"I've never heard a woman use her voice like that," Jesse said of the soprano soloist singing Christmas concerti. Listening to voice backed by nearby strings, harpsichord and the pipe organ serving up Bach, Schubert, Mozart with the Vivaldi was like an evening savoring chocolate. Expensive chocolate.
The
Longmont Symphony's chamber ensemble played their annual Candle Light Concert at the
Heart of Longmont. Not only is the venue intimate, but the presentation by the director was neighborly. The program included traditional favorites such as O Holy Night and
Ave Maria sung by the annual guest artist, a hometown girl who grew up to be a university music professor and popular soprano. The sanctuary was packed. It is a beautiful venue, especially decorated for Christmas. How pleasing it must be to the Holy Spirit for glorious music to rise in this holy place.
The hit of the evening was a young woman's solo on piccolo, originally written by
Vivaldi for flautino, an antique tiny flute, another concerto. Standing ovation.
Group singing in public is nearly extinct except in churches, a relic of another day when recorded music was not available at the touch of a button. There is just something wonderful about live music and making live music, being in the presence of it, participating in it. We sang the Hallelujah Chorus. "If you don't know the words," the conductor said, "just sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah!" The evening ended with the symphony-goers joining the strings to sing Christmas carols by candlelight. Live harp for Silent Night.
The hit of the evening was a young woman's solo on piccolo, originally written by Vivaldi for flautino, an antique tiny flute, another concerto. Standing ovation.