Swiss Gospel Singers & Friends
Christer Løvold, Director, Piano
Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
Christopher Tin, Composer/Conductor
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra
Distinguished Concerts Singers International
Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium, New York, NY
June 9, 2019
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) curated another typically (over-)generous program of choral music, and most of it was very well done. If I were to re-title the afternoon, it would have to be something like “The Victory of Globalism.” The massed choirs were even more international than usual, with Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, France, and Trinidad & Tobago, as well as the domestic participants. All told, somewhere north of 500 singers participated.
Swiss Gospel Singers are three words one doesn’t anticipate seeing in succession, and never did I think I would be hearing and reviewing such a group. Nevertheless, the choir of about 100, composed of four separate choirs all directed by Christer Løvold, was well-trained and their ensemble was good. Four of the ten selections seemed to exemplify the best of what I expect when the word “gospel” is used, that is, a certain ecstatic worship fervor and a genuine sense of swing. Those four were: The Sweetest Song I Know, To My Father’s House, Kyrie, and Will The Circle Be Unbroken? However, the choir was often nearly drowned out (something that rarely happens at a DCINY event) by the amplified small jazzy instrumental ensemble that accompanied them. Well-done solos, both instrumental and vocal, were conveyed by some of these same players. The other selections made a somewhat anodyne impression.
After a reset to orchestra and massed chorus, Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass delivered on its promise of combining the Catholic Ordinary of the regular mass with the aforementioned ecstatic enthusiasms of true gospel. Hard to believe, but when this work was composed, just over 40 years ago, it was intended as an experiment, for one performance only! Its longevity is a testament to its quality. Jonathan Griffith helmed the group with his trademark excellence, bringing out every thrilling detail—no balance issues here. Vanessa Thomas was the super soloist.
After intermission, it was Christopher Tin’s turn to lead his massive, truly global song cycle Calling All Dawns, which gave its name to the entire concert. Mr. Tin is a two-time Grammy winner whose music has been performed in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Hollywood Bowl, among others. His song Baba Yetu, originally written for the video game Civilization IV, holds the distinction of being the first piece of music written for a video game ever to win a Grammy Award. Mr. Tin’s Calling All Dawns won him his second Grammy in 2011 for Best Classical Crossover. He also composed the opening song from the recent hit movie Crazy Rich Asians.
Calling All Dawns is so vast in scope and conception, it is hard to convey in words. Multiple languages are sung, and vocal soloists range from traditional “western” oratorio singers to Portuguese fadistas, Indian classical vocalists, and Maori chanters! The cycle is divided into three sections: Day, Night, and Dawn, each with prayers for the three stages of life: birth, death, and rebirth. Joy, mystery, and hardship, as Mr. Tin states in his excellent, brief note, all mirror the complicated nature of human beings. The work ends in triumph, however, after all the darker challenges, new life wins. “Life is always right/And I do not fear mine/Whatever comes, let it come” and “I do not fear life/Nor its counterpoint/Whatever comes, let it come” were very inspiring moments, as well as the line “Gather, gather and go forward!” A beautiful affirmation for a June day, indeed.
