Each December the capital-based choir, ‘Muscat Singers’ give their annual winter concert, often teaming up with top-notch musicians living in the Sultanate. This year was Muscat Singers’ forty-fifth year of making music and the performance reflected this momentous mile-stone. Given in the prestigious and acoustically sensitive Bosch Centre for Performing Arts at the American School in Ghala, the Muscat Singers presented a sterling performance of Vivaldi’s 1715 “Gloria” — possibly the first time ever in Oman — with an especially assembled small ensemble followed by the ever popular Muscat Brass Christmas special. It also featured the chamber choir formed out of advanced singers, ‘Insijam’, and other soloists.
The early-evening production kicked off to an almost packed house with the fifty-four strong chorus arranged on risers behind an expert baroque orchestra of oboe, trumpet, fiddles, viola, cello, double bass and ‘harpsichord’ continuo accompaniment. The ‘Gloria’ was performed to magnificent effect, filling the hall with powerful yet superbly tuneful choral singing throughout the twelve movements. The second, lyrical ‘Et in terra pax’ (and peace on earth) was particularly tender and warm while other sections focused on a strong, declamatory style such as in, ‘Gratias agimus tibi’ (we give thanks to thee), the ‘desperate sadness of the music for the choir’s, “Miserere Nobis”(have mercy upon us) towards the end of the eighth section’, and the stirring, uplifting finale, ‘Cum Sancto Spiritu’. Other movements featured soloists drawn from the choir: Helen Kerr, Alto, Elizabeth Atkinson, Soprano, and a sublime Soprano Duet from Regina Wang and Janna Stammeijer.
Melanie Brink, was based on traditional Swedish and German folk melodies. Kyle Pederson composed this beautiful choral work with clarinet and piano accompaniment (Stephen Delves) as a result of a consortium commission. However, it was first performed right here in Muscat!
Most of the choir filed off after that, leaving eleven singers of ‘al Insijam’ acapella ensemble to perform three less familiar carols in unique arrangements and animated interpretations — without accompaniment. The first, ‘What Child is This?’, was interestingly set to the traditional sixteenth century English melody, ‘Greensleeves’.
The highlight of the season for some is always the superb performance of Muscat Brass’ festive repertoire. Under their new conductor the twenty musicians opened their set with Jim Gribben’s arrangement of “Star trek”, featuring percussive xylophone part, some rousing trombone and tuba lines, muted trumpet and high unmuted solos.
A “Christmas Trilogy” was an unusual arrangement of the melody, ‘Away in a Manger’ by Stephen Rockey, played slowly on bass instruments, then building up with wintry sleigh bells and glockenspiel sounds, concluding with arresting tuba and timps and luscious brass chords.
It contrasted with Darrol Barry’s bright Jazz Variations on, ‘Adeste Fideles’, first fine solo from the second trumpet, a smooth, slow chordal middle section, and ending with fugal trumpet entries. The finale was Barry’s iconic arrangement of, ‘Rudolph Around the World’, visiting Japan (Pentatonic theme), Switzerland (Waltzes based on an alpine yodel with cow bells), a March from Germany with the melodies carried robustly in trombones and tuba, Russia (quoting the Song of the Volga Boatman), France (with a Waltz based on a popular French song) and finally, a bright American Hoedown. It was so good they played an encore: Darrol Barry’s much admired treatment of, ‘Most Wonderful Time’ which received thunderous applause.
The only way to follow such a tremendous presentation was with the combined assembled forces singing three favourite carols, the voices battling to be heard over the booming big band in front. Muscat Singers had one final unaccompanied carol, the lovely, ‘Angel Gabriel’, reminding the audience how beautifully they blend acapella. It was concluded by the massed band, choir and audience in, ‘Adeste Fideles’ — to celebrate another glorious year enjoyed in the Sultanate of Oman, and welcome in the festive season.
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