John Pollak

THE VOICES OF ANGELS : 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS @ CITY RECITAL HALL

I heard these wonderful children’s choirs on the 17th of December at 7 p.m. They comprised the Sydney Children’s Choir ,The Young Men’s Choir , the Junior Performing Choir Guest choristers from Gondwana National choirs, the Advanced Training Choir and other Training Choirs .

The Angel Place recital hall in Angel Place Sydney is a premier concert venue in the city.  Acoustics are magnificent and there are really no bad seats. If you are particularly fussy however the seats to the rear of the hall the best at capturing the volume and breadth and clarity of the performance

The Hall was decked out in  Christmas colours dominated by an enormous Christmas tree above the stage. The choristers were in an array of crimson black and white robes. It all captured the intensity and excitement of Christmas .

 The Gondwana choirs are an established presence in Sydney and are renowned throughout the world. They are sponsored by the New South Wales government and a number of partners  from corporate Australia

 The program was arranged in segments from the lines of the song The Twelve Days of Christmas. The first segment a partridge in a pear tree, the second  two turtle dives etc.

Beginning  with Christ the Apple Tree a single voice filled the concert hall reflecting solemnity  and religiosity of the occasion. Voices then moved to the main body the choir and as the various parts mingled the choristers themselves moved to change places and mingle amongst each other.

Various carols followed each reflecting the virtuosity of each of the choirs.The audience was not left  out and we were supplied with the lyrics for Oh Come All Ye Faithful and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing to accompany the choir ,

 The highlight of the first half of the program was Elena Kats-Chernin’s Deep Sea Dreaming , which was first heard at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney ,capturing the conviviality spontaneity and joy…of just being a child.In the second half and this time it was the all male choir that captivated the audience.

The orchestra was fine accompanist, comprising mainly ex members of the choir and parents of many of the choristers . Notably the first cellist Julián Smiles played some fine solos.

 The occasion with rounded off by 250 plus choristers seeing the 12 Days of Christmas in a joyful outpouring of Christmas spirit.

 This concert was almost totally booked out and for good reason. They are a “must hear” in 2020.

 

 

 

 

Published by John Pollak

John Pollak did Arts and Law at Sydney uni. He practised Law for a short while and went into business. He made too much money for his own good and today is not so much retired as having little to do. He plays tennis and carries the bags for his wife when she goes overseas. When prompted and badgered he does the occasional review. He goes to Ethiopia every now and then and where, with Professor McGuigan of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, he is bringing the Sodis Program for safer water to the Tigray region. When seen in public he is often hunched over a cup of coffee and a foccacio whilst immersed in a diabolical suduko. Or he is driving his wife to bridge.