South Florida Classical Review

James K. Bass conducted Seraphic Fire’s Christmas program Saturday night at All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale.

Seraphic Fire’s annual Christmas concert is a wonderful way to spend around ninety minutes forgetting about the troubling headlines and the ups and downs of life, basking in the sheer enchantment and beauty of musical fare for the holiday. 

This year’s edition, led by artistic director designate James K. Bass, opened an extended run Saturday night at All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale. “Twas the Night Before Christmas” was the program’s theme with Bass reciting the storied poem between selections against a backdrop of a lighted Christmas tree, a Nutcracker soldier and holiday banners. Familiar carols and some wonderful discoveries made for a fine offering, performed with skill and exceptional artistry.

A “Christmas Processional” by Audrey Snyder opened with seven female voices at the front of the sanctuary and six male voices at the rear in a lovely modernist chant, Bass ringing pitched bells as he conducted. 

Five evergreen carols were given freshly minted treatment. An arrangement by choir founder Patrick Quigley of “Adeste Fideles” began with the men singing the original chant version before the full group joined for the standard “O Come All Ye Faithful” iteration, sung with directness and a velvety corporate sonority. “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” was enlivened by subtle variations of dynamics while “Carol of the Bells” (in an arrangement by choral director Peter Wilhousky) had rhythmic impetus to spare. The choir’s silken sound was especially prominent in Quigley’s arrangement of “The First Noel.” “Joy to the World” (arranged by Lowell Mason) emerged appropriately vigorous and joyous indeed.

Novelty was provided by Jeff Funk’s clever choral arrangement of “Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy” from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. The high women’s voices took flight in the melodic line, normally played by a celesta, while the men provided the rhythm section. Patrick Kilbride’s large and resonant tenor took solo honors in Vaughan Williams’ austere “This is the truth sent from above,” the flowing pulse perfectly molded by Bass. The lyrical melody of “In the Stillness” by Sally Beamish was sung with exquisite delicacy. Beauty of mixed timbres registered a soothing effect in June Collin’s “The Quiet Heart.” Repetitions of ‘La-lullay-lu’ surrounded the swaying pulse of “Once as I Remember,” a delightful but rarely sung carol.

One of the evening’s highlights was a setting of “O Magnum Mysterium.” This was not the standard version by Morten Lauridsen but a strikingly original conception by Owain Park. Modernist harmonies create a hypnotic stasis in this beautiful piece. Addy Sterrett’s ethereal soprano and Charles Wesley Evans’ firm bass alternated with the full and rich sound of the choir, abetted by the sanctuary’s excellent acoustic. 

“Sleep My Pretty One, Sleep” by Joseph Phibbs offered a contemporary lullaby. Variants of softness distinguished the collective singing in this reinvention of the cradle song. The gentle concluding proclamation of ‘am I too a child’ in Eriks Eŝenvalds’ “Only in Sleep” was radiantly narrated by soprano Eliza Masewicz.

Elizabeth Poston’s “Jesus Christ the Apple Tree” has become a Seraphic Fire tradition at these holiday performances. The wonderfully matched voices of Sterrett and Maura Tuffy soared in duet while the other choir members sang from around the sanctuary space. Tuffy opened the concluding annual “Silent Night” as the lights dimmed to darkness and the singers left the hall in procession with candles, their voices wonderfully soft. It was a fine way to wish “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.”

Seraphic Fire repeats the program 7:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Coral Gables; 7:30 p.m. December 9 at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Miami; 7 p.m. December 10 at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Boca Raton; 8 p.m. December 12 at Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables; 4 p.m. December 14 at Moss Cultural Center in Cutler Bay; and 7 p.m. December 16 at Moorings Presbyterian Church in Naples. seraphicfire.org

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