HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Marc-Antoine Charpentier

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From engraving in the 'Almanach Royal' of 1682

Born in the Paris vicinity in 1643, Marc-Antoine Charpentier was a prolific composer of both sacred music, largely motets, and secular works, especially for theatre. Also of renown as a vocalist in the high haute-contre (countertenor) range, he sang at such as evening entertainments for royalty ranging from duchesses to Louis XIV, Sun King of France himself. Charpentier would have performed in several of the compositions presented below, perhaps accompanied by the private ensembles of the high-set patrons for whom he worked.

Knowledge of Charpentier's music has a big head start in the 28 volumes of autograph manuscripts that he left behind, acquired and bound by the Royal Library in 1727. Now housed at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, those were discovered by Hugh Wiley Hitchcock in 1985. Known as the 'Melanges' or 'Meslanges Autographs' in 15 folios, those using arabic numerals (1-6) were for Charpentier's regular employers (so-called French 'Melanges'). Those in roman numerals (6-12) were for commissions otherwise (so-called Roman 'Melanges'). "H" numbers in Charpentier are from Hitchcock's 'Les œuvres de Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Catalogue Raisonné' published in Paris in 1985. This is a thematic rather than chronological directory which begins with Charpentier's masses (H1 - H11). Numbered through H554, Charpentier's theoretical works in prose are numbered H549 - H551.

Charpentier's sacred works include hymns, masses, antiphons, sequences, Leçons des ténèbres and responsories. His Leçons des ténèbres ('Lessons of darkness') were the French baroque form of the Tenebrae Roman rite which services are held the three days prior to Easter during which its fifteen candles are gradually extinguished with a loud noise at whole darkness. While the Tenebrae employs various sacred texts, Leçons des ténèbres set only the 'Lamentations of Jeremiah' for private rather than public services.

Charpentier had also composed nine Litanies de la Vierge (Litanies of Loreto), that is, of the Virgin Mary (H82-H90). He composed settings for the Magnificat (H72-H81), Te Deum (H145-H148) and 'Psalms' (H149-H232). He also wrote 48 elevation motets. The elevation motet is a piece which accompanies the raising of the bread and wine of the Eucharist for consecration during Mass.

Charpentier composed numerous 'Domine salvum fac regem' motets (H281-H305). 'God save the king' was basically the early French anthem, the first composed by Jean Mouton for the coronation of King François I in 1515. The current national anthem of France arrived in 1792 when Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle composed 'La Marseillaise' to become the French anthem in 1795. 'La Marseillaise' was banned several times through the years, first by Napoleon, until enduring reinstatement in 1879. Charpentier also wrote numerous oratorios designated H391-H425. The oratorio originated in Italy as a sibling to opera without all the theatrical rigging, more for hearing than viewing.

Secular works include airs sérieux and à boire (for drinking) (H440-H499), cantatas (H471-H478), pastorales, divertissements, operas, intermedes and incidental music.

Charpentier had been a law student in Paris at about age nineteen in 1662 [Panat Times]. He completed only one semester before quitting, not seeming to show up again until studying under Giacomo Carissimi in Rome, likely from 1667 to 1669 [Musicologie]. Returning to France, he became courtier to Marie de Lorraine, Duchess de Guise (1615-88), for whom he composed for the next seventeen years. Another significant patron of his in that time was Isabelle d'Orléans, also known as Élisabeth Marguerite d'Orléans. Among theatrical works composed during those years were his pastoral opera, 'Actéon' H481, in 1684 and his chamber opera, 'La descente d'Orphée aux enfers' H488, of early 1686. The latter is not to be confused with his earlier cantata, 'Orphée descendant aux enfers' H471, of 1683.

Marie de Lorraine / Duchess de Guise

Marie de Lorraine / Duchess de Guise 1656

Source: Wikipedia

In 1687 Charpentier became maître de musique to the Jesuits first at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand (college in Paris), then at the Church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis in Paris. He assumed the same position at Sainte-Chapelle in Paris in 1698. Chronological stacking of Charpentier below follows the French and Roman 'Meslanges' mentioned above at Panat Times by Orest and Patricia Ranum. Again, "French" 'Meslanges' refer to works written during the course of employment by regular patrons, Marie de Lorraine in particular. "Roman" 'Meslanges' are works commissioned otherwise.

Kyrie eleison of 'Messe de minuit pour noël' H.1 Mass by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Roman 'Meslanges' Poss by 27 December 1670

For choir & larger ensemble

New Trinity Baroque

The Magnificat below is a lucid demonstration of fundamental baroque with solo voice (and instruments) accompanied by a persistent ostinato measure by basso continuo, a far distance from polyphonic composition of a century before.

'Magnificat' H.73 Magnificat by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Roman 'Meslanges' Poss by 17 Jan 1672

Composed for ATB / 2 treble instruments / basso continuo

Text: Luke:46-55 Vulgate

Les Arts Florissants conducted by William Christie

Countertenor: Dominique Visse Tenor: Michel Laplénie Bass: Philippe Cantor

'Ave regina coelorum' H.19 Antiphon by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

French 'Meslanges' Prob for Mademoiselle de Guise for Lent starting 4 Feb 1673

Composed in C major for voice & organ

Text: Anonymous 12th century

Les Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr / Emmanuel Mandrin 1995

'Miserere' H.157 Miserere by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

French 'Meslanges' Prob for Mademoiselle de Guise for matins starting 31 March 1673

Composed for 2 S or A / 2 flutes / basso continuo

Text: Psalm 51

Ensemble Baroque Les Voyageurs

'Cæcilia virgo et martyr' H.397 Oratorio by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

French 'Meslanges' Prob for Mademoiselle de Guise 22 Nov 1677

Composed in G major for large ensemble in the interest of converting Protestant Huguenots

Ensemble Correspondances

'Concert pour quatre parties de violes' H.545 Concert suite of 6 by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Composed for 4 viols c 1680

Fingernoise Chamber Orchestra Crested Butte Music Festival 2018

Charpentier probably wrote the version of 'God save the king' below for the private ensemble of Grand Dauphin Louis (heir apparent born 1661-1711), son of King Louis XIV (Sun King born 1638-1715).

'Domine salvum fac regem' H.292 'God Save the King' motet by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Roman 'Meslanges' Poss 6 Aug 1682

Pages & Cantors of the Baroque Music Center of Versailles

'Les Plaisirs de Versailles' H.480 Divertissement (short opera) by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Prob an entertainment at the apartments of King Louis XIV at Versailles Oct 1682

Charpentier prob performed the role of Game

Les Folies Francoises directed by Patrick Cohen-Akenine

Opera Royal du Chateau de Versailles 2004

'Orphée descendant aux enfers' H.471 Cantata by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

'Orphée descending into hell'

French 'Meslanges' Prob for Mademoiselle de Guise c Aug 1683

Composed in E minor for 3 voices and orchestra

Charpentier prob performed in this

Ricercar Consort / Henri Ledroit 2009

'O coelestis Jerusalem' H.252 Elevation motet by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

French 'Meslanges' Prob for Mademoiselle de Guise c Aug 1683

Petit motet composed in A major for 3 voices and continuo

Charpentier prob performed in this

Il Seminario Musicale directed by Gérard Lesne

Charpentier's opera, 'Acteon' (H481), is based on the Greek myth as related by Ovid in Book III of his 'Metamorphoses' (8 AD) in which the hunter, Acteon, haphazardly discovers the goddess, Diana, bathing. For this she changes him into a stag and has him chased down by his own hounds. H481a is a version revised for soprano with Acteon altered into a doe.

'Acteon' H.481 Tragic opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Pastorale w hunting theme

Roman 'Meslanges' Prob for Grand Dauphin Louis Poss 29 Aug 1684

Charpentier might have performed in this

Les Arts Florissants directed by William Christie

'Litanies de la Vierge à six voix et deux dessus de violes' H.83

Litany of Loreto by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

For 6 voices & 2 treble violes

French 'Meslanges' For Mademoiselle de Guise latter 1684

One of 9 Litanies de la Vierge H.82-90

Les Arts Florissants directed by William Christie

'La descente d'Orphée aux enfers' ('The descent of Orpheus to hell') H.488

Chamber opera in 2 acts by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Based on Book X of Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' of 8 AD

Prob for Grand Dauphin Louis early 1686

Prob Charpentier in title role w the ensembles of the Dauphin & Mademoiselle de Guise

Les Arts Florissants directed by William Christie

'Te Deum in D major' H.146 Grand motet by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

For the Jesuit Church of Saint-Louis in Paris sometime 1688-98

Composed in D major for voice w choir w orchestra

Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

Charpentier died at Sainte-Chapelle in Paris on 24 February 1704. Per above, heirs sold his notebooks to the Royal Library in 1727. None of his works from 1690 to 1704 survive, works for the Church considered its property and since lost. Nor does the cemetery behind the church where Charpentier was buried remain.

Further Sources & References for Marc-Antoine Charpentier:

Classical Connect

Opera Baroque (chronology)

VF History (notes)

Wikipedia

Your Dictionary

Audio of Charpentier:

Classical Archives Internet Archive Radio Swiss Classic

Colleges: France:

Lycée Louis-le-Grand (Jesuit founded c 1560-65):

Wikipedia English Wikipedia Francais

Compositions / Works: Corpus: