Noël Suisse "Il est un petit ange"

Variations heard on this Noël Suisse song are generally Daquin's ones. Why to use the Balbastre's version when the "musicologically correct" opinion about French Noëls is : Lebègue : excellent - Daquin : good - Corrette : almost as good - Balbastre (and followers) : poor, decadent) ?

I was working (without an excessive enthusiasm) on a Daquin's Noël when I heard Ralph's (Yolar) upload of a Balbastre's Noël which gave my ears much pleasure :

https://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/63323

So, Daquin back to his shelf and a close look at Balbastre. After that, his Noëls seemed - imho - more seducing than Daquin's ubiquitous ones. Why ? :

- an evident soft spot of my ears for "decadent" music ;

- less stereotyped treatment of the theme (not the usual succession : theme on the cromorne, eights duo on cornet and cromorne, grand jeu with echo effects, triolets then sixteenths duos on cornet and cromorne and grand jeu to end) ;

-more inventive writing, with some hints of galant style ;

- no registrations indicated ; so, more freedom for the player ;

- and technically less demanding than Daquin's Noëls.

So, without any historical worry :

- 00:00 theme on the cromorne then on a restrained grand jeu ;

- 00:45 : RH 8' jeu de tierce ; LH : rumbling 16' jeu de tierce with 5'1/3 and 3'1/5 ( thank you St Maximin)

- 01:26 Bourdon , nasard, larigot

- 02:03 RH hautbois (a new and fashionable stop at Balbastre's period) ; LH : 8' based jeu de tierce

- 02:51 : flute 4' alone

- 03:32 : post-classical grand jeu with all St Maximin's chamades and the manual Bombarde 16' (the French appetite for big bass sounds didn't begin with Berlioz, it has its roots in the 2nd half of the 18th).

Now, family holidays and Merry Christmas to all CCH friends !