O let us sing Noël

Let’s move from Renaissance Germany by way of 20^th Century Vienna to 16^th Century France. “Noël Nouvelet” is a pastoral tune infused with a modal flavor from the first five notes of the Ave Maris stella plainchant.

Or so I’m told.

Both “noël” and “nouvelet” carry the meaning of “new” or “news”, although we understand the former to mean Christmas, so we have "new Christmas".

There are some versions of this piece that frankly make me want to commit ritual seppuku on the village square, they’re so slow and depressing. I prefer something lighter and livelier. So here is the choir of King’s College Cambridge to sing “Noël Nouvelet”.