Marjorie Pettit gathered one of the largest ensembles Bermuda has ever heard to deliver this year’s Advent message of joy, as 70 singers and 30 musicians delivered a unique, carefully nuanced and multilayered musical experience.

“Joy to the World”, featuring Bermuda Chamber Choir and Orchestra, Bermuda School of Music Youth Choir, and orchestra leader Kerry Haslam, was held at St John’s Church, Pembroke.

The bedrock of the music lay in the arrangements of four traditional carols by the late David Willcocks, inventor of the modern Carol Service and sung by all of us with the choirs. These (Once in Royal David’s City, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Joy to the World, and O Come, All Ye Faithful) focused us all on the main theme of the evening, while the choir wove joyous descants around our unison.

Once in Royal David’s City was beautifully introduced by soloist Martha-Rose Young, one of the Youth Choir’s youngest members, who sang the first verse.

Choir and orchestra went on to perform modern seasonal favourites such as Feliz Navidad, Carol of the Bells, Walking in the Air, Sleigh Ride and The Little Drummer Boy. Less well known but simply and very movingly performed was Eric Thiman’s Madonna and Child by treble soloist Euan Forster with Oliver Grant on Piano.

Interspersed with these were a number of ancient and modern compositions, all focused on seasonal joy, but adding signatures of their own. Michael Praetorius’s Psallite Unigenito (Sing to the Only Begotten) dated from the early 17th century but used brass ensemble-like harmonies and marching effects. New to me also was the 16th century Catalan Ríu Ríu Chíu, a drone-driven, highly syncopated march using percussion and piano, telling of a lamb delivered from a wolf.

Victor Johnson’s Shout for Joy, Ye People! with its marching saints had a gospel touch. Two arrangements by Bob Chilcott were especially noteworthy. His First Nowell completely changed the rhythm of the carol from a stately 4/4 to a lively triple while keeping the traditional text. His Sussex Carol is unique in that it has to be the only church music ever written in 7/8 time. The percussion section was particularly adept in this tricky tempo.

The highlight of the evening’s instrumental music was Cassandra Leshchyshyn’s third movement of Bach’s Violin Concerto in A Minor. Her playing was quite marvellous: crisp, beautifully phrased, technically perfect, deeply emotionally involved yet somehow completely light-hearted.

Three major choral works rounded the evening. Bach’s Magnificat in D Major was indeed magnificently joyful with its exuberant brass flourishes and its beautiful weaving of woodwind, brass and voice.

Handel’s And He Shall Purify has to rank among the most complex of his oratorios with extended vocal trills over treble, alto, tenor and bass voices.

Our choir and orchestra used the piece as its introduction to the finale, the Hallelujah Chorus. This unique work never changes: it’s always deeply moving and a profound affirmation of life.

Our deepest thanks for a heart-warming evening to director Marjorie Pettit, choir, orchestra and soloists.