Siskiyou Singers performed their 2014 holiday season concert on December 12, 13 & 14, under the direction of Mark Reppert at the SOU Music Recital Hall in Ashland. Each of the concerts was presented in two parts, separated by an intermission. The first half of each concert was a performance of the first two parts of J. S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, with the choir joined by three soloists, alto Michelle Cox, baritone Dan Gibbs and tenor Christopher Bingham, and by a small Baroque style orchestra. After intermission, the choir performed “Sounds of the Season”, a potpourri of wintertime songs of various styles and uncommon arrangements.
Soloists alto Michelle Cox, baritone Dan Gibbs and tenor Christopher Bingham singing J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with Siskiyopu Singers in concert at SOU Music Recital Hall on Dec. 13, 2014. Photo by Pam Danielle.
Christmas Oratorio
What a pleasure to hear this holiday staple performed with energy and enthusiasm by the Siskiyou Singers. A vocally challenging work, this ensemble clearly executed a labor of love in preparing the varied chorales and fugues that comprise Bach’s premier contribution to the canon of Christmas repertoire.
The ensemble distinguished itself in its rendition of the homophonic, chorale movements, including the classic “Break Forth, O Heavenly Beautiful Light.” Director Mark Reppert did an admirable job of capturing the contrasting moods, molding the singers’ interpretation through a varied pallet of tempo, dynamics, and intensity as the ensemble comments through song on varied aspect of the nativity story.
The three vocal soloists, Christopher Bingham, Michelle Cox, and Daniel Gibbs offered stunning and dramatic interpretations of the story of Christ’s birth. In addition to the beautiful tone that caressed the listeners’ ear, the soloists all masterfully shaped each musical phrase with subtle and dramatic emphasis on key words, syllables and consonants. The choral ensemble could certainly take a page from the soloists’ playbook with more attention to beauty of tone, arched phrasing, and verbatim interpretation of the chorale text. The exposed, fugal choral movements exposed weakness in vocal technique and attention to blending within sections of the choir.
The baroque style orchestra assembled for this performance helped to create a festive mood with their buoyant, fanciful musicianship, particularly in the opening movement and their featured Sinfonia. The intricate play amongst the winds and brass was absolutely joyous at times, even as the trumpet section’s energy flagged in the later movements as this demanding piece began to take its toll on articulation and precision.
Overall, this was an admirably valiant effort on the part of the Siskiyou Singers, and an important contribution to capturing and celebrating the holiday spirit.
Last minute excerpt of Siskiyou Singers under the direction of Mark Reppert singing Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (Wir Singen) in concert on December 13, 2014 at SOU Music Recital Hall, Ashland, Oregon. Videography by David Works.
Siskiyou Singers Music Director Mark Reppert at J.S. Bach Christmas Oratorio concert at SOU Music Recital Hall on Dec. 13, 2014.
Sounds of the Season
The Siskiyou Singers presented a delightful cornucopia of wintertime song staples, featuring a broad range of moods, styles, and textures. The choral group alternated performances with soloists and small vocal ensembles.
The choir’s “Deck The Halls (in 7/8)” while sung with exacting precision, was performed at a plodding, lethargic tempo that prevented the ensemble from capturing the arranger’s lilting intentions. Benjamin Britten’s “There Is No Rose” from his “Ceremony of Carols”, a haunting chorale, was delicately accompanied by harpist Celia Canty. The group suffered from the challenge of maintaining intonation during repeated pitches and unison passages. “Erev Ba” was a delightful arrangement of a Hanukkah staple by music director Mark Reppert. He also arranged the classic “Silent Night” in a pleasing and moving setting that capitalized on the strengths of the group. Alice Parker’s classic arrangement of Gustav Holst’s “In the Bleak Midwinter” while faithfully presented could have benefited from more attention to thoughtfully-shaped phrasing. The rousing “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” as arranged by John Rutter was a fitting and engaging choral finale.
Soprano Suzanne Barnes and recorder player Robert Lowry performed with pleasing tone and fitting simplicity in “Sweet Was The Song The Song The Virgin Sung”. “This Christmastide” featured a female sextet with an admirable interpretation despite challenges presented by several individual, broad vibratos, along with balance and blend issues. Janice Evers provided a vocally uneven performance of the silly “Man With the Bag” informed by her spirited interpretation.
The sparkling diamond of this portion of the concert was presented by a quartet consisting of Harriet Snyder, Laura Barlow, Jim Martin, and Scott Nelson. Their crafting of Gustav Holst’s arrangement of the English carol “Lullay My Liking” was a beautifully subtle blend of stylistically-appropriate vocal timbre, delicate balance amongst melodic and harmonic elements, and heart-tugging attention to masterful story telling.
Siskiyou Singers will perform again on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 7:30 P.M., and Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 3:00 P.M. at SOU Music Recital Hall in Ashland in concerts celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Among the highlights of the concerts will be performances of Dona Nobis Pacem by Vaughan Williams, Battle Hymn of the Republic, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, a few Stephen Foster favorites (De Camptown Races, Beautiful Dreamer, and Nelly Bly), and several spirituals (Swing Low, Wade in the Water, and Deep River). Tickets are available online at http://siskiyousingers.org/store/, by phone at 541-482-5290, or from any member of Siskiyou Singers including Review contributor Lee Greene (email: leegreene@gmail.com).
Featured image caption: Siskiyou Singers, under the direction of Mark Reppert, singing J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in concert at SOU Music Recital Hall on Dec. 13, 2014.
All photos by Pam Danielle.
Marc Greene is the immediate past president of NYSSMA (the New York State School Music Association), and a 20+ year adjudicator of vocal & choral music performance for the New York State schools. He has been a vocal music teacher and choir director for over 30 years, and is currently on the faculty of Ithaca College where he is instructing and mentoring future vocal music teachers. He has sung at Carnegie Hall as a tenor with the St. Cecilia Chorus of New York City, and also has sung tenor as a featured soloist, quartet member and with various small semi-professional ensembles, including Charis of Westchester, NY and the Syracuse Vocal Ensemble of Syracuse, NY.