The festive title of this year’s St. Martin’s Chamber Choir holiday program says it all. “Caroling, Caroling!” is an ambitious compendium of a capella carols by Bates Burt, his son Alfred Burt and his great-granddaughter Abbie Betinis, plus standbys from the Victorian era to modern times.
While the program — dominated by the 20th-century clergyman and his jazz musician son — is dependably skillfully rendered by Timothy Krueger and his 24 or so professional singers, it’s a departure from what we’ve come to expect from the choir.
Krueger is known for programming longer, more substantive works that are often underperformed, whereas this program is comprised of a succession of short, lighter works. But that’s not a criticism just the opposite, it’s refreshing to experience the ensemble’s range of expertise in a briskly-paced program of arrangements and groupings of old and new repertoire.
In the first half, a talented duo — tenor Matthew Bentley and bass John Bosick — introduced the original version of a work, which was followed by a later version of the same piece performed by a superbly well-blended quartet (comprising soprano Ashley Hoffman, alto MB Kreuger, tenor Brock Erickson and bass Timothy Krueger. The remaining choir then delivered an even more contemporary arrangement of each piece under the wonderfully instinctive and precise direction of Hannah Wunsch, the choir’s Mark Sheldon Conducting Intern.
In a particularly nice touch, the audience was invited to join in an arrangement of “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night,” which was followed by the choir’s deeply-felt, radiant reading of “I wonder as I wander.”
After intermission, the Burt family carols were delivered as a tapestry of contrasts and comparisons. The old and the new arrangements by Alfred Burt and his grandniece were performed in a way that showcased a natural evolution of sound and sensibilities.
The program’s namesake — “Caroling, Caroling!” — was performed twice. The second time around included the choir’s so-called Vocal Showcase, namely a terrifically talented ensemble of vocalists from Arvada West High School. Projecting both nuance and sensitivity, the young singers — under the direction of Chris Maunu – sounded especially cohesive in “S Nami Bog” by Alexander Kastalsky.
The program repeats Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. at the King Center Concert Hall on the Auraria campus.
