| National Men's Chorus | ||
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Rehearsal Schedule & other Member Information
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Men's Chorus: Burnished Reassurance "America the Beautiful" is not usually considered Christmas music, but it fit well in the program ". . . And on Earth, Peace," sung Sunday in Western Presbyterian Church by the National Men's Chorus. "America" was part of a segment of "Songs of Peace and Reassurance" that ranged from the Renaissance (William Byrd's "Non Nobis, Domine") to the 20th century (Vincent Persichetti's "Song of Peace") and included a singalong on an anonymous "Dona Nobis Pacem" that revealed the presence of many expert singers in the near-capacity audience. The chorus sang with firm, burnished, superbly blended tone and a clear, precise diction that any professional opera chorus might envy. Peace was only one theme of a varied program that opened with carol transcriptions brilliantly played by organist Jeffrey Workman and included songs of Hanukah; spirituals; unfamiliar carols from Denmark, Italy and Holland; and familiar ones from the British Isles. Much of the familiar material was given a new spin by the chorus's music director, Thomas Beveridge. His arrangements (he has composed hundreds) usually shed new light on a song while respecting its integrity. One, which he introduced as his ninth arrangement of "Silent Night," made an unforgettable use of two guitars and an alto flute, as well as the piano played by the chorus's accompanist, Markus Compton. Beveridge, a baritone, sang an excellent solo in the Welsh carol "Nos Galan," which turned out to have the same tune as "Deck the Halls." The chief challenge of Christmas concerts is to offer the familiar music that the audience expects but to do new things to keep up the interest of performers and more sophisticated audience members. Not for the first time, the National Men's Chorus did so brilliantly. Tuesday, December 11, 2001; Page C09 The Washington Post Company |