By John K. Toedtman
Enquirer contributor

Friday evening at the beautiful St. Boniface Catholic Church in Northside, the Vocal Arts Ensemble, under the direction of Earl Rivers, demonstrated quite clearly that it is the premier vocal ensemble of its size in Cincinnati.

Combining in the same program Christmas music spanning four centuries with texts in Latin, English, German and Spanish, the vocalists held the audience spell-bound from beginning to end. It is indeed a luxury to hear a choral group with such precision and yet such beautiful, expressive tone.

Singing in surround sound

The first composition was "Lux Aurumque" by the contemporary composer Eric Whitacre. The piece opens with sustained dissonances that create a sound similar to that of a brass ensemble, an effect enhanced by the sonorous acoustics of St. Boniface.

Jumping in time, the ensemble performed Dutch composer Jan Pieters Sweelinck's "Hodie Christus Natus Est" from the 17th century. Sweelinck's solid, orderly sound was then disturbed by the modern tones of "Ave Maris Stella," by Swede Bror Samuelsson.

This piece combines the compositional style of the 20th century with the text of a ninth century vesper hymn.

"In Culci Jubilo," by the 17th century German composer Samuel Scheidt, the Vocal Arts Ensemble sang antiphonally from both sides of the church, creating a wonderful sort of 17th century surround-sound effect. Despite the distance between the singers, the intonation and ensemble remained perfect.

The 16th century Spanish carol "Dadme Albricias, Hijos d'Eva," by an unknown composer, had a swinging beat, punctuated forcefully by the tambourine.

A Festival of Carols by Chicago composer Frank Ferko had suspended floating lines and was embellished by the proficient harp playing of Elizabeth Motter. The spiritual "Go Tell It on the Mountain" had just the right amount of swing, and "The Sky Can Still Remember" had a beautiful text written by the 19th century poet Phillip Brooks: "No star unfolds its glory, no trumpet wind is blown but tells the Christmas story in music of its own."

After the intermission, the well-known and well-loved A Ceremony of Carols by the English 20th century composer Benjamin Britten was given a superb performance. Beginning with the enthusiastic "Welcome Yule," the ensemble went from a mighty outburst to a whisper. "This Little Babe" has a driving beat further agitated by the harp's accompaniment.

"Nativitas," a new work by American composer Jean Belmont, proved to be a striking piece of music with angular, chiseled lines that lead the vocal parts in an almost Bach-like fashion.

"Behold the Star," a new spiritual by African-American composer, William Dawson is just as beautiful as any of the old standards. Soprano soloist Debra Van Engen and tenor soloist Matthew Di Battista projected strong musical voices from the front and back of the church while the rest of the ensemble was divided on either side of the audience.

Pure poetry

The program closed with the American folk carol "The Golden Vase" and "The Lamb" by Englishman John Travener, with a fetching text by the English poet William Blake: "Little lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee? Gave thee life and bid thee feed by the stream and o'er the mead? ... Little lamb, who made thee?"

This concert was far more sophisticated than the typical Christmas fare, but it is so rewarding to hear great music and great poetry drawn from four centuries of history. The Vocal Arts Ensemble, with Rivers as director for the past 16 years, is a genuine musical treasure for its devoted Cincinnati audiences.