If Norman Rockwell were to paint a musical portrait of a sentimental Christmas, he could not have created a more colorful and evocative tableau than the one the Mancos Valley Chorus produced on Sunday at their kickoff holiday concert at the Mancos Methodist Church. From the snappy opening of "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays" to the melancholy closer, "I'll Be Home for Christmas," the chorus served up holiday standards in fresh, reworked arrangements as well as some delightful, lesser- known holiday numbers. A dash here and there of humor and whimsy seasoned the show just enough to keep if from lapsing into schmaltz.
The chorus will perform three more shows this week. On Tuesday December 9 they will perform in Cortez at 7:00 at the Methodist Church on Park. Two Mancos shows will take place on Friday night at 7:00 and Saturday afternoon at 3:30. Get there early; these shows fill up. Admission is free.
This season's show alternates between songs of wistful yearning for long-gone days and unbridled joy in anticipation of Christmas. Songs like the 1940's "I'll Be Seeing You" and "We'll Meet Again" evoked a swell of memory and emotion. In contrast, the 1960s Santa medley, a surprising jewel studded with 4-part spoken lyrics and shoo-bie-doo-wahs, had us tittering with glee.
In the lilting Celtic choral number "Christmas Pipes," Larsen never let her performers lose their rhythmic drive, even as the music layers on texture. Dynamic shifts in the exuberant "Jubilate Deo" were nimble and responsive. Rhythmic complexity and changing meter in the Basque carol, "The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came," was handled with well-rehearsed deftness.
The show as sprinkled with solos, each lending its unique quality to the Christmas tableau. From Susie Frye's sweet-voiced Irish tune, "The Seven Rejoices of Mary," to the full-throttle, hard-driving Emmylou Harris song, "Light of the Stable," sung by duo Janet- Lever-Wood and Helen Looman, to Terry Wells' Josh Grobin song of optimistic gratitude, "Thankful," to Gloria Thatch-Woody's playful version of the Eartha Kitt favorite, "Santa Baby," all the solos added depth, richness, and fun to the show.
Accompanist Lee Bartley supported the soloists with his beautifully improvised arrangements, enhancing the performances without overshadowing them. Likewise, his accompaniments on the choral numbers were professional. The chorus is fortunate to have such a consummate musician at the piano.
For the younger set, there was a trio of animal-themed pieces featuring Julie Ayers playing an ancient and battered sousaphone, Marian Rohman leading a critter choir, and a hip-hip-hippopotamus march complete with bell tones on the word "dung." It is only the pity that there weren't more children in the audience to enjoy the delight and wonder of playful music sung by playful adults.
The chorus has 33 current members, six of them male. Understandably, the lower voices could have used more volume in places, but although sometimes thin, they were surprisingly well-blended; no individual voices stood out. Female voices were assertive and responsive. The sopranos supported their high notes well without becoming shrill.
Larsen takes her numbers at a clip that keeps the energy high, smiles wide, toes tapping, and interest piqued. Slower tempos on some of these numbers could have easily slipped from sentimental into maudlin.
Perhaps the greatest gift Larsen and her chorus offer to their large fan base is a guaranteed good time. Tireless in their energy and enthusiasm, the chorus is like a hive of honeybees buzzing with the thrill and fun of performing for friends who come knowing they will be entertained.
Their strongest asset was occasionally a distraction. So intent on entertaining were they, I found it distracting to see chorus members watching the audience-during numbers-- rather than focusing on their director. Equally distracting were the few who appeared not to know their music well enough to look up at all.
Snow and mistletoe, wishing wells, children's carousels, chestnut trees, sidewalk cafes and lovelight gleaming: these are snapshots of another time. And it raises the question: will this music still be as meaningful and evocative in another 25 years, or are we glimpsing a dying musical heritage? Is this why it feels so good to wrap ourselves up in sentimental music at this time of year, because we fear for its future? Whatever the answer, it's reassuring to know that the Mancos Valley Chorus will always come home for the holidays, even "if only in our dreams."