Theatre and the Church

Rhythm Syndicate did a concert of two halves: the first a series of songs from musical theatre and film; the second various carols and Christmas songs.  I enjoyed the second but was thrilled by the first.  I guess theatre has to sell itself more than religions with millennia of history, although they can do it pretty well too.  Mary did you know was a modern and feminist tune with religious themes and Silver bells and O holy night and the like are classics.  The theatricals had the pretty Memory or the touching Moon River or the rollicking Everything's coming up roses.  I was particularly taken by the harmonies from a group of ~18 arrayed as SSATB.  The parts weren't perfectly clear, perhaps given the gutsy volume in the space, but they were lovely and the sopranos rang out above as they do and Harrison's piano was reliable.  Sarah Louise was up front as conductor and added another level of excitement by prodding emotional energy and associated dynamics from various parts at various times.  A lovely, stirring end-of-year gig from Rhythm Syndicate.

Rhythm Syndicate performed at Wesley under Sarah Louise Owens (director) with accompanist Harrison Whalan (piano).

Doin' the rounds

Suddenly I am recording choirs and this time it was massively different again.  This was Rhythm Syndicate, an SATB jazz-cum-pop choir singing their Christmas event at Wesley., so with some jazz tinged traditional hymns.  I'm not usually an Elton John fan, but I must say I was taken by two of his pieces, I'm still standing and Your song.  Maybe because for once I tried to take in the lyrics.  Pop is like that and it's why it's popular, I reckon.  It speaks to people about things that matter personally, or at least it can.  Otherwise, some older standards, Moonglow and a doo-wap take on Blue Moon, and Fire and rain, another soft-pop classic.  Then the Christmas tunes.  Amongst others was an arrangement of Away in a manger by Sally Greenaway and a quite chromatic and substitutional take on the first Noel by arranger Rhonda Polay.  That really impressed me.  And Somewhere in my memory, which is apparently lauded from Home alone but not one I knew, and a boisterous and lung-loss take on O Holy Night, such a glorious tune done with gusto and big sounds.  RS are an SATB choir of 12 women (one singing tenor, I think) and 9 men under Sarah Louise Owens with piano accompaniment from Harrison Whalen.  About as far as you scan get from Kompactus' contemporary classical and Oriana's Rach Vespers.  Doin' the choral rounds, I guess.  Jazz and pop structures with dynamics, sweetness, joy and occasional raucousness.

Rhythm Syndicate performed at Wesley under Sarah Louise Owens (musical director) accompanist with  Harrison Whalan (piano).

Return to Chrissie

Just back and I'm returned to Wesley lunchtime concerts which I record weekly.  It's almost Christmas so the year is almost up, but also we hear Christmas theme.  This day under the noise of considerable rain and thunder, but still a great pleasure.  This was Rhythm Syndicate, our local jazz choir, singing a series of jazz and popular arrangements and a few yuletide numbers.  There were songs by Sting and Elton John as well as old swingers like Sunny side of the street.  The Christmas tunes were mostly modern arrangements, including a nice one by Sally Greenaway of Away in a manger.  I remain pretty traditional in my seasonal preferences.  I think my favourite was O Holy night for the glorious trad. melody but maybe that's just the comfort of tradition.  And so lovely to hear those SATB harmonies with swing grooves and the piano of ANUSOM student Harrison Whalan under Sarah Louise Owens.  An entertaining return to Christmas and the local music scene.

Rhythm Syndicate performed at Wesley under Sarah Louise Owens (director)  with accompanist Harrison Whalan (piano).

This is CJBlog post no. 2,750.