Five arrangements of carols from Piae Cantiones (1582) are preceded by five original settings for unaccompanied choir of traditional carol lyrics, forming a collection of just 10 carols on this 25-minute CD. All, however, are well worth listening to, varied in their often unexpected approaches to the words, and with performances as superb as one would expect from these performers.

Although there are several beautiful and gentle carol treatments, it is the high-spirited settings that leave the strongest impression, including the opening Hodie Christus natus est, an original Adam lay y’bounden with emphatic ‘Deo gratias’, and a final, wild treatment of Up! Good Christien folk. The Coventry Carol is notable for its violent depiction of the slaughter of the young children, followed by an impassioned solo soprano lament. The first of the arrangements, Omnis mundus, is of a carol not as well known as the others – it receives an attractively warm and thoughtful treatment. The final three carols form a single work, Sinfonia Cantiones, with choir accompanied by the Britten Sinfonia, including some notable wind solos. The CD may be short, but it is highly satisfying and, arguably, the length one needs to avoid a Christmas surfeit.