Xmas message draws on unusual collection

THE SOUTHERN CONSORT OF VOICES, Star in the Sky — Music For Christmas, All Saints’ Anglican Church, Dunedin, Sunday, December 14.

The Southern Consort of Voices filled All Saints’ Church with beautiful sound yesterday.

Director Daniel Kelly has a knack of sourcing unusual and often previously unheard a capella works to present interesting themed recitals.

"Star in the Sky" included mostly Christmas-themed contemporary vocal pieces, opening with 10 women of the group moving through the centre aisle singing John Rutter’s arrangement of Personent Hodie, accompanied by percussion.

They continued with a tight harmonically blended Ubi Caritas et Amor by Eriks Esenvalds, before being joined by six male singers to work their way steadily through 13 short items, all with immaculate blend, pitch and dynamic contrast.

Two Mendelssohn morsels were the double-choir Frohlocket, ihr Volker auf Erden (MWV B. 42) and an energised multi-part Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe (MWV B. 57).

More contemporary items were David Childs’ setting of Salve Regina and the contemplative Appalachian folk song I Wonder as I Wander arranged by Andrew Carter.

Conquering foreign language, plus tight harmonic prowess, was very evident in Saenk kun di Hoved (Nielson) in Danish, and Japanese lullaby Edo Lullaby — Arr with soloist Cathy Highton-Sim.

Paul Smith and a Swedish number Aftonen by Norman Luboff matched the English translation with soft, subtle blended sound.

David Burchell accompanied three guest soloists. Arrochar Voice sang her own composition White Flower, with text exploring relationships between voice and piano creating an intertwining soundscape.

Eva Stein sang a Mozart recitative and aria from act 3 of Lucia Silla, K.135 and Isobel Topham contributed King David by Herbert Howells.

More contemporary pieces completed the programme, an absolute highlight being O Salutaris Hostia by Esenvalds, with soprano soloists Highton-Sim and Kathryn Gardner.

Excellent diction and strong story-telling along with supreme dynamic attention are paramount in this group.

Nova! Nova! (Chilcott) and the final Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born of the Virgin Mary! from Gaudete arranged by Karl Jenkins ended an outstanding recital with a strong Christmas message.