Black tie and formal black skirts and blouses were the visual cue something special was about to happen. Then instruments began to play and voices combined to recount the blessed event of Jesus’s birth in a manger.
The magical story unfolded on Sunday during the Choral Society of the Hamptons’ annual holiday concert, staged this year at the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church.
The program featured selections from the solemn “Christmas Oratorio” by Johann Sebastian Bach, immediately followed by the joyful “Christmas Day” by Gustav Holst. The concert ended in celebration with a round of familiar Christmas songs sung by the chorus, guest soloists and the audience.
The “Christmas Oratorio” was sung in German with the English translation provided in the program. Even without the translation, the nuanced delivery of the chorus and soloists made it apparent a story was unfolding. Emotions matching the difficult journey undertaken by Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem were relayed vocally in distinct passages slowly revealed.
Vocally, the story was told in a mix of choral splendor. The informational voice of “The Evangelist” was sung by soloist tenor Nils Neubert. Tender singing in the arias was delivered by soloist mezzo-soprano Suzanne Schwing. Their music effectively portrayed the mix of hardship, love, longing for the birth of the infant savior and his eventual arrival.
As the story began to quicken, so did the length of the vocal passages. Instrumental music introduced some selections and accompanied the vocals throughout. Flute and cello passages were gratifying.
This was especially true in a recitative passage sung by soloist baritone Mischa Bouvier. The section revealed God’s fulfillment of a promise to Abraham that a shepherd would be the first to know of the coming of the savior. Mr. Bouvier’s delivery was powerful, rising to a crescendo that dominated the church. His delivery of the tightly-written bouncing between nearly adjacent notes sounded like a trill that eventually wound out in vibrato-soaked singing that was stunning.
Soloist soprano Maria D’Amato’s performance was notable throughout. She delivered powerful yet sensitive vocals that played beautifully when exchanged in “dialogue” with Mr. Bouvier and in her solos.
Ms. Schwing’s delivery was nuanced and expertly phrased throughout. She imparted joy, tenderness and playfulness channeling the emotional content of the section.
Grandeur, celebration, authority, adoration and ceremony were imparted effectively, in turn, by the chorus. Voices were lush and reverberated throughout the church. Each time the chorus performed, they brought joy with them.
“Christmas Day,” sung in English, was a lighthearted mix of English Christmas carols that practically skipped with happiness. But there was some emotional intensity. The passage describing the King of Israel sounded like a snowstorm of voices that suddenly appeared to mark the occasion.
The chorus was accompanied by The South Fork Ensemble and was conducted by Mark Mangini. Musicians included cellist Rebecca Perea and flutists Linda Wetherill and Jennifer Haley.
This reviewer attended Sunday’s 5:30 p.m. concert. An earlier performance was held at 3 p.m.
on Dec 13, 2010