Product Description
The tercentenary of Marc-Antoine Charpentier's death in 2004 stimulated a surge of activity on the part of performers and scholars, confirming the modern assessment of Charpentier (1643-1704) as one of the most important and inventive composers of the French Baroque. The present book provides a snapshot of Charpentier scholarship in the early years of the new century. Its 13 chapters illustrate not only the sheer variety of strands currently pursued, but also the way in which these strands frequently intertwine and generate the potential for future research. Between them, they examine facets of the composer's compositional language and process, aspects of his performance practice and notation, the contexts within which he worked, and the nature of his legacy. The appendix contains a transcription of the inventory of Charpentier's manuscripts prepared when their sale to the royal library was negotiated in 1726 - an invaluable research tool, as numerous chapters in the book demonstrate.The wide variety of topics covered here will appeal both to readers interested in Charpentier's music and to those with a broader interest in the music and culture of the French Baroque, including aspects of patronage, church and theatre. Far from treating his output in isolation, this book places it in the wider context alongside such composers as Lully, Lalande, Marais, Francois Couperin and Rameau; it also views the composer in relation to his Italian training. In the process, the under-examined question of influence - who influenced Charpentier? whom did he influence? - repeatedly comes to the fore. The book's Foreword was written by H. Wiley Hitchcock shortly before he died. Hitchcock's own part in raising the profile of Charpentier and his music to the level of recognition which it now enjoys cannot be emphasized enough. Appropriately the volume is dedicated to his memory. ... Read more

Product Description
Through the well-known first theme of its opening Prelude, Charpentier's spectacular Te Deum has become the best-known of all French baroque grands motets. Prepared by the distinguished French baroque scholar Lionel Sawkins from the composer's original manuscript, this is the first authoritative performing edition of the work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Charpentier: One of the most excellent composers France had
Cessac book on M.-A. Charpentier is a wonderful text.It gives a sense of the man, from the very limited sources available.It gives a careful discussion of most of his compositions, by genre.It is beautifully andpoignantly written.A Charpentier devotee since 1973, I have read andreread many parts of the book since it was published in 1995.It is a mustfor Charpentier admirers as well as those interested in French baroquemusique more broadly.

Trond Petersen Professor Social Sciences Universityof California ... Read more

Product Description
For SATB Chorus with SSATB Soli and Orchestra. Of the 4 surviving settings of the Te Deum by Charpentier, the present one composed in the 'joyeux et tres guerrier' key of D major, is undoubtedly his most famous work, thanks to television producers who chose its opening prelude to be the Eurovision signature tune in the early 1950s. Although Charpentier's Parisian career is quite well documented, little is known about the genesis and first performance of the Te Deum but it has been suggested that it may have been performed during the celebrations of the military victory of Steinkerque (3 August 1692). It is likely, however, that it was commissioned by the Jesuits of the church of Saint-Louis (today, Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis) for whom Charpentier had been working as maitre de musique since 1687. ... Read more

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Of the 11 surviving settings of the Mass by Charpentier, the Messe de Minuit is without doubt one of the most popular. Although Charpentier's Parisian career is quite well documented, little is known about the genesis and first performance of the Messe de Minuit. It is likely, however, that it was commissioned by the Jesuits of the church of Saint-Louis (today, Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis) for whom Charpentier had been working as maitre de musique since 1687. for SATB Chorus with SSATB Soli, 2 Flutes, Strings and Basso Continuo ... Read more