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From the Newport News Daily Press, Thursday, December 18, 1958 at Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall. Article describing the William and Mary Christmas Concert.
"not especially complementary of the Choir and their performance"...
The four soloists, Jay Morgan and Mary Sue Reese, and Patsy Hobbs and Judith Oakley, were given credit for their good performances. Handwritten comment was "Need we say more?"
Transcription:
W-M Choir's Yule Concert Well Received
By BARRY WILSON
WILLIAMSBURG- The William and Mary Choir, with 39 new members in its 68-voice ensemble, showed signs of inexperience but produced a credible concert of Christmas music Wednesday night, marked occasionally by some genuinely moving, beautiful choral moments.
A highly competent bass section provided a solid foundation for the entire concert, which wove its way through the intricacies and sometimes unfamiliar chord structure of Britten and Poulenc, through the stirring, triumphant music of Bach, to the familiar, traditional Christmas music of Western Europe and America that an American audience loves best.
The middle English text of Britten's "A Ceremony of Carols" may have contributed to a certain shakiness and blurred attack by the choir in its presentation of the 11-part work, but soloists Patsy Hobbs and Judith Oakley blended fine soprano voices to make the "Spring Carol" section memorable. The concluding part, "Recession," was handled with notable gentleness and control, which called to mind how nuns may have sounded as they filed from a vespers service in a convent 600 years ago.
Perhaps because they were better able to adjust to the Latin text of Poulenc's "Quatre Motetes Pout Le Temps De Noel," the choir showed more vigor and confidence in their performance of this difficult work.
Following a brief intermission, the choir presented the Bach Christmas cantata, "For Us A Child Is Born," which was sung with real precision and the clearest of diction.
Soloist Jay Morgan made the almost calypso-like rhythms of the Negro spiritual, "Mary's Boy Child," the best of the traditional carols sung by the choir. Christiansen's "Lullabye On Christmas Eve," a hauntingly lovely carol, was much enhanced by the solo voice of May Sue Reese.
Despite its lack of experience, the choir provide a highly difficult program with a capable performance, and evidenced the fine blendind of voices and the discipline which have always been hallmarks of the choirs conducted by the William and Mary singers' director, Dr. Carl. A. Fehr.
The choir will give a repeat performance of their program at 8 this evening in Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall.
