As Bach, Handel and Scarlatti are acknowledged as models for Nicolas Bacri’s cantatas, it is relevant to point out that in all their choral works there is nothing to equal the sustained outpouring of misery and gloom found here. Bacri (b1961) himself confesses that a part of him believes that ‘nothing’s going well and everything’s hopeless’: on the evidence of this two-disc set, I couldn’t agree more.

There is a solitary movement marked giocoso – in Cantata No 3 – and for the first 30 seconds or so of this 3'57" movement we do get a little bit of chirpy woodwind, but gloom and despondency quickly return and by 1'30" we are back to the slow, agonisingly tragic mood which permeates everything here. There are some passages which would be highly effective in a less oppressive context; the opening of Cantata No 1 with its profound duet between mezzo-soprano and oboe, the passionate outburst in the middle of the first part of Cantata 5 (tracks 4-6) with its incisive percussion and frantic orchestral fughetta and the highly atmospheric Quare tristis es for unaccompanied chorus.

Bacri’s obvious penchant for the sombre tones of the mezzo-soprano voice and oboe is persuasively supported by all three mezzos here as well as by oboist François Leleux, who reveals a wonderful depth of tone in the haunting Notturno for oboe and strings. It is only unfortunate that by the time the choir is called upon to produce anything slightly animated – the opening chorus of the unaccompanied Benedicat Israël Domino – they seem to have been so overwhelmed by the prevailing mood that their fire has been almost terminally extinguished.