Charpentier was one of the most pious composers ever. It may sound boring, but it certainly isn't. In his religious music he found a perfect balance between grandeur and cheerfulness. A balance that four centuries later still serves as a balm for the soul. This CD deals with Charpentier's apprenticeship. In the early 17th century northern Italian cities were the cradle of baroque. At that time
… Monteverdi and his contemporaries developed an almost unprecedented amount of styles and techniques. In Paris these developments were viewed with suspicion. Here people preferred to stick to natural simplicity. And yet there was one young French composer who lit his light with those extravagant Italians. So that was Charpentier. The CD programme is an imaginary journey, with musical impressions that Charpentier may have gained. He must at least have been impressed by the Missa Mirabiles elationes maris by Francesco Beretta. This impressive 16-part Mass has been preserved thanks to Charpentier's copy. No wonder that Charpentier composed a similar multi-corrug mass: the Messe à Quatre Choeurs. A mass based on the Italian model. But also spiced with French decorations and Charpentier's own sense of harmony. (HJ)more
