Programs · Episode
Charlotte Lessons and Carols at St. Johns
Program: Charlotte Lessons & Carols from St. John’s
Aired: Tuesday, December 5, 2017 @ 7:00 pm
Hosted by Rachel Stewart
WDAV’s live holiday broadcast returns with Rachel Stewart of Biscuits & Bach as host. David Tang once again directs with his chorus VOX joined this year by the Charlotte Contemporary Ensemble, brass quintet and percussion, plus Dawn Anthony with the Rick Bean Trio, and organist Monty Bennett playing the magnificent Letourneau instrument at St. John’s. (Live)
Sponsored By:
 |  |
Performers
VOX, the official chorus of the Firebird Arts Alliance:
David Tang, Director; Jeanine Dovell, Manager;
Erin Palmer, Accompanist
Charlotte Contemporary Ensemble:
Frank Williams, Director; Brenda Porter-DeWitt, President;
Nia Williams, Accompanist
Dawn Anthony, jazz vocalist
The Rick Bean Trio:
Rick Bean, piano; Jeff Holland, bass; Bill Stowe, drums
Monty Bennett, organ & piano
Carol Raedy, hammered dulcimer
Brass quintet:
Richard Harris, Austin Williams, Byron Johns, Mike Hosford and Aubrey Foard
Stephanie Wilson, Timpani
Scripture Lessons read by:
Dennis Foust
Janet Jones
Theresa Woody
Rachel Stewart, Host
Program
O Come All Ye Faithful (Oakley, Wade / Arr. Elliot)
VOX; Opera Carolina Chorus; Carolinas Wind Orchestra; Monty Bennett, organ
Lesson 1:
(read by Dennis Foust)
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light Day, and the darkness God called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
So God created humankind in God’s image; male and female God created them.
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (J.S. Bach / Arr. Carol Raedy)
Carol Raedy, hammered dulcimer
Lesson 2:
(read by Janet Jones)
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true;
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Break Forth With Joy Medley (Arr. Shackley)
VOX; Kelly Potts, vocal soloist; Monty Bennett, organ; Brass quintet; Timpani
Lesson 3:
(read by Dennis Foust)
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!
What Child is This? (Dix, Trad. English; Arr. McElroy, Joubert)
Charlotte Contemporary Ensemble; Serobia Garris and Omari Wilkerson, vocal soloists; Piano
Rhapsodie sur un noël Catalan (Eugene Gigout)
Monty Bennett, organ
Lesson 4:
(read by Theresa Woody)
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus."
O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Trad; Arr. Rick Bean and Dawn Anthony)
Dawn Anthony, vocal soloist; Rick Bean Trio
Lesson 5:
(read by Dennis Foust)
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.
This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
All went to their own towns to be registered.
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.
He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Angels From the Realms of Glory (Montgomery; Smart / Arr. Dan Forrest)
VOX; Erin Palmer and Monty Bennett, piano 4-hands
Lesson 6:
(read by Theresa Woody)
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Final Chorus from Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 (J.S. Bach / Arr. Chuck Seipp)
Brass quintet
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing (Wesley and others; Mendelssohn / Arr. Paul Halley)
Combined Choirs; Audience; Monty Bennett , organ; Brass Quintet
Lesson 7:
(read by Janet Jones)
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.
When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child;
and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.
But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Star in the East (Trad. Appalachian / Setting by Malcolm Dalglish)
VOX; Cecilia Moneta and Mike Trammell, vocal soloists; Carol Raedy, hammered dulcimer
Lesson 8:
(read by Theresa Woody)
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”
When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared.
Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was.
When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
Glory to God from Jazz Mass (Trad. Latin; Rick Beane and Kevin Gray)
VOX; Dawn Anthony, vocal soloist; Rick Bean Trio
Lesson 9:
(read by Dennis Foust)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
Joy to the World (Watts, Handel, Mason/ arr. Halley)
Combined Choirs; Audience; Monty Bennett, organ; Brass Quintet; Timpani
View photos from the live performance:
