While Charpentier gained posthumous fame with the opening notes of his Te Deum, his Messe de Minuit is perhaps one of the main works that led to his recognition. It invites listeners to immerse themselves in a musical world where both learned and popular traditions coexist harmoniously: all the artistry and expertise of Charpentier are evident in this blending of traditional Christmas carols within a mass composed for Christmas Eve, around 1690. These melodies were known by all, both peasants and gentlemen, who recognized them as they were interwoven within subtle counterpoint and fresh harmonies, enriched by orchestral parts. The pleasure of music was offered to everyone: either in recognizing a familiar tune or in appreciating its extraordinary arrangement. The simplicity of the original carols also imbued the entire mass with a purity and simplicity that spoke universally at the time.

The In Nativitatem H.416 served as a prelude to the Midnight Mass, following the style of Charpentier’s great sacred stories. The In Nativitatem recounts the Nativity story, with the Angel Gabriel announcing the great news of Christ’s birth to the Shepherds.

Sébastien Daucé brings this beautiful Christmas program back, which he recorded magnificently, to celebrate the Nativity in a style admired at the Versailles of Louis XIV.

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