You’ll hear a number of favorite Christmas carols and holidays songs on this year’s Sounds of the Season concert, and not just because most of this music is so familiar.  This year, I looked back at our audience surveys and pulled together a list of what YOU said your favorite holiday music was and used that as a starting point to create this program.  There are a few of the usual suspects you always find on a “top favorite” list:  “Silent Night,” “O Holy Night,” and “White Christmas.”  But, there are a few which are a little less common if not equally fun to sing:  “Ave Maria,” “The Holly and the Ivy” and “Little Drummer Boy.”  Your suggestions were an amazing jumping off point, and I hope you find your favorite carol performed today.

Since we call this concert Sounds of the Season, I also like to explore music that reflects other events happening this time of year.  Another major celebration which happens in December is Hannukah, the Jewish celebration of the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.  This year we recognize Hannukah with a piece combining two traditional Jewish folk tunes, celebrating the holiday with the spinning of the dreidl and lighting of eight candles.  Earlier in the fall, there are two major Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the ten-day period of introspection and repentance known as the High Holy Days.  During the holidays, the Avinu Malkeinu is recited, a litany of supplication which recognizes God as “Our Father, Our King” who can forgive sins and grant certain blessings.  I’ve included a setting of the Avinu Malkeinu on our concert, one of many tunes used in synagogues during the holidays, which was recorded by Barbra Streisand on her album Higher Ground.

I hope you enjoy this concert of favorite songs; and, hopefully, one of your favorites is included.  If we didn’t have time to program your favorite carol or holiday song, make sure to complete our audience survey so I can work it into next year’s concert!

Happy Holidays!

Keith A. Wolfe-Hughes
General Director

presents

Sunday, December 10, 2023
2:30 P.M.
Brock Recital Hall, Samford University

Featuring

Alexis Davis-Hazell, mezzo
Earl Hazell, bass
John Robertson, music director

Opera Birmingham Studio at Samford University
Mike & Mary Anne Freeman Artist
Lauren Tinsley, soprano

Opera Birmingham Chamber Choir

Matt Cantor
DeLee Michiko Benton
Chris Farley
Noel Fendlason
Alie B. Gorrie
Temperance Jones
Sam Phillips
Adreanna Pulliam
Brian Shorter
Jonathan Mikell Smith
Marissa Eden Talwa
Jahleel Walker

......

PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. 
NO TEXTING DURING THE PERFORMANCE.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND RECORDING OF ANY KIND IS PROHIBITED. 
THANK YOU!

selections subject to change

Angels We Have Heard on High
arr. Peter Angela

Ave Maria
J.S. Bach / Charles Gounod
          Lauren Tinsley, soloist

Silent Night
arr. Dan Forrest

He Shall Feed His Flock, from Messiah
George Frideric Handel
          Alexis Davis-Hazell, soloist

But Who May Abide, from Messiah
George Frideric Handel
          Earl Hazell, soloist

Hallelujah, from Messiah
George Frideric Handel / arr. The Roches
          DeLee Michiko Benton, Alie B. Gorie,
          and Temperance Jones, soloists

The Holly and the Ivy
arr. Russell Robinson

Star in the East
arr. Milburn Price

O Holy Night
Adolphe Adam
          Alexis Davis-Hazell and Earl Hazell, soloists

Oh, Chanukah / Y’mei Hachanukah
arr. Robert Applebaum

A Little Christmas Music
arr. Daryl Rusnwick
          Lauren Tinsley, Alie B. Gorrie, Adreanna Pulliam,
          and DeLee Michiko Benton, soloists

INTERMISSION

Children, Go Where I Send Thee
arr. Glenda E. Franklin

Mistletoe and Holly
arr. Mark Hayes

He’s Got The Whole World In His Hand
arr. Margaret Bonds
          Alexis Davis-Hazell, soloist

Go, Tell It on the Mountain
arr. Mark Hayes
          Earl Hazell, soloist

Mary Had a Little Baby, from The Ballad of the Brown King
Margaret Bonds 
          Temperance Jones, soloist

Avinu Malkeinu
Max Janowski
          Keith A. Wolfe-Hughes, soloist

Here I Am
Walter Afanasieff, Leona Lewis, Brett Cornelius
          Marissa Eden Talwa, soloist

White Christmas
Irving Berlin
          Lauren Tinsley, soloist

Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth
arr. Jay Althouse

Carol Sing-Along
     Joy to the World
     O Come, All Ye Faithful
     Deck the Halls

Praise His Holy Name
Keith Hampton

“Ave Maria,” Bach/Gounod

Gounod adapted Bach’s popular Prelude No. 1 in C Major with an improvised melody to create this Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and in the hour of our death. Amen.

“Oh, Chanukah/Y’mei Hachanukah,” arranged by Robert Applebaum

Notes from the composer:  The more familiar version of the first line of the English text reads: “Oh Chanukah, oh Chanukah, come light the menorah.” Technically, the menorah is different from the candelabrum used for Chanukah. The correct term for a Chanukah candelabrum is “chanukiah,” as reflected in the words of this setting.

Translation of “Y’mei Hachanuka” by Robert Applebaum

These are the days of Chanukah:
We recall that our altar was rededicated.
Joy and happiness fill our hearts.
Night and day our dreidls twirl;
there are jelly doughnuts, just for us.
Lighting, igniting the Chanukah candles all in a row.
For the wondrous acts and for the miracles
that You wrought through the Maccabees.

“Avinu Malkeinu,” Max Janowski

Avinu Malkeinu is a Jewish prayer recited at services during the Ten Days of Repentance, from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur.  The name of the prayer comes from two titles for God that appear in the Bible:  “Our Father” and “Our King.”  

Avinu Malkeinu, hear our voices.
We have sinned in Your presence.
Have compassion on us and our children.
Rid us of disease, war, and hunger.
Rid us of every oppressor and adversary.
Avinu Malkeinu, inscribe us for good in the Book of Life.
Avinu Malkeinu, make this a good new year for us.
Avinu Malkeinu, hear our voices.

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord has come!
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing!

O Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him, born the King of angels.
O come let us adore Him.
O come let us adore Him.
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

Deck the Halls

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la…
Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la…
Don we now our gay apparel, fa la la…
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, fa la la…

Fast away the old year passes, fa la la…
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, fa la la…
Sing we joyous all together, fa la la…
Heedless of the wind and weather, fa la la…

Alabama School of Fine Arts
and Alex Fokkens, Music Department Chair

 The Delta Pawn, Gene Paul, Owner

Alabama Media Group is the Official Media Sponsor of Opera Birmingham.

Lauren Tinsley, the artist participating in the Opera Birmingham Studio at Samford University, is generously sponsored by Michael J. and Mary Anne Freeman, in celebration of the 40-year anniversary of their first date.

John Robertson is generously sponsored by Mary K. “Mimi” Jackson

Our season has been made possible, in part, by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, The Daniel Foundation of Alabama, The Mike and Gillian Goodrich Foundation, Hugh Kaul Foundation, Robert R. Meyer Foundation, and Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Student tickets are supported by The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. 

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