“We ought to fly away from earth to heaven as quickly as we can; and to fly away is to become like God, as far as this is possible; and to become like him is to become holy, just, and wise.” - Plato
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) was a French composer of the Baroque era. Exceptionally prolific and versatile, he produced compositions of the highest quality in several genres. His mastery in writing sacred vocal music, above all, was recognised and hailed by his contemporaries. He is unrelated to Gustave Charpentier, the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century French opera composer.
Here is his “Leçons de Ténèbres-Office du Vendredi Saint: Première Leçon.” It is music of exquisite beauty and showcases his mastery of polyphonic writing. Singers: Agnès Mellon: Dessus; Gérard Lesne: Haute-contre; Ian Honeyman: Taille; Jacques Bona: Basse-taille with Il Seminario Musicale-Gérard Lesne.
Yes, this is indeed exquisitely beautiful and this is a composer I knew nothing about. Thanks for the introduction, Nicholas!
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