If you've made firm resolutions about shopping early for next Christmas, the gift of this CD would delight many a connoisseur. The French carols borrowed by Charpentier for the familiar Midnight Mass are instantly recognizable, if not by name then by character, and reinforced by the instrumental versions (some of which echo the Mass) that conclude the disc. The first section of the motet In nativitatem, ''Quem vidistis, pastores?'', is equally carol-like. The performance by the Nantes Vocal Ensemble with their instrumental ensemble under the carefully considered direction of Paul Colleaux sparkles with festive spirit, even if it lacks the stylistic sophistication that a Christie or a Herreweghe might offer.
In both the Mass and the In nativitatem (with solo bass ably sung by Jean-Louis Bindi) the four-part chorus produce beautifully transparent textures and clear diction, creating an excellent foil for the solo singing (the ensemble for solo male voices at the beginning of the ''Crucifixus'' is particularly fine). The orchestra play well, but not apparently as well as in the instrumental Noels where the recorded sound is far more immediate and resonant. The differences between the versions of Joseph est bien marie and Les bourgeois de Chastre are especially striking. Throughout the selections the recorders, paired with the artful violin playing, convey the innocence and pastoral character of the genre.
The overall conception of the performance does however, seem rather too self-conscious. Colleaux takes more trouble over the nuances—an attitude more appropriate to chamber music—than one would expect for choral music of this period, though his tempos, especially in the instrumental Noels, have wonderful life and, indeed, impart a real sense of joy. The four organ solos by Charpentier's contemporaries Raison and Lebegue, interspersed in the Mass and between the instrumental selections, are neatly played by Dominique Ferran and contribute an appropriate period practice to the performance.'