Eighteen festive songs and carols in seven different languages—that’s the delightful Christmas Cheer concert Noosa Chorale singers will present at The J next month.
Under the direction of maestro Kim Kirkman, they will sing in Spanish, German, Ukrainian, Estonian, Tagalog, Latin and English.
The song “Shchedryk,” which the choir will perform in Ukrainian, will be known to most people, especially those who heard it in its English version as “Carol of the Bells” in the 1990 film “Home Alone” as arranged by John Williams.
The song is based on a Ukrainian folklore song featured in a 1919 concert tour of Europe to generate support for the newly independent nation of Ukraine and quickly came to be associated with Ukraine’s national revival at the time.
From Estonia, “Üle Lume Lagedale” has the choir racing along on a joyous sleigh road through the Baltic snow, looking forward to the arrival of Santa, and from Canada, its oldest Christmas song, the “Huron Carol” speaks of a nativity attended by “hunter braves” rather than Magi, with the baby Jesus wrapped in “a ragged rabbit skin”. The hymn dates from the mid 1600s.
The choir will also sing the United States’ songs “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”, a Nat King Cole hit, and “Let it Snow,” a chart stopper by Dean Martin.
The Spanish lullaby to the baby Jesus, “A la Nanita Nana”, is much loved throughout the Hispanic world, and is intertwined beautifully in Greg Gilpin’s arrangement with the traditional English “Coventry Carol”.
Also sung in Spanish, “El Burrito Sabanero” tells the story of a little boy riding a donkey to Bethlehem to see the newborn baby Jesus.
Christmas carols like the German arrangement of “Stille Nacht” (Silent Night) is hauntingly beautiful and quite unusual. Likewise, the arrangement by Zoltan Kodaly of “Veni, Veni Emmanuel” sung in Latin.
The Noosa Chorale Christmas concerts with their singalong carols and songs are now in their 18th year and have become traditionally accepted by local audiences as the official start of the festive season.
With this Yuletide fare of international and well-loved audience favourites, Janet Brewer at the piano, some special solo numbers from choir members, and a stunningly decorated hall, this joyful concert will continue the tradition.
Noosa Chorale’s Cantique de Noël, The J Theatre, Friday December 12 at 7pm, Saturday December 13 at 2pm.Tickets $49 adults; $30 children/students. www.thej.com.au
