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Let the Night Resound With Fanfare
Five brass players join forces with a mighty choir
Broadcast Announcement by Kathryn Shattuck,
The New York Times, December, 1998
Upon meeting the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for the first time,
one thing was immediately apparent to the Canadian Brass.
"We could let it rip," saidCharles Daellenbach,
the ensemble's tuba player, with a laugh. "We've played
with small choirs, and we really have to tiptoe carefully.
Here, there were 5 of us and 300 of them."
The collaboration between the vocal behemoth and the expansive-sounding
Brass resulted in "A Christmas Gloria," to be broadcast
on PBS on Wednesday night at 8. An hourlong compilation of
seasonal works spanning the 17th to 20th centuries, the show
is narrated by the actress Roma Downey, from "Touched
by an Angel."
It was a match made, as it were, in acoustical heaven. "A
Christmas Gloria" was taped over the course of two days
in the choir's home, the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.
With soaring coffered ceilings, towering spires and seating
for more than 5,000 spectators, the structure offers the sort
of forgiving environment that allows large groups to pull
out all the stops and still maintain technical precision.
Nestled in the tabernacle's sanctuary amid hundreds of poinsettias,
the ensembles perform full-bodied arrangements of the familiar
and the sublime, from "Joy to the World" and "Ding
Dong Merrily on High" to Chris Dedrick's contemporary
"Sweet Songs of Christmas."
At the center of the performance is "Gloria" by
the contemporary English composer John Rutter, a three-part
sacred work borrowing from popular music and blues that quickly
entered the realm of seasonal standards.
In existence for more than 150 years, the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir is, in size and reputation, one of the world's largest.
The Grammy and Emmy Award-winning ensemble has performed
on CBS radio since 1929 and on CBS television since 1962 and
has been dubbed the "Choir of Presidents," having
sung at the inaugurations of Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson,
Richard M. Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George Bush.
Dr. Jerold Ottley has overseen the choir since 1975. A former
member of the musical faculty at the University of Utah, he
is a respected conductor who had taken the podium in guest
appearances with the Utah Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
[...]
The choir tread lightly, as well, before committing to the
suggestion that it join forces with the Canadian Brass. "They
had checked us out carefully," said Mr. Daellenbach of
his ensemble, which was formed in 1970 and consists mostly
of transplanted people from the United States with a penchant
for yoga and meditation. "There was no need on our part.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has been around as long as we
can remember."
Synonymous with the holidays, the choir's annual Christmas
concert is broadcast by satellite to Mormon congregations
across America; somewhat lesser known is the Canadian Brass's
festive presence. "We have the distinction, and I may
be using the term pejoratively, to have made all the Muzak
hotel and store Christmas tapes," quipped Mr. Daellenbach.
But despite their diverse backgrounds, the collaboration drew
on mutual admiration.
"The addition of the Canadian Brass was charming and
delightful and all of the good things they are known for,"
said Dr. Ottley. "They're just a great bunch of fellows
and were wonderful to work with. That just doesn't always
happen."
Mr. Daellenbach said: "We have lots of plans for them.
We hope they have equal numbers of plans. I think the majesty
of choir and the majesty of brass go together."
FOR REFERENCE ONLY. NOT TO BE
REPUBLISHED.
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