Among the vast acreage of 19th-century choral music there is a forgotten field of modest, parochial material. Typical are these Motets, published by Schott in 1868, and notable for their simplicity and sincerity of expression.

The Belgian composer Peter Benoit (1834-1901) studied at Brussels Conservatory. In 1858, armed with the Prix de Rome, he undertook a study trip to Germany. Later, in 1867, he was appointed director of Antwerp’s municipal school of music. In addition to other larger-scale sacred pieces he composed six operas. What little drama these Motets contain is brought to the fore by the dozen women of the Flemish Radio Choir, directed by Vic Nees. Their full sound is well-blended, their attack unanimous, and diction and phrasing are beyond reproach. What a pity that the music sounds so dull and mundane to our modern ears. I was reminded of the more mawkish moments in The Sound of Music and I longed for the greater excitement of Pete and Dud’s ‘Leaping Order of St Beryl’! However, the Adeste Fidelis and Magnificat settings are stronger than most. Special praise should go to the soprano soloist, Karen Lemaire, whose warm tone is one of the disc’s highlights.

The disc was recorded in the Jesuit church in Heverlee, Belgium, in 2000. The keyboard accompaniments are sympathetically handled by Joris Verdin. He plays a splendid Mustel harmonium (dating from 1891) and a Cavaillé-Coll organ of 1880 vintage. On 12 of the tracks he is joined discreetly by double bassist Jan Busschaert.