This delightful music was unknown to me until I acquired the LP at hand, a few years ago. The music is the work of Henri Tomasi, a French composer-conductor of Corsican decent who was a contemporary and associate of Milhaud, Honegger and Poulenc, Like them, his music is highly accessible; unlike them, it is little heard today.
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| Henri Tomasi |
The album, titled
Noël en Provence, includes two Christmas-themed choral-vocal works. Side one is devoted to a "Divertissement Pastoral," written for a Mass of the Nativity at the Abbey of Saint-Michel de Frigolet, and setting texts by Alphonse Daudet, Jean Giono, Marie Mauron, Frédéric Mistal and Marcel Pagnol. Side two contains "Douze Noëls de Saboly," on texts by the 17th century Provençal poet Nicolas Saboly.
The performances under the direction of Jacques Jouineau are suitably glowing and sympathetic. The sound combines clarity, warmth and impact in a way that is hard to find in a 21st century recording.
This is perfect for all who have a taste for little-known holiday music. The recording dates from 1963; my French pressing is from a few years later.
