Premier dimanche de l'Avent (The First Sunday of Advent)

This calm, majestic piece is the the first Offertoire of a collection of 9 Offertoires destines for the principal services in the Christmas season. The composer, Charles-Alexis Chauvet (1837-1871) was a well-established Parisian organist. A pupil of Francois Benoist et Ambroise Thomas, he held the tribune of La Trinitße till his untimely death due to tuberculosis. His successor was Alexandre Guilmant. I like this series of pieces which develops gradually from a moody and dark Offertoire for the first dimanche of Advent to the later pieces in the cycle which display various well-loved French Christmas tunes.