James MacMillan's 2021 Christmas Oratorio is a musical chameleon, deftly traversing a vast sonic landscape in a single work. This ambitious oratorio is no homage to Johann Sebastian Bach's 1734 version; instead, it boldly forges its own path, drawing inspiration from various genres and styles.
The performance, conducted by the composer himself, expertly balances contrasting moods and textures. Delicately scored passages of chamber music give way to full-throttle climaxes for choir and orchestra, evoking moments both serene and frenetic. Modernist spikiness is juxtaposed with smooth, Britten-esque tonality, while pastiche Renaissance polyphony yields to surging Hollywood film scores.
The choral writing demands attention, particularly in the unaccompanied sections where the BBC Symphony Chorus delivers performances marked by excellent diction and silky blend. The upper voices' slow unfolding of "O magnum mysterium" is especially enchanting, with its ethereal quality floating above understated passagework in woodwind and lower strings.
The two vocal soloists - Roderick Williams and Rhian Lois - bring a sense of balance to the performance, their contrasting timbres complemented by expert matching from conductor MacMillan. The former's warm, malleable baritone is beautifully offset by Lois's harder, narrower soprano, while both deliver compelling performances in their respective solo moments.
Throughout, the BBC Symphony Orchestra contributes to an atmosphere of dynamic tension, with flashes of fleeting beauty and irresistible momentum emerging from its varied sections. A particularly notable moment involves a chiming harp, icy string tremolo, and orchestral chords balanced to sound uncannily like an organ.
However, this Christmas Oratorio's ending remains peculiarly abrupt, a testament to MacMillan's bold vision and willingness to challenge conventions. Despite this peculiarity, the performance remains ferociously committed, leaving the audience in a state of enthusiastic approval.
The performance, conducted by the composer himself, expertly balances contrasting moods and textures. Delicately scored passages of chamber music give way to full-throttle climaxes for choir and orchestra, evoking moments both serene and frenetic. Modernist spikiness is juxtaposed with smooth, Britten-esque tonality, while pastiche Renaissance polyphony yields to surging Hollywood film scores.
The choral writing demands attention, particularly in the unaccompanied sections where the BBC Symphony Chorus delivers performances marked by excellent diction and silky blend. The upper voices' slow unfolding of "O magnum mysterium" is especially enchanting, with its ethereal quality floating above understated passagework in woodwind and lower strings.
The two vocal soloists - Roderick Williams and Rhian Lois - bring a sense of balance to the performance, their contrasting timbres complemented by expert matching from conductor MacMillan. The former's warm, malleable baritone is beautifully offset by Lois's harder, narrower soprano, while both deliver compelling performances in their respective solo moments.
Throughout, the BBC Symphony Orchestra contributes to an atmosphere of dynamic tension, with flashes of fleeting beauty and irresistible momentum emerging from its varied sections. A particularly notable moment involves a chiming harp, icy string tremolo, and orchestral chords balanced to sound uncannily like an organ.
However, this Christmas Oratorio's ending remains peculiarly abrupt, a testament to MacMillan's bold vision and willingness to challenge conventions. Despite this peculiarity, the performance remains ferociously committed, leaving the audience in a state of enthusiastic approval.
it's like nothing I've ever heard before! The way he weaves together different styles and genres is pure genius 
, especially that bit with the chiming harp, icy string tremolo, and orchestral chords - it sounds like an epic movie score 
. And can we talk about those vocal soloists? Roderick Williams and Rhian Lois absolutely kill it 
, their voices complement each other so well it's like magic 
. But what really gets me is the ending... I mean, I'm not complaining or anything 
, but it kinda feels a bit abrupt, you know? Still, MacMillan's vision is so bold and innovative, it's hard to dislike 
. Anyone else heard this yet?
it's like he took all these different styles and genres and merged them into this one work that's just... WOW 
the choir's harmonies are giving me chills every time 
and can we talk about those vocal soloists? Roderick Williams and Rhian Lois are absolute perfection 
The conductor is like a master of balancing moods & textures, its always like "ok this is gonna be calm but then BAM!" 
And the choir & orchestra work together like a well-oiled machine 
especially in those unaccompanied sections where they just kill it with diction & blend 
But I gotta say, that ending felt a bit abrupt even though it's part of MacMillan's bold vision 
still gives me major chills tho 
The choral writing is insane, especially in those unaccompanied sections where the choir just nails it 
?!?! climate change is real & we're runnin outta time 
so I just listened to James MacMillan's Christmas Oratorio and I'm still trying to process how he managed to cram like, every genre under the sun into one massive, sprawling work . it's like he took all his musical influences, threw them in a blender, hit puree, and voilà! 
an oratorio that's equal parts Bachian counterpoint, Britten-esque subtlety, and full-on Hollywood bombast. I mean, the choral writing is seriously impressive, especially those unaccompanied bits where the BBC Symphony Chorus just nails it 
. the vocal soloists are great too, Roderick Williams' baritone is all warm and fuzzy, while Rhian Lois's soprano is like a cool breeze on a summer day 
. but what really gets me is how MacMillan manages to balance all these disparate elements into something that feels cohesive (mostly) . the ending, though... *meh* it feels like he just sorta... stopped 
still, it's an exhilarating ride and I'm kinda glad I rode it out 
. I mean, who else could make Renaissance polyphony sound like it's straight outta Hollywood? 
It's just so... unexpected, but in the best way possible! 
The harp solo at the end is pure magic 
. Still, MacMillan gets me every time 
. The only thing that bugged me a bit was how it ended – I mean, it felt like there should've been more of a conclusion or something... but overall, what a wild ride of emotions and sounds! 
. But hey, sometimes you need a little shock to get your emotions going, right? 
. The result is something entirely new and exciting! Can't wait to hear more from him 
anyway, i'm totally going to have to listen to this again ASAP! 
. Their different timbres complement each other so well, it's like magic 
. Even if the ending feels a bit abrupt, I'm totally down for that boldness 
. The soloists, Roderick Williams and Rhian Lois, were on point too! 
It gave me chills 
.
(Source: The Guardian).
... Where's the format? 
The layout is all wrong! Can't we have some tables or bullet points to break up the text? And what's with the long, waffly paragraphs? 
I need a clear structure to understand what's going on here. 
The soloists are also good, bringing balance to the performance with their contrasting voices. 
Can't say I agree with that... it's like MacMillan just stopped writing music there. 
Overall, though, the review says the performance is "ferociously committed" and leaves you feeling enthusiastic. 
The harp, string tremolo, and orchestral chords all work together to create a unique sound. That's cool, I guess... 
It's like he's taking all these different styles and genres and blending them together into something totally unique and amazing. The way the choir and orchestra come together to create this sonic landscape is seriously stunning. And I'm not even gonna lie, that harp section in the middle had me totally mesmerized 
.