Choir Christmas Concert

Last night Janice and I attended the Christmas program for Elaine's choir.   Actually the picture above was from three years ago but the program was in the same place.   I think the choir is larger than this now with more singers off to each side.   Last night the choir was accompanied on the pipe organ with an organist from Toronto, as well as the timpani and brass section from the Symphony.

I enjoyed the program as usual.  In the first half there was beautiful pipe organ solo by the guest organist. Another number in the first half was different than they have had before.  Brother Heinrich's Christmas by John Rutter was a story told by a narrator, with the trombone playing the part of the donkey  who helped with Brother Heinrich finish off a new carol for the choir.    Then the audience joined the choir in singing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.   This was wonderful with over 100 in the choir and over 600 in the audience singing accompanied by the pipe organ, timpani and brass instruments.  The sound is tremendous in the large church building 

The second half started with the audience and choir singing The First Nowell.  Then the choir had one of their longer pieces Lux Aeterna (Eternal Light) by Morten Lauridsen sung in Latin.   I was surprised to see this music was a recent composition in 1997.     Then the choir sang O Holy Night with a young woman soloist.   This is one of my favourite carols, and the soloist and choir were tremendous along with the instruments last night.    They had sung a version of Hodie Christus Natus Est (Today Christ is Born) in the first half, and ended the program with a second musical composition of this.     This gave the choir opportunity to end the program with full volume accompanied by  the pipe organ and other instruments.   This was a very enjoyable evening.

Now we have Handel's Messiah to look forward to December 16.