Las Vegas Philharmonic - A Holiday Celebration 2004 - REad it in Jetsetters Magazine www.jetsettersmagazine.com

It’s eight o’clock. Do you know where your children are? If they live in Las Vegas, they most likely were singing in “A Holiday Celebration,” the annual Christmas concert by the Las Vegas Philharmonic. This year’s performance featured not one but two choral groups: the Las Vegas Master Singers and the huge University Children’s Chorale. People out in town must have wondered where all the kids had gone.

Wow — how does music move the spirit so easily? One chord from the horns, and I’m instantly in a holiday mood. As with last year’s concert, the Phil opened with O Tannenbaum. From the very first note, the warm, noble sound of this beloved German carol made it clear: ‘tis Christmas.

Hodie isn’t a Southern nickname (although it should be). Pronounced “ho-dee-ay,” it is Latin for “this day” and is the title of a holiday masterwork by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. The Phil performed seven of the sixteen movements in this Christmas cantata to round out the first half of tonight’s concert. Incidentally, the composer pronounced his first name “Rayf,” so you’re learning about the quirks of deceased composers and languages.

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

The “Prologue” movement featured Latin lyrics proclaiming, “On this day was Christ born.” Despite the language, it sounded very English — as Vaughan Williams intended, according to master of ceremonies Kurt Mische. The tone was joyful, but decorously restrained. Like many of the composer’s other works, Hodie is influenced by English country folk tunes. Five later movements — “Song,” “Choral,” “Lullaby,” and two “Narrations” — had ensembles from both choruses and three excellent soloists singing Biblical verse in English. Finally, “Epilogue” brought a celebratory crescendo with bells ringing, as if to announce, “Church is over – let’s go home and open presents!”

The second half of the concert traditionally features popular music. We were treated to an elegant instrumental rendition of “White Christmas” and a playing of “Sleigh Ride” as terrific as the one on your old Leroy Anderson LP record (you do have that record, don’t you?). Then all 135 members of the University Children’s Chorale took the stage for “Holiday Favorites,” arranged by Bruce Healy. This medley of kids’ carols brought out our favorite Christmas characters, including Santa, Frosty, Miss Fanny Bright (who?), and the Most Famous Reindeer of All. The music featured clever toy sounds from the Phil’s percussionists and a lot of smiling and swaying by the kids.

LV Phil Conductor, Hal Weller, left with Associate Conductor, Richard McGee.

Associate Conductor Richard McGee took the podium for “Somewhere in my Memory,” a lovely choral tune written by John Williams for the Movie Home Alone. Then Jocelyn Kaye Jensen conducted her Master Singers in “A Candlelight Carol” by John Rutter. After that it was time for audience participation in Leroy Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival,” featuring bits of “Joy to the World,” “Deck the Halls,” “Silent Night,” and other classics. I sang for almost four minutes, and no one around me got upsot!

The concert closed with another tradition, a singing of the beautiful, solemn carol “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” The Philharmonic’s Classical Series continues on February 26, 2005, and if you like choral pieces, the Las Vegas Philharmonic Chorus will perform Carmina Burana with the Phil on May 7 and 8, 2005. In the meantime, are you having trouble getting into the holiday spirit? Get some eggnog (yes I know it’s fattening — that’s the point) and put some festive music on the stereo. Better yet, attend a concert. There’s nothing like live holiday music for making spirits bright.

— By Robert LaGrone, Las Vegas Jetsetters Magazine Entertainment Editor.