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Noel
a real Christmas feast
aca Digital CM20104 Sam
Hagan’s Noel will be a welcome guest in many homes this Christmas. The
much sought-after tenor’s strong, richly authoritative voice is heard
to good effect here. The well selected program ranges from Handel’s
recitative and aria “Comfort ye, my people/Every valley shall be
exalted” from Messiah to latter-day favorites like “I’ll be home for
Christmas” and “Have yourself a merry little Christmas,” conjuring
up fond memories of Bing Crosby and Judy Garland, respectively. Other
highlights of the program include a number of ever-popular spirituals
spirituals, “Rise up, Shepherd, and follow,” “Mary had a baby,”
“Sweet little Jesus Boy,” “Jesus, O what a wonderful child,” and
“Go, tell it on the mountain.” In these selections, as throughout
the program, pianist Harding Epps, Jr., a graduate of Hagan
and Epps give a very striking account of 19th century French
composer Adolphe Adam’s “O Holy Night.” It comes across as more
rhythmical that we are used to hearing it, rather like an arietta with a
discretely lilting accompaniment in dance tempo, but that is well in
character for a composer who was successful in both opera and ballet. Other
selections that will be certain to fall on receptive ears in the program
of popular favorites and traditionals include “The Christmas Song”
(first recorded by Nat King Cole), “What Child is this?”, “The
First Noel,” a glorious rendition of the Bach/Gounod “Ave,
Maria,” and, for an appropriate conclusion but on a more stirring
note than we are used to hearing it, “Silent Night.” PHIL MUSE |
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