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In Memoriam
Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Concert of Yale Schola Cantorum
February 25, 2004 | 8 pm.
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library,
121 Wall Street, New Haven
Free and open to the public, tickets not required.
Presented by the Institute of Sacred Music
Information at 203.432.5180.
The Yale Schola Cantorum, under the direction of Simon Carrington,
will present works of 17th century French composer Marc-Antoine
Charpentier in a concert on Wednesday, February 25, at 8 pm at the
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library in New Haven (121 Wall
St.). The concert marks the 300th anniversary of the composer’s
death on February 24, 1704. The Yale Collegium Players, under the
direction of Robert Mealy, will also perform. Soloists will be Jay
Carter, haute-contre; Charles Kamm, tenor; Richard Lalli, baritone;
and members of Schola Cantorum.
Charpentier (1643-1704), recognized today as one of the leading
composers of his time, wrote over 500 works of exceptional beauty,
variety and craftsmanship. He likely spent his formative years during
the 1660s in Italy where he became familiar with the music of Italian
composers such as Carissimi, which had a profound and long-lasting
influence on Charpentier's stylistic development, particularly in
his treatment of text and in his often audacious harmonic writing.
Under the patronage for many years of the wealthy and influential
Guise family, Charpentier provided both sacred and secular music
for their household use, and composed music for religious establishments
frequented by the Guise princesses. He later served as Maître
de Musique at two churches, including the prestigious appointment
at Sainte-Chapelle, which he held until his death.
The concert by the Yale Schola Cantorum features sacred choral
and instrumental music from throughout Charpentier's career, and
highlights the extraordinary breadth of feeling and diversity of
style found in the rich repertoire of this great and sometimes overlooked
composer. The program includes the mini-oratorio (in Latin) Le
Reniement de St. Pierre, which describes Peter’s threefold
denial of Christ, and whose concluding weeping chorus, after the
cock crows, has been described as one of the most hauntingly beautiful
pieces in all choral music.
Dr. Jane Gosine, a leading Charpentier scholar from Memorial University,
Newfoundland (Canada) will present a pre-concert talk at 7:30 pm
at the Beinecke.
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