Blending Bach and a mariachi orchestra on the same bill may sound unusual, but it will be the Christmas treat served up next in the Trinity Concert Series.
"A Choral Christmas" will feature the Sackets Harbor Vocal Arts Ensemble and the Trinity Festival Choir and Orchestra performing Johann Sebastian Bach's "Magnificat" followed by Dave Brubeck's "La Fiesta de la Posada" ("Festival of the Inn"). The concert is at 7 p.m. Saturday at Watertown's Trinity Episcopal Church, 227 Sherman St.
"They are very contrasting compositions," said conductor Richard E. Probert. "They couldn't be more different."
But when Mr. Probert told Dave Brubeck that he was mixing the two, the composer wrote to him that it was "a wonderful concept." He said Mr. Brubeck noted that "Magnificat" and "La Posada" are linked by the Bible's words of Luke 1:46-56, which contains a Magnificat, which is a hymn of praise for the Virgin Mary.
Bach's "Magnificat," regarded as one of his finest short choral works, was written about 250 years before Dave Brubeck wrote "La Fiesta de la Posada."
Mr. Brubeck, who turns 89 today, is a renowned jazz composer and pianist credited with helping take jazz into the mainstream. His "La Fiesta de la Posada" is an English-language work that commemorates the journey of Mary, Joseph and the unborn Jesus as they traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
"Brubeck's 'La Posada' is very common and well known in Latin America, especially in Mexico," said Mr. Probert.
Dave Brubeck is one of five artists who will be feted today at the 32nd Kennedy Center Honors Gala in Washington, D.C. He joins rocker Bruce Springsteen, actor Robert De Niro, comic genius Mel Brooks and opera singer Grace Bumbry. The gala will air on CBS Dec. 29.
Mr. Probert, a professor of creativity and innovation at Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management, became acquainted with Dave Brubeck in 1976 when he conducted Mr. Brubeck's "The Light in the Window."
"I had some questions and called him on the phone," said Mr. Probert, who lived in Minnesota at the time. "We became quite close. When he was in Minneapolis, we would get together."
Dave Brubeck was born in a California town founded by the Spanish and absorbed lots of Mexican folk music. The Latin American tradition of the Nine Days of Posada runs from Dec. 16 to Christmas Eve.
Mr. Brubeck used text written by his wife, Iola, in the piece, which captures Latin American sounds with strong elements of American jazz, according to Mr. Probert.
He said Mr. Brubeck chose a mariachi orchestra (usually a strolling band of musicians) of piano, guitars, trumpets, string bass and percussion to go with "La Posada."
"For our performance, we will expand this with flutes, oboes and strings," Mr. Probert said.
A children's chorus composed of singers from Sackets Harbor and Watertown will join the adult singers for part of the "La Posada." The young singers are directed by Deborah Davis of Sackets Harbor and Nancy Boynton of Watertown.
Soprano Nora Fleming of Syracuse, as Mary, will join the Three Wise Men, consisting of local singers Shawn DeVito, Kevin Kitto and Kevin Elliot.
Mr. Probert said he chose this year's selections because the singers were up to the challenge. He created the Sackets Harbor Vocal Arts Ensemble two years ago.
"The Bach and Brubeck pieces are very demanding," he said. "But the singers are working very hard, and I think it will be a wonderful Christmas treat for our area."
He said a small orchestra of musicians from the north country and beyond will accompany the ensemble.
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Bach wrote two versions of "Magnificat." It was first performed in Leipzig, Germany, in 1723. Ten years later, he revised it from the key of E-flat major to D major, the version that will be performed on Saturday.
Mr. Probert said Bach adapted the piece for Christmas by interspersing hymns with the piece's 12 movements of about three minutes each.
"Following in that tradition, we will invite audience members to join the chorus," Mr. Probert said.
"Magnificat"" is performed in Latin, but the hymns will be sung in English.
Local soloists will be Ms. Boynton, a mezzo-soprano, and alto Evgeniya A. Krachmarova-Sotirov, Watertown. Visiting soloists are Ms. Fleming, also the soprano soloist in "La Posada"; bass David Pittman-Jennings of SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, and tenor Donald George, also from Crane.
Between the featured pieces will be two additional selections performed by sections of the choir accompanied by string quartet, and the second movement of Organ Concerto in G Minor by G.F. Handel (1685-1759) performed by Kyle P. Ramey, director of music ministries at Trinity.
"It's a challenge but I enjoy it," Mr. Ramey said. "It's difficult because it's nonstop. It takes off and just goes and goes."
