M. Carros

La Nuit des Cloches

Michel Carros combines three well-known French Christmas melodies into a lovely fantasy that musically brings a tender and festive sparkle to the Christmas season. The title 'La Nuit des Cloches' means 'The Night of the Bells', a reference to the solemnity and cheerfulness of the Christmas message. The devotional introduction (intro) symbolizes the wintry landscape of French Provence. The big moon and the innumerable stars of the winter sky illuminate the peacefully lying mountain villages with their small churches. The 'Night of the Bells' has begun and you can hear them ringing from everywhere - close by and from afar, large and small bells. In music, the bells sound in the form of accented half notes at intervals of fourths. Over these bell sounds is superimposed a fragment of the well-known melody of 'Les Anges dans nos campagnes' (Gloria in Excelsis Deo). After the introduction, the lovely Christmas carol 'Il est né, le petit enfant' (It is born, the sweet child) is heard, expressing the joy of the miracle of Christmas. During the Christmas season, people are especially open and warm; many customs are characterized by helpfulness and charity. The song that follows, 'Entre boef et l'âne gris' (Between the ox and the gray donkey), sounds a bit wistful. It reminds us of the poor conditions in which the baby Jesus was born in a simple stable. But the ox and the donkey gave warmth to the newborn, so that he did not have to freeze. The festive conclusion of this atmospheric Christmas fantasy 'La Nuit des Cloches' is the song 'La Messe de Minuit' (The Midnight Mass). All the people come together and celebrate the Holy Christmas. They sing of their love for the little baby Jesus, accompanied by the joyful ringing of bells on the 'Night of the Bells'.

La Nuit des Cloches (The Night of the Bells)

1. Il est né, le petit enfant
2. Entre boef et l'âne gris
3. La Messe de Minuit