MUSIC REVIEW : JONES SINGS FAMILIAR HOLIDAY MIX

Symphony pops concerts this time of year usually settle comfortably into the standard Christmas formula of “Hallelujah” choruses, “Nutcracker” suites and other holiday chestnuts (roasting on an open fire). And, to a certain extent, that’s just what Keith Clark and his Pacific Symphony delivered at three weekend programs in the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Yes, there were the obligatory choral medleys of Christmas carols, there was the “Greensleeves” fantasia of Vaughan Williams and the lullaby from “Hansel and Gretel.” But, to help lift the agenda from such all-too-familiar seasonal fare, there was also singer Shirley Jones, who managed to steer musical matters in the direction of all-too-familiar Broadway fare, heavy on the Rodgers and Hammerstein.

How one looks upon this blend depends on one’s taste. Judging from the vociferous applause heard Friday night, most in attendance seemed to like the peculiar mix just fine. There’s no denying that it takes a special talent to jump from “Do-Re-Mi” to “The Christmas Song” to “Memory” to “Oh Holy Night” without so much as a verbal segue. Credit the easygoing charm and cool confidence of Jones, who genre-hopped effortlessly.

Backed ably by the Pacific Symphony, under the steady hand of her music director, Everett Gordon, Jones displayed admirable restraint in her singing--at least until the melodramatic finale. She posseses a clear, well-focused voice perfectly suited to the Broadway melody, even though on Friday her intonation fell a bit short of the mark here and there. Whether skipping through such fluff as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” or delving into the subtle lyrics of “Falling in Love With Love” or “Something Wonderful,” Jones proved a captivating performer.

For most of her two sets, she avoided straying into the nearby world of Vegas-style vulgarity, despite an excess of you’re-a-lovely-audience-type gushings. Alas, the line was finally crossed in the curtain-closer as Jones and the zillion-voice All-County Christmas Chorus fell victim to the overblown sentiments of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” Just once, let’s skip the Big Finish, OK?

In the pre-Jones part of the program, Clark coaxed rough-edged readings of those classical holiday excerpts. Most effective were the quieter offerings: the “Hansel and Gretel” lullaby and the “Greensleeves” fantasia. The colorfully robed choir--representing 45 local churches--blasted out a Christmas medley and the “Hallelujah” chorus (with a good portion of the audience choosing to remain seated). Though balance and an unevenness of attack occasionally surfaced, the singers did make a mighty noise.