Search - Martin Dagenais :: En la Fete de Noel - O Holy Night

Simply Lovely. It deserves a Rosette!

Patrick A Daley | Fredericton, New Brunswick | 08/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I confess to liking French Christmas carols, and these are performed extremely well by La Petite Bande de Montréal under director Martin Dagenais. There is a lively folk quality to so many French carols, and others are more lyrical. A number of the tunes will be familiar to English speakers, of course, such as Sainte nuit (Silent Night), Les anges dans nos campagnes (Angels We Have Heard on High), perhaps Le sommeil de l'enfant Jésus (The Sleep of the Infant Jesus), Jesous Ahatonhia (Huron Carol), Carol of the Bells (a Ukrainian carol, sung in English), and Adeste Fideles.There are many typically French carols, such as Noël nouvelet, Ah! Quel grand mystère, Dans cette étable, Il est né le divin enfant, and what I think is the most beautiful of all carols, Bel astre que j'adore. Bel astre has such beautiful words, compressed and full of meaning, which cover most of Christian spirituality. I love Bel astre and have sung it many times as a solo. La petite bande de Montréal gives it a smooth and beautiful rendition, and every word is clear.The organ accompaniment is restrained and very beautiful.If I could give this a Rosette, as in the Penguin Guide, I would. This is a very special disc. The recording is excellent, middling forward in presentation, yet very smooth and natural. The performances are outstanding, very expressive. This group doesn't know how to sing a dull note! A very lovely disc, whether you understand any French or not. This is a must have Christmas disc."

A Simple Collection That Conveys the Beauty of Christmas

Timothy Kearney | Hull, MA United States | 12/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"EN LA FETE DE NOEL is one of those "why not?' choices that find a way into my music library. It looked interesting and the price was right. Why not take a chance? I'm glad I took the chance because it's worth far more than its modest price.



It's not the most complex recording in the world. The choir La Petite Bande de Montreal under the direction of conductor Martin Dagenais sing Christmas carols, sometimes accompanied by the organ and at other times without any accompaniment at all. Most of the carols are sung in French, and some that do not translate easily into French are performed in English. Each carol is sung with great beauty and the performance allows the simplicity of the carols to bring out the musical and spiritual qualities so inherent in these works. While each carol is performed well, the real treasure of this recording would be the French carols. There are a variety included in the collection such as the well known "Les Anges Dans Nos Compagnes" (Angels we have Heard on High) and favorite of many "Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant" but the set also contains a number not included on most standard collections in English.



Most of the carols are religious pieces, with the exception of "The Carol of the Bells." For me this is a plus. While I do love so much of the music associated with the Christmas season, both religious and secular, I have a special spot for music that is beautiful and conveys the spiritual message of Christmas, and this is something I believe this set does well. Since Christmas recordings can often be as commercial as the holiday itself is becoming, it's refreshing to find a disc that evokes the beauty of Christmas while recalling what the season is all about: the birth of Christ.

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French Christmas Carrols

Renee | DC | 01/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"En la Fete de Noel/O Holy Night: I wanted French carrols with an emphasis on sprituality rather than the lighter Santa Claus emphasis (which I also enjoy). This is a special and beautiful cd and reminds me of my childhood in France."