Celebrate Christmas with Ragazzi

Music celebrating Christmas has flourished into a rich and diverse repertoire. This year, Ragazzi's Christmas Concerts are happening on Dec 5, 6, and 13 in the Bay Area.  Tickets and locations are available at http://ragazzi.org/concerts.htm.  The music embraces the wide variety of ways in which people celebrate the holiday and the different meanings taken from the Christmas story – sacred and secular, somber and playful, restrained and joyful, repentant and hopeful. Here is a preview of the concert:

The opening of the concert sets the background for the actual story. The Glory of the Father presents an ethereal idea – “the word made flesh and dwelt among us.” Note the text painting – each instance of the word “glory” blossoms into a lush aural indulgence – as the whole story of Christianity is told in a kernel of a single song.

Annunciation Carol and Dixit Maria ad Angelum are musical paintings of the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary and her subsequent response. Despite a difference in era and style, both songs showcase beautiful unaccompanied melodic lines which reflect the serene, graceful image of Mary.

Gesù Bambino and La Bonne Nouvelle highlight carols outside of the English tradition. Gesù Bambino is an Italian carol juxtaposed with O Come, All Ye Faithful in this arrangement by Pietro Yon. The unusual key modulations still sound fresh ninety years after composition, and they also reflect the spirit of juxtaposition – of two melodies or of divinity and humanity. The melody and text to La Bonne Nouvelle were found by American composer Robert Sieving in a long out-of-print music textbook. Ragazzi had a unique experience to host a French choir this fall, and the boys sang this carol as a gesture of friendship.

I Saw Three Ships and The Holly and The Ivy are English tunes from the 15th and 17th centuries. The texts do not map directly onto the Christmas story; rather, they use highly symbolic language. The three verses of Holly and the Ivy are each centered around a symbol: the holly bears the crown, the blossom, and the prickle. The text for I Saw Three Ships is equally nebulous – with possible references to the three kings, the three ideals “faith, hope, and love”, or even nuances towards the three ships of Columbus. This arrangement highlights the playful dance nature of the tune and creates a conversation between the choir and the chamber group.

The Agincourt Hymn is from 15th-century England. The original setting celebrated English victory in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, but the tune has been associated with multiple texts in the ensuing centuries. One consistent element between all versions is the chorus: Deo gratias redde pro Victoria! – Give thanks to God for victory! It is one of the oldest English songs preserved in its original form.

Pat-a-pan is a French carol celebrating Christmas from the perspective of the shepherds. The music represents the sounds of the instruments in the text: the “pat-a-pan” and accompaniment imitate the drum and the “tu-re-lu-re-lu” mimics the sound of the flute. There is a striking similarity between Pat-a-pan and Wilberg’s arrangement of Fum, Fum, Fum! Both pieces are all about music and sound – the dancing quality of the rhythm, playful interaction of voices, and the instrument imitations unite to portray the excitement of Christmas in a folk-style.

The lush arrangement of Still, Still, Still is a lullaby. The rich harmonies support the piece as the melody weaves between the instruments and the choir to create a luxurious sound reflecting the text – falling snow, dreaming, the peaceful night, and the joyous day to come.

The Sametz Noel! is an exciting juxtaposition of modern composition with medieval text. The text is short: “Out of your sleep awake for God mankind now hath he take all of a maiden without any make Noel!” The excitement of the piece is generated by the overlapping rhythms, tight syncopations, and contrasting articulation.

Glory Hallelujah to duh Newbo’n King features an American spiritual arranged for choir. This piece also relies on rhythmic syncopation, but in a much more relaxed way than the Sametz Noel. Note the call-and-response structure, dialect, and rich chord structures which are key elements in the spiritual style.

Gloria is written by contemporary composer John Leavitt, who was born in 1956 in Leavenworth Kansas. He has directed choirs at a number of universities and is a prolific composer. While Leavitt’s “Gloria” contains a traditional Christmas text sung in Latin, it is filled with Leavitt’s signature rhythmic patterns and mixed meters.

Our Winter Wonderland is a medley of three Christmas carols that are all about an old-fashioned Christmas. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year was written in 1963 by Eddie Pola and George Wyle. It was recorded and released that same year on Andy Williams’ very first Christmas album. Let it Snow was written by Jule Styne in 1945. World War II was just over and this new song reflected the feeling of warmth and security associated with Christmas. Winter Wonderland was written by Felix Bernard and first published in 1934. It was a favorite of the Andrews Sisters and Perry Como and has undoubtedly contributed to the magical vision of snow and snowman building at Christmas (not something that Ragazzi boys get to do very often!).

Ding-dong! Merrily on high is a 15th century tune married to a 19th century text about ringing the bells to celebrate Christmastide. The melismatic chorus “Gloria” is indulges in the sound of the choir, and the verses talk about the excitement of both heavenly and earthly bells announcing Christmas.

The last five Christmas carols include traditional and well-known carols – 3 sacred and 2 secular takes on the season. Each carol is an opportunity for a conversation between the audience and Ragazzi where the audience sings the traditional version and Ragazzi has prepared individual verses which uniquely capture the mood of the piece. The choir verses include a jazzy version of The First Noel, a syncopated, jaunty arrangement of Deck the Halls, a lush, quiet arrangement of Silent Night, and a musical joke in We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

We know that Christmas is one of many faith traditions represented by our boys, families, and guests. Christmas music remains an integral and vital part of the Western music tradition which is the core of Ragazzi. In the Christmas story, we find messages of hope, family, celebration, peace, and music – elements which are part of every holiday. We hope that your experience today also fills your spirit with warmth, celebration, peace, and music.