to be recorded by these performers. I perceive that Delphian Information plan to concern the recording in time for Christmas 2024 and I’m trying ahead keenly to increasing my appreciation of The Christmas Story by repeated listening when it seems on CD.
John Quinn
