Carols rise from the Crossroads of the West

This time of year Christmas music is everywhere. It blares out of the radio, bombards us in shopping malls and worms its way into our subconscious. It's almost impossible to escape. Here's a new holiday recording that provides an escape from those irritating, repetitive carols. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir celebrates "The Wonder of Christmas" on this new collection, with carols that are joyful, contemplative and downright exciting.

The first thing you'll notice when you pick up this recording is the arsenal of special guests, ranging from Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel and his bold rendition of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" to American soprano Renee Fleming, who delivers a captivating performance of "Angels, from the Realms of Glory." Fleming's exquisite solo voice opens this French carol. Then, one by one, each section of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir joins in, bringing the piece to its full glory.

While the guest artists provide additional sparkle to this CD, I'm drawn to the pieces that highlight the choir itself. There's a spiritual connection among the 360 members of this chorus. That connection allows them to reflect a sense of heartfelt sincerity that's often hard to capture in Christmas music. "What Shall We Give to the Babe in the Manger?" is one of my favorites. Through effective dynamics and honest emotion, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs this Catalonian carol with a sense of awe and mystery.

This live recording was made in Salt Lake City's immense new Conference Center, which seats more than 21,000. So the choir had to work without the famous Tabernacle organ, a 1948 Aeolian-Skinner that's become a signature of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sound.

The one in the Conference Center, which is just north of Temple Square, is a 130-rank Shoenstein pipe organ. It's actually smaller than the Tabernacle organ in terms of ranks and pipes, but it sounds much grander because of the massive space it needs to fill. Organist Richard Elliott says the acoustics of the Conference Center are actually to his advantage. While every flaw is noticeable, he appreciates being able to really hear what he's doing. What thrills him most about this organ is feeling the whole building vibrate when he plays the low notes. We get to experience that thrill when he takes center stage on the French carol "Bring a torch, Jeannette, Isabella."

I found myself singing along with various secular carols like "Winter Wonderland" and "White Christmas," but the ultimate sing-along comes at the very end of this recording when regular conductors Craig Jessop and Mack Wilberg entrust the baton to the "most trusted man in America," Walter Cronkite. Cronkite leads the choir in Handel's "Hallelujah" chorus from "Messiah." The tempo is quick and energetic, making it much easier for the singers to reach the high notes.

With intriguing arrangements of interesting carols and a polished quality that may be surprising from a group of volunteer voices and musicians, "The Wonder of Christmas" could provide just the escape you need from the hustle and bustle of this busy season.

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