Michel-Richard de Lalande:
Simphonies des noëls

Giuseppe Sammartini:
Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 5 No. 6

Giuseppe Torelli:
Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 8 No. 6 In forma di Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale

Johann Christoph Pez:
Concerto pastorale in F major

Arcangello Corelli:
Fatto per la note di natale in G minor, Op. 6 No. 8

Marc-Antoine Charpentier:
Noël pour les instruments, H. 534

ATMA Classique is proud to reissue Simphonies des noëls, the first recording with Les Violons du Roy and Bernard Labadie, released originally in 1994 on the Dorian label. Even 20 years later, this album retains its original beauty and appeal. Plain-chant has figured prominently in the church’s Christmas celebrations since the Middle Ages. Eventually polyphonic motets became popular, and by the Baroque era, cantatas, concertos or variations on songs well known to the faithful were added to the liturgy. Simphonies des noëls features instrumental works celebrating the nativity by composers from France (de Lalande, Charpentier), Italy (Sammartini, Torelli, Corelli), and Germany (Pez).