MUSIC REVIEW : PACIFIC CHORALE MARKS YULETIDE

Accompanied by gentle pocking tones created by a small bell choir, the 105 members of the Pacific Chorale stood Friday in the aisles of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach and filled the church with richly focused, dramatically sung verses of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Thus conductor John Alexander began a program that was ostensibly a recreation of a Christmas celebration at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris--a program finely selective in repertory but somewhat limited in general appeal.

Individual verses of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” were performed between a 12th-Century “Alleluya” by Perotin, a 15th-Century “Gloria” by Dufay and a 16th-Century work by Jean Mouton. These works were followed by religious compositions of varying impact by Durufle, Poulenc and Berlioz, plus traditional but often unfamiliar French (and piquant Basque) carols.

Alexander’s single concession to pop taste seemed to be John Rutter’s overblown arrangement of Adam’s “Cantique de Noel.”

Throughout, the Chorale members showed a remarkably disciplined blend of sound, honed and well-nourished from top to bottom throughout the dynamic range. Individuals featured as soloists maintained the high standard, with tenor Paul Harms and soprano Vina Williams particularly warm and expressive.

Organist Loreen Clousing provided the reliable, supportive accompaniment.

As an encore, Alexander led the audience in the first verse of “Silent Night”--then closed the program with the Chorale gently intoning the next two verses of this most familiar of carols.

On its own, the 10-member bell choir--the Carilloneers of Claremont--performed pop chestnuts: a dashing version of Bizet’s “March of the Kings,” a slightly threadbare “Carol of the Bells,” a vigorous “Trepak” from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker.”