Larmore fills Army Band Christmas spotlight

By Tom ManiDecember 19, 2008

Army Band Christmas Concert
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WASHINGTON (MDW News Service, Dec. 18, 2008) -- The U.S. Army Band brought its year to a close over the weekend with holiday revels and Christmas carols, a guest diva and orchestral paeans to peace.

Pershing's Own mixed the familiar with the less so, sending Sgt. 1st Class Harry Watters out in costume for a bumptious "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," but opening each show with a little-heard gem from the Russian orchestral genius Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, "Polonaise" from the opera "Christmas Eve."

Mezzo soprano Jennifer Larmore took the spotlight in the second half of the production, entering along with the Army Band Downrange with the Auntie Mame "We Need a Little Christmas" showstopper, and intermixing solo numbers with barbershop backing, a duet with Sgt. 1st Class Bob McDonald, baritone, on "O Chanukah" and a finale with the entire ensemble of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing."

Earlier, the U.S. Army Chorus and Army Band Downrange brought the season into musical focus vocally, the Chorus being first featured with the Robert Shaw medley, "The Many Moods of Christmas," which begins with the ancient melody "O Sanctissima," a Latinate praise of the Virgin Mary, continuing with "Joy To the World," "Away in a Manger" and "Fum, Fum, Fum."

A little Tchaikovsky (the Arabian Dance from "Nutcracker") and the Army Band Downrange came onstage with a clutch of Christmas "top 40" songs that was capped by a very smooth Master Sgt. Caleb Green on "Merry Christmas Baby."

Audiences were warm with their appreciation, delivering standing ovations, but getting no encores after a program that seemed designed to put every soul at peace, regardless of their religious tradition. Larmore carried the idea of hope, change and peace through several of her selections, including "My Grown-Up Christmas List" and "Let There Be Peace on Earth."

(Tom Mani serves with MDW Public Affairs.)