Art’s Corner

If any one thing can be counted upon for end-of-year entertainment opportunities here on the Hill, the annual get-together at the Idyllwild Public Library, with the blending of women’s voices in Local Color, is a significant fact of life. That, plus the performances of the Idyllwild Master Chorale at the Idyllwild Arts Academy usually make for an added vocal bonus.

That first indicated gathering, on the first Wednesday evening in December, is generally a mixture of holiday cheer and wonder, and this installment proved nothing to the contrary — from the welcoming notes of the southern French “Carol of the Birds” and the Spanish/English “A La Puerta del Cielo,” good wishes and voices were patently evident. The concert was further bolstered by the accompanying acoustic guitar of David Jerome, which proved most effective in the library’s Community Room; in particular for the nontraditional arrangement (from Great Britain) of “Away in a Manger” and several other offerings.

And the attending public’s appreciation of the program was afforded by a spirit-filled rendering of the more traditional items in “sing-along” fashion, as always, with “Silent Night” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” giving out a cheerful responsive finale.

Then, on the following Saturday evening in Lowman Concert Hall, Dwight “Buzz” Holmes and the Idyllwild Master Chorale provided a further celebratory endeavor. The program of “Holiday Highlights” also featured both old and new choral arrangements, albeit with a slight, hesitant initial effort in the Alfred Burt and John Rutter carols and the two British “Wassail Songs” (perhaps due to the smaller assembly — seven male and 12 female singers) which started the proceedings.

Further on, the chorale’s voices blended better — particularly for Gustav Holst’s “In the Bleak Mid-Winter” and the “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” of Michael Praetorius.

Norman Luboff’s arrangements of the Austrian carol “Still, Still, Still” and the Spanish “A La Ninita Nana” came through in respectful quietude, with pianist Jeffrey Bell’s agreeable accompaniment. And, of course, what would Idyllwild do without such offerings as Holmes’ “I Remember Christmas” and the two works of Morton Lauridsen (“O Nata Lux” and “Sure On This Shining Night”); even as perfunctorily executed as they were on this occasion, enthusiastically and gratefully applauded by the audience members.

The evening ended with two excerpts from George Frederick Handel’s “Messiah” — “For Unto Us a Child is Born” and the “Hallelujah” Chorus, with the latter given out in full-throated splendor by choristers and listeners as well, followed by a most appreciative response.

On the Sunday afternoon (following the Master Chorale’s second concert), the seasonal offerings came to a respectful and somewhat solemn conclusion with the program at the Silver Pines Lodge, with the usual Winter Solstice observation (from Spirit Mountain Retreat).

The Local Color grouping again provided much of the same material as at the library presentation (though lacking the guitar accompaniment), and within the lodge’s wooden confines proved a fuller and more resonant offering of sound than the first event.

A series of six prose and poetic readings by Val Velez, Ari Simon, Linda Lauderbaugh, Carol McClintic, Mary Morse and Elaine Latimer gave the season’s natural flavor, and included a memorial tribute to one of Local Color’s original members, Dee Ann Easterly (from McClintic, Morse and leader Anna Archuleta), that also incorporated one of Easterly’s favorite songs (“To My Old Brown Earth”) — a particularly inspiring reminder of her environmental concerns and wishes.

As previously, Local Color concluded with audience participation, enthusiastically put forth by all present, and a generous selection of holiday refreshments (including hot spiced cider) was further appreciated by all.

And in conclusion, this reviewer wishes all readers a blessed and joyous holiday season and expectations of a bright and musically sonorous New Year.