Par PURCELL HENRY. Matching skilfully contrived music with topical and often scabrous texts, Purcell’s Catches offer vivid glimpses of 17th-century life which also appeal to a more modern sense of humour. Reissued to celebrate the tercentenary of the composer’s death, this complete collection is edited by Michael Nyman, who provides an extensive preface that tells the history of the genre. For 3-part and 4-part mixed voices./ Répertoire / Chorale

Par DARKE HAROLD. Love came down at Christmas (SATB) Cradle Hymn (Solo or unison and piano) A Christmas Carmen (SATB) The three carols in this new collection date from the early years of the twentieth century, but they have a perennial freshness that is typical of Darke's other enduring choral works, such as the much-loved carol In the bleak midwinter. They may be sung equally effectively as individual items, or together as a short anthology of seasonal music. A solo voice or unison singing would be equally effective in Cradle Hymn, which offers a refreshingly unfamiliar tune to time-honoured words. A Christmas Carmen makes for a rousing conclusion with a seasonalmessage of goodwill./ Feuillet / Chorale