2000, Bach's Christmas Oratorio

Rehearsals also started for Bach's Christmas Oratorio, with an advanced group to do the difficult choruses. Performances were organised in Blackburn, Ormond, Bundoora, Castlemaine, Thornbury and Greensborough. Auditions were held for soloists and fifteen were chosen. Colleen Arnott sang the major tenor of the Evangelist with Barbara Zabros, Daniel Bellis and Josh Counsel being first-timers. Almost sixty choristers participated, though some found it difficult and dropped out, even though the choir was divided into experienced and less-experienced singers, who didn't do the difficult choruses. The lovers of Bach, though, were very happy. We ended up with a choir of fifty. Ken Peard played for rehearsals as well as performances. Ian Lowe trained the choristers and conducted all the performances.

At the rehearsal at Blackburn only two of the six instrumentalists were there, and Ken was playing the organ at the other end of the church, so there were quite a few issues! The soloists did very well considering, but it was difficult with so many instruments missing. The performance was not one of our best. The difficult venue with the organ at the back meant that we had Barbara Carter trying to follow Ian's beat and replicating that for Ken - not an easy task! Generally the soloists and choir did well, though some better than others. Graham found himself turning over pages, the page looking only vaguely familiar and then realizing that he had to sing it! In his second duet with Barbara, he started listening to her and lost his place and came back in a different key! The audience seemed to enjoy it, and the whole performance as well.

At Ormond Bach isn't as popular as Messiah and we had about thirty there, half what we had last year, but our loyal supporters always enjoy our work.

At Bundoora we arrived to find Ian in a flap. He'd asked his orchestra arrive at seven to rehearse, and only a couple turned up. The second violinist had a reasonable excuse; her brother had tragically died in a motor-bike accident that day and she'd been unable to contact Ian. She still came and played. Graham was doing Josh's big solo and there was no chance of a rehearsal. The audience was the smallest we'd ever had there - only about fifteen. However the performance seemed to go reasonably well.

The Northcote church was another difficult venue, being a bit of a barn, with the organ console at the front and the pipes a back. It was hard to coordinate the accompanist and the sound. We weren't too optimistic about an audience and were pleased with over fifty. The performance was constantly disrupted by kids running up and down the aisles, but in spite of quite a few difficulties, at the end we got a standing ovation.

Next day was our last Bach performance at All Saints in Greensborough, and again we had a few problems when the cellist arrived late to be picked up and missed his ride, so we performed without a cello. Ian played the organ for the cello part in the solos and that wasn't too bad. Quite an exciting season.

These history notes have been kindly provided by our long-term artistic director and co-founder, Graham Ford.

The audio files are provided by Graham Ford. For solo items the soloists are named after the title.

01 Christians be joyful 02 Now it came to pass - Colleen Arnott 03 See now the bridegroom - Dianne Richter 04 Prepare thyself Zion - Diane Morgan 05 How shall I fitly meet Thee 06 And she brought forth - Colleen Arnott 07 For us to Earth - Barbara & Graham 08 Mighty Lord and King - Josh Counsel 09 Ah Dearest Jesus 10 And there were shepherds - Colleen Arnott 11 Break Forth 12 And the angel said - Teresa Engelbretson 13 What God to Abraham - Daniel Bellis 14 Haste ye shepherds - Teresa Engelbretson 15 And this is the sign to you - Colleen Arnott 16 Within yon gloomy manger 17 O haste ye then - Daniel Bellis 18 Slumber beloved - Robyn Ford 19 And suddenly - Colleen Arnott 20 ‘Tis right that angels - Daniel Bellis 21 With all thy hosts 22 Hear King of Angels 23 And when the angels - Colleen Arnott 24 Let us now even go - Josh Counsel 25 And they came with haste - Colleen Arnott 26 Keep O my spirit - Judith O'Shea 27 Yes yes my heart - Judith O'Shea 28 Thee with tender care 29 And the shepherds - Colleen Arnott 30 Rejoice and sing 31 Ah my saviour - Lesley Walton, Anne-Maria Plevier 32 ‘Tis well thy name O Lord - Barbara Zavros, Graham Ford 33 ‘Tis thee I would be praising 34 Jesus who didst ever 35 Ah when shall we see - Anne-Marie Plevier, Judith O'Shea, David Cox 36 Beside thy cradle 37 Ye foes of man - Darren Rosenfeld 38 O'er us no more - Barbara, Dianne, David, Graham 39 Now vengeance hath been taken