Nicolas Formé has so far been quite neglected on disc, notwithstanding his considerable standing as one of the principal composers at the court of Louis XIII. The centrepiece of this fine recording is the first Mass for double choir to be published in France. It comes alive at the hands and voices of Olivier Schneebeli’s ensemble.

The “chorus” of adult soloists is effectively pitted against a larger complement including child sopranos: all these singers (including the children, it should be stressed) have real confidence and bold timbres: Barbara Kusa’s is not unlike that of a high male sopranist, which seems appropriate in this repertoire.

More fully satisfying musically are the motets by Bouzignac, Étienne Mouligné, Boesset and Formé himself. The structure of the programme imaginatively recreates the possible celebrations for the decree by which Louis XIII placed himself and his kingdom under the Virgin’s special protection; hence the settings of texts from the Song of Songs, remarkable for their delicacy, and the highly effective motets to the Virgin, and a Litany of the Saints.

A rousing Domine salvum fac regem rounds off the recording. The Mass may not be quite as memorable as the motets, but the performance warrants the highest recommendation, the sound image of the combined instrumental and vocal complement, in particular, being very impressive - and all this in the service of an under-represented repertoire. FABRICE FITCH