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Christos Hatzis says his “Everlasting Light”—for crystal glasses, soloists, and choir—was written in memory of Elmer Iseler, founder of the Elmer Iseler Singers who perform this work.
Archangelo Corelli’s Concerto grosso in G Minor, a.k.a. the “Christmas Concerto,” is performed in our opening hour by The English Concert under Trevor Pinnock. Some short but fairly familiar seasonal tunes stud the first half of our program, but its most glittering star is John Rutter’s “Dancing Day,” a delightful compilation of traditional carols, some familiar and others not so well known, all sung by the Voci Nobili under Maria Gamborg Helbekkmo, and accompanied by harpist Willy Postma.

After the evening’s film music, we hear Lou Harrison’s “Seven Pastorales,” each of which was composed for a friend or relative and named as such. Movement II, for instance, is “for Ellie and David Decker on their marriage”; Movement V is “to John Cage”; Movement VI is “to my mother.” The work is scored for small orchestra, including harp, and is performed this evening by the Brooklyn Philharmonic under Dennis Russell Davies. A setting of the Greek Orthodox funeral “Trisagion,” Christos Hatzis’s “Everlasting Light” is more ritual than concert music, meant to be performed at memorial or funeral services. The Toronto-based Elmer Iseler singers are joined by the Amadeus Chamber Singers, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Benjamin Butterfield, baritone Russel Braun, and percussionist Beverley Johnston (who plays those tuned glasses) under the leadership of Lydia Adams.