Marc-antoine Charpentier (1643-1704)

Episodes

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201701Italy V France20170703Donald Macleod explores Marc-Antoine Charpentier's formative years, with the dramatic motet Le Reniement de Saint Pierre and a discourse on pleasure, 'Les Plaisirs de Versailles

It's just a case of bad timing for Marc-Antoine Charpentier that he happened to be born a decade or so after Jean-Baptiste Lully. The manipulative king's favourite held a monopoly at the Sun King's court and in the theatres. Even after his death in 1687, Charpentier had to contend with back-biting from Lully's vociferous supporters. Happily Charpentier also possessed a big reputation and a band of loyal and well-to-do supporters. In a career spanning 35 years, he enjoyed a succession of plum jobs, writing in every kind of genre for some of the most influential patrons and establishments in Paris. Indeed, perhaps Lully's restrictive practices were inadvertently his making, affording Charpentier the kind of artistic freedom to write exactly what he wanted.

Back home after three years in Italy, the Italianate influences audible in Charpentier's music stirred up existing tensions over the merits of French and Italian style.

Donald Macleod presents complete performances of the early Italian-influenced dramatic motet Le Reniement de Saint Pierre and the charming entertainment Les Plaisirs de Versailles, in which Conversation and Music argue as to which of them is indispensable.

Te Deum, H.146 (excerpt)

Les Arts Florissants

William Christie, director

Interm耀des: Le Mariage forc退

Le Reniement de Saint Pierre,H 424

Natalie Clifton-Griffith (soprano), Ostiaria

Grace Davidson, soprano Ancilla

Andrew Tortise (tenor) Petrus

Benjamin Hulett (tenor), Jesus

James Mustard, Eamonn Dougan (bass), Historicus

Nicholas Mulroy, (tenor), Cognatus Malchi

David Miller, Lynda Sayce, theorbo

Richard Campbell, bass viol

Silas Standage, organ

Members of Ex Cathedra Choir and Baroque Ensemble

Jeffrey Skidmore, director

Les Plaisirs de Versailles H 480

Sophie Daneman (soprano), La Musique

Katalin K

201702The House Of Guise20170704Donald Macleod explores the treasury of pieces Marc-Antoine Charpentier wrote for his illustrious patron, Mlle de Guise, from theatrical entertainments to the most moving sacred texts.

It's just a case of bad timing for Marc-Antoine Charpentier that he happened to be born a decade or so after Jean-Baptiste Lully. The manipulative king's favourite held a monopoly at the Sun King's court and in the theatres. Even after his death in 1687, Charpentier had to contend with back-biting from Lully's vociferous supporters. Happily Charpentier also possessed a big reputation and a band of loyal and well-to-do supporters. In a career spanning 35 years, he enjoyed a succession of plum jobs, writing in every kind of genre for some of the most influential patrons and establishments in Paris. Indeed, perhaps Lully's restrictive practices were inadvertently his making, affording Charpentier the kind of artistic freedom to write exactly what he wanted.

For 18 years, Marc-Antoine Charpentier lived and worked in the H䀀tel de Guise, the palatial Parisian residence of Marie de Lorraine, the Duchesse de Guise. Generally known as Mademoiselle de Guise, she was a very well connected aristocrat - a first cousin of Louis XIV. Donald Macleod presents complete performances of the touching Hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, probably written for Mlle de Guise's visit to a popular pilgrimage site, Notre-Dame de Liesse, near the northern French city of Laon, contrasts with a splendid motet written for her nephew's funeral and the lively instrumental Sonata in 8 Parts, the first French chamber music to be called a Sonata.

La Couronne de Fleurs (excerpts)

Teresa Watkin (soprano), Flore

Jesse Blumberg (baritone), Pan/Un Berger

Amanda Forsythe (soprano), Roselie

Dorothee Mields (soprano), Amaranthe

Mireille Lebel (mezzo-soprano), Hyacinthe

Jason McStoots (tenor), Forestan

Zachary Wilder (tenor), Mirtil

Douglas Williams (bass-baritone), Sylvandre

Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra

Paul O'Dette and Stephen Stubbs, Music Directors

Motet pour les tr退pass退s, H311

Ensemble Vocal de l'Abbaye aux Dames de Saints

Les Menus Plaisirs

Michel Lapl退nie, conductor

Sonate a huit, H548

London Baroque:

Stephen Preston, Lisa Beznosiuk, transverse flutes

Ingrid Seifert, Richard Gwilt, violins

William Hunt, bass viol

Nigel North, theorbo

John Toll, harpsichord

Charles Medlam, director

Canticum in honorem beata virginis Mariae

Le Concert des Nations

Jordi Savall, director.

Exploring Marc-Antoine Charpentier's sacred and secular music written for Mlle de Guise.

201703Moliere And The Theatre Of Comedy20170705Donald Macleod delights over Marc-Antoine Charpentier's brilliantly evocative stage music, written for Moli耀re and his company of actors and his historical oratorio 'Mors Saulis et Jonathae'.

It's just a case of bad timing for Marc-Antoine Charpentier that he happened to be born a decade or so after Jean-Baptiste Lully. The manipulative king's favourite held a monopoly at the Sun King's court and in the theatres. Even after his death in 1687, Charpentier had to contend with back-biting from Lully's vociferous supporters. Happily Charpentier also possessed a big reputation and a band of loyal and well-to-do supporters. In a career spanning 35 years, he enjoyed a succession of plum jobs, writing in every kind of genre for some of the most influential patrons and establishments in Paris. Indeed, perhaps Lully's restrictive practices were inadvertently his making, affording Charpentier the kind of artistic freedom to write exactly what he wanted.

Charpentier got his big break in the theatre after a bust-up between the two leading artists of the day: Moli耀re, the master of theatrical comedy, and Jean-Baptiste Lully. For some years Charpentier supplied music for theatrical productions, notably 'Le Malade imaginaire' and 'Circ退', which contained an unprecedented number of thrilling special effects. This innate mastery of drama lent itself perfectly to setting the Old Testament story of the Death of Saul and Jonathan. Presented by Donald Macleod.

Le Malade imaginaire (excerpts)

Overture; Premier Intermꀀde

Howard Crook (tenor), Spacamond

Dominique Visse (countertenor,) La Vielle

Alain Tr退tout (actor), Polichinelle

Les Arts Florissants

William Christie, director

Circ退, H 496 (Instrumental music)

London Baroque

Charles Medlam, director

Mors Saulis et Jonathae, H 403, (Part Two)

Peter Kooy, Samuel

Klaus Mertens, Saul

Choir 1: Barbara Schlick, soprano; Kai Wessel, countertenor;

Christoph Pr退gardien, tenor; Peter Kooy, bass

Choir 2: Nancy Zijlstra, soprano; Dominique Visse, countertenor: Harry van Berne, tenor; Klaus Mertens, bass

Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra

Ton Koopman, director

La Pierre philosophale

Teresa Wakim (soprano), La Petite Gnomide

Zachary Wilder (tenor,) Un Silphe

Lydia Brotherton (soprano), Le Feu

Olivier Laquerre (bass-baritone), L'Eau

Boston Early Music Festival Vocal and Chamber Ensembles

Paul O'Dette and Stephen Stubbs, Musical Directors.

Donald Macleod explores Charpentier's evocative stage music.

201704Working For The Jesuits20170706Donald Macleod explores Marc-Antoine Charpentier's decade working for the Jesuits, whose enormous wealth supported the creation of some ambitious large scale dramatic works, a raft of sacred works, among them quite possibly the much loved Te Deum in D major.

It's just a case of bad timing for Marc-Antoine Charpentier that he happened to be born a decade or so after Jean-Baptiste Lully. The manipulative king's favourite held a monopoly at the Sun King's court and in the theatres. Even after his death in 1687, Charpentier had to contend with back-biting from Lully's vociferous supporters. Happily Charpentier also possessed a big reputation and a band of loyal and well-to-do supporters. In a career spanning 35 years, he enjoyed a succession of plum jobs, writing in every kind of genre for some of the most influential patrons and establishments in Paris. Indeed, perhaps Lully's restrictive practices were inadvertently his making, affording Charpentier the kind of artistic freedom to write exactly what he wanted.

In 1688 Charpentier accepted the position of music master of the church of the Jesuit College. A generous salary and resources encouraged Charpentier to stay there for the next ten years, producing music for all occasions, pretty much on demand. Donald Macleod presents the poignant centrepiece of Charpentier's ground-breaking new style of music drama, David and Jonathan, and a complete performance of his brilliant Te Deum in the buoyant key of D.

David et Jonathas (excerpts):

Marche triomphante from Act 1; Prelude and scenes from Act 4

G退rard Lesne (countertenor,) David

Monique Zanetti (soprano), Jonathan

Les Arts Florissants

William Christie, director

Third Tenebrae Lesson for Good Friday, H 137

Kai Wessel, countertenor

Christoph Pr退gardien, tenor

Peter Kooy, bass

Dominique Visse, countertenor

Harry van Berne, tenor

Klaus Mertens, bass

The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra

Ton Koopman, conductor

Te Deum, H.146

Annick Massus, soprano

Magdalena Koženက, mezzo-soprano

Eric Huchet, high tenor

Patrick Henckens, tenor

Russell Smyth, baritone

Jean-Louis Bindi, bass

Choir of Les Musiciens du Louvre

Marc Minkowski, director.

Donald Macleod focuses on Charpentier's decade working for the Jesuits.

201705 LASTPassion, Jealousy And Revenge20170707Donald Macleod assesses the astonishing breadth of Charpentier's musical activities with a drinking song, one of his most sumptuous masses and the operatic masterpiece M退d退e.

It's just a case of bad timing for Marc-Antoine Charpentier that he happened to be born a decade or so after Jean-Baptiste Lully. The manipulative king's favourite held a monopoly at the Sun King's court and in the theatres. Even after his death in 1687, Charpentier had to contend with back-biting from Lully's vociferous supporters. Happily Charpentier also possessed a big reputation and a band of loyal and well-to-do supporters. In a career spanning 35 years, he enjoyed a succession of plum jobs, writing in every kind of genre for some of the most influential patrons and establishments in Paris. Indeed, perhaps Lully's restrictive practices were inadvertently his making, affording Charpentier the kind of artistic freedom to write exactly what he wanted.

Donald Macleod explores Charpentier's final decade and attempts to get under the skin of this enigmatic, deeply talented individual. The series concludes with what is surely one of the highlights of Charpentier's career, the operatic jewel in his crown, M退d退e, which he produced at the age of 50 in 1693.

Ayant bu du vin clairet, H 446

Les Arts Florissants

William Christie, director

Kyrie (Messe a 8 voix et 8 violons et flutes, H.3)

Le Concert Spirituel

Herv退 Niquet, director

Transfige dulcissime Jesu, H 251

Harmony of Voices, Sweden

Fredrik Malmberg, conductor

M退d退e, Act 1, sc 2 to 4

Lorraine Hunt (soprano), Medea

Mark Padmore (tenor) Jason

Fran瀀ois Arcala (bass), Arcas

Princesse, c'est sur vous que mon espoir se fonde (M退d退e, Act 2)

M退d退e, Act 4 (excerpt)

Fran瀀ois Piolino (tenor), Jealousy

Jean-Claude Sarragosse (bass), Vengeance

William Christie, director.

Donald Macleod assesses the great breadth of Charpentier's musical activities.