Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Baroque · 1643–1704

Marc-Antoine Charpentier had the bad luck to be a brilliant French composer while Lully held a royal monopoly on French opera. Born in Paris in 1643, he studied in Rome with the Italian master Carissimi, then returned home with an Italian warmth of style that set him apart. Shut out of the king's official music, he built his career elsewhere: in the private service of the Duchess of Guise, writing for Molière's theater troupe, and composing sacred music for Paris churches and the Jesuits.

Late in life he finally received a prestigious post, director of music at the Sainte-Chapelle, the jewel-box royal chapel in Paris, where he served until his death in 1704. His music was then largely forgotten for two centuries before scholars and performers revived it.

Start with the Te Deum. Its brass-and-drums prelude has been the Eurovision broadcast theme for decades, so you may recognize the opening seconds without knowing you know Charpentier.

154 works in the catalog, across 4 genres. Log what you listen to with Opus, the classical music journal for iPhone.

Chamber

3 Noëls, for 2 flutes, recorders, and continuo, H.531
7 Noëls sur les instruments, for 2 recorders, strings, and continuo, H.534
Antienne, for 2 flutes, strings and continuo, H.526
Antienne pour les violons, flûtes et hautbois, for 2 flutes, oboe, strings and continuo, H.532
Après Confitebor, for 2 flutes, strings and continuo, H.516
Bruit de trompettes
Caprice por trois violons, for 2 violins and bass viol, H.542
Concert pour quatre parties des violes, for strings, H.545
Fanfare à deux trompettes
Menuet et Autre menuet, for 2 flutes and bass viol, H.541
Offerte non encore exécutée, for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, strings and bassoon, H.522
Offerte pour l'orgue, for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, strings and continuo, H.514
Ouverture poue l'église, for strings and continuo, H.524
Ouverture pour le sacre d'un évêque, for 2 flutes, oboe, strings and continuo, H.537
Pour un reposoir, for 3 flutes, strings and continuo, H.523
Pour un reposoir, for strings, H.508
Prélude pour le Te Deum à 8, for strings, H.145a
Suite en ré mineur, for chamber ensemble
Symphonie en g ré sol bmol, for 2 flutes and continuo, H.529
Symphonies pour un reposoir, for strings and continuo, H.515

Orchestral

Musique de théâtre pour 'Andromède', H.504
Musique de théâtre pour 'Circé', H.496
Marche de triomphe, for instruments, H. 547
Messe pour plusieurs instruments au lieu des orgues, H.513
Ouverture pour le sacre d'un eveque, H.536
Sonate à huit, H.548

Stage

David et Jonathas, tragédie en musique, H.490
La descente d'Orphée aux Enfers, opera, H.488
Médée, opera, H.491

Vocal

Te Deum, for 8 voices, chorus, and orchestra, H.146
3 Tenebrae lessons, for 3 or 6 voices, flute, string and continuo, H.135-137
3 Tenebrae lessons, for bass, woodwinds, strings and continuo, H.120-122
Ah! qu'ils sont courts les beaux jours, air for soprano and continuo, H.442
Assumpta est Maria, mass for 6 voices, chorus, orchestra and continuo, H.11
Auprès du feu l'on fait l'amour, air for soprano and continuo, H.446
Ave maris stella, hymn for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.60
Ave maris stella, motet for 2 sopranos and continuo, H. 63
Beatus vir qui timet Dominum, for 3 voices, chorus and continuo, H.221
Beaux petits yeux d'écarlate, air for 3 voices and continuo, H.448
Canticum in nativitatem Domini, Christmas, for 2 sopranos, bass, 2 treble strings and continuo, H.393
Canticum in nativitatem Domini, H.393
Canticum Zachariae, for 5 voices, chorus, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.345
Celle qui fait mon tout tourment, air for soprano and continuo, H.450
Chaconne, for soprano and continuo
Chant joyeux du temps de Pâques, for 6 voices, chorus, strings and contiunuo, H.339
Confitebor tibi Domine, for 3 voices, chorus and continuo, H.220
Conserva me Domine, for 4 voices, chorus, strings and continuo, H.230
Desolatione desolata est terra, for 3 voices and continuo, H.380
Deus judicium tuum regi da, psalm for 3 voices, instruments and continuo, H.166
Dialogus inter angelos et pastores, histoire sacrée for 4 voices, chorus, 2 flutes, strings and continuo, H.420 Oratorio
Dilecte mi, for 3 voices and continuo, H.436
Dixit Dominus, Pour le Port Royal, for 3 high sopranos and continuo, H.226
Dixit Dominus, psalm for 4 voices, chorus and orchestra, H.204
Domine salvum, for 4 voices, double chorus, strings and continuo, H.291
Domine salvum, for 4 voices, H.290
Domine salvum, for chorus, strings and continuo, H.303
Domine salvum, H.299
Domine salvum fac regem, for 5 voices, double chorus, strings and continuo, H.283
Dominus illuminatio mea, for 5 voices, chorus, strings and continuo, H.229
Elevation, 'O pretiosum', H.245
Eram quasi agnus, cinquième répons après la deuxième leçon du second nocturne, for high soprano and continuo, H.115
Extremum Dei judicium, histoire sacrée, for 6 voices, 2 treble instruments, 2 trumpets and continuo, H.401
Fenchon, la gentille Fenchon, air for 2 sopranos and continuo, H 454
Gaudete fideles, H.306
Gratiarum actiones ex sacris codicibus excerptae pro restituta serenissimi Galliarum delphini salute, motet, H.326
Gratiarum actiones pro restituta regis christianissimi sanitate anno 1686, 'Circumdederunt me dolores', H.341
In circumcisione Domini, for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.316
In festo purificationis, 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.318
In honorem S. Ludovici, motet for 6 voices, chorus, orchestra and continuo, H.365
In honorem Sancti Ludovici Regis Galliæ, histoire sacrée for 3 voices, orchestra and continuo, H.418
In nativitate Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Canticum, histoire sacrée for 3 voices and continuo, H. 421
In nativitatem Domini canticum, Christmas for soprano, countertenor, tenor, bass, 2 flutes, 2 violins and continuo, H.314
In nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Canticum, histoire sacrée for 3 voices, chorus, orchestra, and continuo, H. 416 Oratorio
In nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Canticum, histoire sacrée for 4 voices, chorus, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.414 Oratorio
In te Domine speravi, for 5 voices, chorus, strings and continuo, H.228
La Couronne de fleurs, pastorale for 8 voices, chorus, 2 treble viols and continuo, H.486
Laetatus sum, psalm for 3 voices, chorus, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.216
La prière à la Vierge du Père Bernard, for 3 voices, chorus, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.367
Lauda Jerusalem, for 4 voices, choruses, strings and continuo, H.210
Laudate Dominum omnes gentes, psalm for 4 voices, H.182
Laudate pueri Dominum, for 5 voices, chorus, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.149
Laudate pueri Dominum, for 5 voices, chorus and continuo, H.203
Le Malade imaginaire, incidental music for soloists, chorus, instruments and continuo, H.495
Le reniement de St. Pierre, occasional motet for 5 voices, chorus, and continuo, H.424 Oratorio
Litanies de la Vierge, for 4 voices, chorus and continuo, H.89
Litanies de la Vierge, for 6 voices, chorus, 2 dessus de violes, and continuo, H.83
Litanies de la Vierge à 2 dessus et une basse chantant, for 3 voices and continuo, H.86
Magdalena lugens voce sola cum symphonia, 'Sola vivebat in antris', motet for voice and chamber ensemble, H.343
Magnificat, for 3 voices, chorus and continuo, H.76
Magnificat, for 4 voices, chorus, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.72
Magnificat, for 4 voices, chorus and continuo, H.80
Magnificat, H.73
Magnificat, Pour le Port-Royal, motet for 3 high sopranos, chorus and continuo, H.81
Magnificat à 3 dessus, for 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, and continuo, H.75
Marian antiphon cycle for the church year, for 3 or 4 voices, 2 violins and continuo, H.44-47
Messe 'Kyrie eleison,' for voices, instruments and continuo, H.1
Messe de minuit pour Noël, for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, H.9
Messe des morts, for 5 voices, chorus, instruments and continuo, H.10
Messe des morts, for 6 voices, chorus and continuo, H.7
Messe Pour le Port Royal, for 3 sopranos, chorus and continuo, H.5
Messe à 8 voix et 8 violons et flûtes, for 8 voices, chorus, 2 flutes, strings and continuo, H.3
Messe à quatre choeurs, for 12 voices, quadruple chorus, strings and continuo, H.4
Miserere des Jésuites, psalm for 5 voices, chorus, strings, and continuo, H.193
Miserere mei Deus, motet for 5 voices, chorus, 2 flutes, strings and continuo, H.219
Mors Saülis et Jonathae, histoire sacrée, for 8 voices, chorus, 2 violins and continuo, H.403
Motet pour les trépassés, for 5 voices, chorus, strings, and continuo, H.311
Motet pour une longue offrande, for 5 voices, chorus, instruments and contiuo, H.434
Méditations pour le carême, 10 motets for 3 voices and continuo, H.380-89
Nisi Dominus, for 4 voices, chorus, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.150
Nisi Dominus, for 4 voices, chorus and continuo, H.160
Nisi Dominus, psalm for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.231
Notus in Judea Deus, psalm for 3 voices, chorus, instruments and continuo, H.206
O amor, motet for 6 voices and continuo, H.253
O clavis David, motet for 3 voices, chorus, strings and continuo, H.40
O Deus, o salvator noster, motet for 3 voices, chorus, strings and continuo, H.372
O dulce, o ineffabile convivium, motet for 3 voices and continuo, H.270
Oiseau de ces bocage, air for soprano and continuo, H.456
O Juda, o Juda, neuvième répons après la troisième leçon du troisième nocturne, for 2 voices and continuo, H.119
O salutaris hostia, motet for bass, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.248
O salutaris à 3 dessus, motet for 3 voices and continuo, H.261
Panis quem ego dabo, for 5 voices, 2 flutes and continuo, H. 275
Pour la fête de L'Épiphanie, histoire sacrée for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.395
Pour le Saint Sacrement au reposoir, motet for voices, chorus, 2 flutes and continuo, H.346
Pour plusieurs martyrs, for bass, H.361
Pour Sainte Thérèse, motet for 3 voices and continuo, H.342
Pro omnibus festis B.V.M., for 6 voices, chorus, instruments and continuo, H.333
Psalm 87, H.207, Domine Deus salutis meae
Pulchra est et decora, for 3 voices and continuo, H.52
Quatuor anni tempestates, 4 motets for 2 voices and continuo, H.335-338
Quemadmodum desiderat cervus, psalm for 5 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.174
Regina coeli, for 3 voices and continuo, H.30
Salve Regina à 3 choeurs, for for 3 choruses and continuo, H.24
Salve Regina à trois voix pareilles, for 3 voices and continuo, H.23
Sans frayeur dans ce bois, chaconne for soprano and continuo, H.467
Sept Répons des Ténèbres: Una hora
Sicut pullus hirundinis, for 3 voices and continuo, H.381
Sola vivebat in antris, for 3 voices and continuo, H.388
Sola vivebat in antris, motet for 2 voices, 2 flutes and continuo, H.373
Stabat mater, for 3 voices and continuo, H.387
Stabat mater pour des réligieuses, motet for soprano, chorus and continuo, H.15
Supplication pro defunctis ad beatam Virginem, motet for 3 voices, 3 flutes and continuo, H.328
Te Deum, for 8 voices, chorus, and orchestra, H.145
Te Deum à 4, for 5 voices, chorus, strings and continuo, H.147
Tenebrae factae sunt, for 3 voices and continuo, H.386
Tout renaît, tout fleurit, air for 2 voices and continuo, H.468
Transfige dulcissime Jesu, for 5 voices and continuo, H.251
Tristes déserts, sombre retraite, air for soprano and continuo, H.469
Troisième leçon de ténèbres du mercredi saint, motet for 2 voices and continuo, H.98
Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle, air for soprano, H.460c
Velum templi, H.128
Veni creator Spiritus, motet for high soprano and continuo, H.69
Verbum caro panem verum, motet for 3 voices and continuo, H.267
Veux-tu, compère Grégoire, air for 3 voices, H.470
Victimae paschali laudes, motet for 3 voices and continuo, H.13

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