Holiday Cheer

Yesterday (12/18/11) had artists from Harwood Management presenting ‘‘Deck the Halls,’’ a performance of holiday music broken down into Classical and Broadway (at least as listed in the brief artists’ bios). First off, one of the vocalists was down for the count due to the flu—stay healthy out there, kids.

The afternoon began with solos from Händel’s Messiah—Every Valley, O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion, Rejoice Greatly, The Trumpet Shall Sound, and But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul in Hell. These were delivered with varying degrees of success, as Harwood’s roster includes established performers and some just arriving here in NYC as recent college graduates. Also included in the Classical half of the program were Noël (Gabriel Fauré), a duet from Hansel and Gretel (Humperdinck), and Domine Deus from Gloria (Vivaldi).

The second half featured lighter fare and (in a general sense) lighter voices. Highlights included Santa Baby, You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, White Christmas, The Man with the Bag, What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. There was also a spirited version of Go Tell It on the Mountain that encouraged and included audience participation. The program ended with a Christmas medley, signing off with Auld Lang Syne.

There was a bit of a ‘‘Hey, gang, let’s put on a show’’ feeling—not that there’s anything wrong with that. I’m glad I went and I experienced a bit of holiday cheer.

ConcertMeister