Church of the Immaculate Conception, Stroud

Wednesday December 14th 2005

CAROLS WITH CAPPELLA AND SUNNYSIDE  BRASS

While Shepherds watched to fascinating rhythm? Well, Paul Hillier sent the Cappella Singers his lively arrangement of an American original from Estonia. It enriched their concert at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Beeches Green on 14th December, when they joined with Sunnyside Brass for a seasonal feast.

Sunnyside began with a premiere of a fifteenth century piece Puer natus, arranged for brass and voices by trombonist Emily White.

The fresh, new arrangements mingled well with a selection of wistful Christmas songs and familiar carols, ably accompanied by the five piece brass ensemble.

Following a rousing harmony climax to Boris Ord's Adam lay ybounden, Cappella sang the simpler, more disciplined Out of your sleep by Richard Rodney Bennett, with great control. Another highlight was a haunting arrangement by Vaughan Williams of a traditional work, O Joseph, being an old man.

The choral works were interspersed with three compositions for brass: gentle, mellow pieces by the nineteenth century German violinist and composer Ludwig Maurer.

After the interval, Cappella's male voices were joined by the brass for Mendelssohn's Hark! The herald angels sing, adapted for this performance. Bainton's traditional and evocative piece A babe is born was followed by the ladies singing Three kings from Persian lands afar in unison with brass harmonies. Sunnyside Brass completed their programme with Frackenpohl's witty, brass jazz arrangement of Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, while Cappella finished with Philip Colls' arrangement of Christmas Alphabet, which left us all feeling good.

TP