JC Chapel Choir continues tradition

Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer

Musicologists and students of music will agree that the Baroque Period was a time of magnificence and splendour. And Composers George Frederic Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach have been lauded as sterling musical contributors to that time. But composer Antonio Vivaldi, in spite of producing musical works of similar standard, fell under the radar - until in the 20th century.

So when the Jamaica College (JC) Chapel Choir decided to title their annual Christmas concert 'Excerpts from Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria Anthems & Carols', it was only logical to think that they, too, were correcting history.

Alas, such lofty notions were not to be realised.

The rationale was much simpler. It is a music that the JC Chapel Choir's conductor Randall Campbell loves.

Having come across Vivaldi's song sheet, he decided to have his choir of talented gentlemen perform the composer's treble piece, Gloria.

Whatever the reason/s was or were, the gentlemen of Old Hope Road gave creditable performances of Gloria and other songs on Wednesday evening.

It was the first of two shows in their 2011-2012 season. The stage was also shared by regular special guest Carole Reid. It was a two-part programme.

'Excerpts from Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria Anthems & Carols' began with Ralph Vaughan-Williams who sang All People That On Earth Do Dwell.

But the slow, gentle, beautiful sounds could not match the rich dynamics of the popular Peter J Wilhousky Battle Hymn of the Republic.

The youthful-looking choristers seemed to have enjoyed it as much as the fair-sized audience at the Hope Road-addressed, King's Gate United Church.

Gloria closed the first section. The three-piece-selection began with the lively Gloria, then came the sedative Etin Terra Pax Hominibus, before the slightly upbeat Dominic Fili Unigenite. Having delivered their promised excerpts, the group, decked in blue pants with white shirts and dangling ties made their exit.

They returned some time later with more pep in their steps to deliver a splendid second half. The unannounced show section began with a strong performance of David Wilcocks' Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending. However, it was Franz Gruber's Stille Nacht that announced homage to the Christmas season.

Soloists Reid continued the Christmas praise with The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy, She Rock the Baby To Sleep and Oh Sweet Little Jesus Boy. Subsequently, when the gentlemen of the Old Hope Road-based institution joined her with Oh Holy Night, it was easy to forget that Jamaica was teething with politics on the outside.

With Reid returning to her seat, the chapel choristers continued with the best rendition of the night.

The conversational interpretation between parts of Malcolm Sargent's Mary Had a Baby Boy was more than music to the ears; it was fantastic.

And just for your information, the tenors had the last say in the conversation.

The classical evening lauded by a number of persons in the congregation as a "beautiful feast of music" concluded with anther joint performance from the choir and Reid.

This time it was John Rutter's Joy to the World. And as the young men, in single file marched out of the church, accompanist Audley Davidson, Kingston College Chapel choir conductor, kept the sounds of Christmas flowing until the last chorister exited the church.

After the show, The Gleaner spoke with Campbell, chorister Saied Beckford and Reid.

Reid has been a prominent feature of JC Chapel Choir seasons over the years. Describing herself as a friend of all schools, Reid, the Camperdown and Excelsior High School past student, said her longstanding relationship with the JC chapel choir started when her nephew was a member of the group.

She was asked by Campbell if she would be a guest soloist, and ever since "they keep asking me and I continue, as I enjoy the boys. It is wonderful working with them, and when they leave school we keep in touch. And they still call me Auntie," she said.

On the other hand, the youthful appearance of a number of the choirs was inescapable. Campbell explained "that the voices change and so we got some young ones this year. Most of them are first-formers. Luckily, some of them have been singing before. So that has helped the work," he said.

But there was still much work to do as the youngsters were challenged by the type of music performed by the choir.

Beckford, a first-form student concurred: "Being with the choir is fun, but challenging at times with the high notes and so on. We sing opera and classical forms, so that is much harder than the normal music that we sing nowadays," he said.