Adelaide Chamber Singers do things a little differently when it comes to Christmas time. Not a choir to follow suit with hearty renditions of ‘O come all Ye Faithful’, they can be trusted to celebrate Yuletide in the same spirit as marks all their concerts – with artful refinement and superlatively polished singing.

Their contribution this year, ‘Silver and Gold’, proved a tasteful assemblage of modern works revolving around the Christmas theme, plus that wonderful gem from the French Baroque, Charpentier’s Messe de minuit pour Noël. Food for the soul, it all was.

On this occasion, there were in fact not one but two choirs. Alongside ACS itself were Rising Voices, a training ensemble that has previously gone under the name of ACS²; one of the discoveries of this concert was to find that these 16 younger singers are right up with their peers in standard.

Hearing 34 combined voices singing with hushed, immaculate timing in Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium was immediately enjoyable. The eyes said it all: their total fixedness on Christie Anderson’s flowing arm movements and unity of breathing brought a special, magical aura to this reverential song for Christmas Matins.

Other modern works were well chosen. Mostly, these were sung by ACS alone but with frequent solo spots that heightened interest. Well-graded dynamics gave lift to Sally Beamish’s very likeable In the Stillness, and Jonathan Dove’s The Three Kings and Herbert Howells’ A Spotless Rose were equally polished.

Nothing like any traditional carols program, ‘Silver and Gold’ nevertheless contained numerous different Christmas messages through these modern works. Here and there, one could hear familiar hymns popping up in new guises, adding a contemporary flavour. Kenneth Leighton’s Lully Lulla Thou Little Tiny Child is an attractive contemporary adaption of the ‘Coventry Carol’, and fine singing from soprano Brooke Window in the pulpit made this especially memorable.

That stalwart ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ made an appearance too, by way of Michael John Trotta’s festive Veni Veni Emmanuel. Tidy rhythmic accompaniment on handheld drum made this a fun piece.

Rachel Bruerville contributed an even more attractive work called Mistletoebird. Set to her own text, it celebrates Christmas in unique Australian style by honouring our native birdlife and flora. Beginning with the sopranos in a lovely pairing before moving to the whole ensemble, it is a highly engaging piece.

Charpentier’s ‘Midnight Mass’ (Messe de minuit pour Noël) is one of the great delights of late seventeenth-century France. Probably his best-known work, it stands apart from Lully’s stage music of that period in its felicity and consummate choral writing – Charpentier is a Fauré of an earlier era.

What a joy it was to hear this masterpiece in the second half. ACS’s singing was gorgeously effortless and smooth. Time changes between duple and triple meter occur frequently in Charpentier’s writing, which can stymie less adroit performers. But Anderson and her team were all ease and fluency. So wonderful.

The addition of a 10-piece Baroque orchestra made this one of their most varied and ambitious undertakings. Outstanding it was too. Several of its players are Adelaide Baroque members or have appeared with that group over the years, and their skill showed.

Continuo playing from cellist Tom Marlin, harpsichordist Josh van Konkelenberg and double bassist Harley Gray was exceptionally tight. Five upper strings were abundantly stylish, and recorder players Brendan O’Donnell and Katherine Stacey added beautiful colour.

One has to admire ACS for their explorations into lesser heard choral repertoire, in this and so many preceding concerts over the years. Expanding their forces like this promises to open yet further doors.

One of the pleasing things to see with ACS under its new director is how seamless was the transition from the group’s esteemed founder, Carl Crossin, to Anderson two years ago. She produces a sound from the singers that is essentially indistinguishable from how he created it, but she has an easy openness about her conducting style that reaches the same elegant destination, albeit via a slightly different route.

The future continues to look bright for Australia’s most accomplished chamber choir.

Silver and Gold, performed at St Peter’s Cathedral on Sunday, December 10, was Adelaide Chamber Singers’ final concert for 2023.

Its first performance of 2024, All Flesh is Fire, will be presented at the Art Gallery of South Australia as part of the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art: Inner Sanctum. It will be followed by There Will Come Soft Rain – featuring music that echoes birdsong and the sounds of the natural world ­– at the Town Hall as part of the Adelaide Festival program.

Details of the full season are on the ACS website.

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