Review: The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra And Choir Celebrates The Season With NOËL! NOËL!

Wednesday 16th December 2015, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney.

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Choir and soloist Emma Birdsall combine to create beautiful music that spans the centuries as they celebrate the Christmas Season with NOËL! NOËL! Artistic director and Conductor Paul Dyer has bought together a wonderfully range musical prayers and celebrations.

The concert moves through from the 15th century spiritual hymns to contemporary works before covering the more popular carols, utilizing the choir, soloists and a combination of old world 'ancient' instruments like the Baroque violins, viola, cello Cornetto and Sackbut and modern instruments like the percussion, Theorbo, Guitar, keyboard and organ. There are Flemish, German, French, Latvian, Norwegian, English and American works ensuring a range of styles with well-known songs arranged to give greater meaning.

The night commences with a meditative 15th century cannon Deo Gratias from Jean de Ockeghem, presented with a warm fullness by the choir before the sweeter, lighter waves of the call and response of 16th century Jacobus Clemens non Papa's O Magnum Mysterium. The choral vocals are textured and show contrasts between crisp clear phrases and rolling sound that builds. Stunning soloist Emma Birdsall brings a smoky warmth to the contemporary songs like A Thousand Years and This Guy's In Love With You and connects with the music with a purity and sensitivity.

Dyer infuses a gentle sincerity and playfulness in the performance, encouraging the orchestra and choir to dance along and enjoy the more relaxed, festive concert. The range of songs, from spiritual worship to jazzy swing ensures that the program maintains a nice pace and appeals to a broad audience.

Whilst the tour has already visited Melbourne, Monash University, Mosman, Wollongong, Parramatta, Paddington and Newtown, there are two more shows in Sydney on Saturday 19th December.

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra's Christmas Concert NOËL! NOËL! is a wonderful annual tradition to start attending to reconnect to the real meaning of Christmas in amongst the commercial hype of consumerism.

NOËL! NOËL!

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Brandenburg Choir

Sydney

City Recital Hall Angel Place

Saturday 19th December 5pm and 7pm

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