M.A.Charpentier Messe pour le Port Royal
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Label: Astrée
Magazine Review Date: 9/1997
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 69
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: E8598
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Veni creator pour un dessus seul au catechisme |
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer
(Les) Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr Emmanuel Mandrin, Conductor Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer Michel Chapuis, Organ |
Messe pour le Port Royal |
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer
(Les) Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr Emmanuel Mandrin, Conductor Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer Michel Chapuis, Organ |
O salutaris hostia |
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer
(Les) Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr Emmanuel Mandrin, Conductor Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer Michel Chapuis, Organ |
Domine salvum sine organo |
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer
(Les) Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr Emmanuel Mandrin, Conductor Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer |
Psalmus David 116us sine organo |
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer
(Les) Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr Emmanuel Mandrin, Conductor Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer |
Ave maris stella |
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer
(Les) Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr Emmanuel Mandrin, Conductor Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer Michel Chapuis, Organ |
Pour Ste Thérèse, 'Flores o gallia' |
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer
(Les) Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr Emmanuel Mandrin, Conductor Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer Michel Chapuis, Organ |
Magnificat (pour le Port Royal) |
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer
(Les) Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr Emmanuel Mandrin, Conductor Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer Michel Chapuis, Organ |
Author: Nicholas Anderson
At the time when Charpentier was working in Paris there were two convents bearing the name Port Royal; one was near Versailles, the other, with which most of the music on this disc is associated, in Paris in the Fauborg Saint-Jacques. Writing for the nuns meant that Charpentier had to confine himself to female voices; but this very discipline seems to have prompted him to rise to the occasion time and again. Any lack of texural richness or formal complexity is compensated for by subtle inflexion and a radiance of vocal colour which at times is dazzling.
The principal work on this disc is the Messe pour le Port Royal which Charpentier scored for three soloists with chorus and organ continuo. As well as the sections belonging to the Ordinary, Charpentier provided alternative settings of sections from the Proper in honour of two saints, St Francis and St Margaret. In a previous recording of this Mass the settings for St Margaret were incorporated (Ricercar, 1/89 – nla) while, happily, here, those for St Francis have been chosen, enabling us to hear both versions of these items.
The other pieces in the programme consist of a psalm setting for a cappella voices (H182), a hymn to the Virgin for two voices and continuo (H63), another for solo voice and continuo (H69), a motet for Sainte Therese for three voices and continuo (H342), and a Magnificat (H81) which, like the Mass, was written for the solo and ripieno voices of the Port Royal convent. The Magnificat is a beautifully crafted work in which strongly contrasting verses for solo voices alternate with a refrain containing suspensions of great expressive intensity. In this piece, furthermore, the names of the nuns who sang the solos are identified: Mademoiselle de Fresnoy, Mother Sainte Agathe and Mother Saint Bernard.
This is music for the contemplative spirit rather than the sombre one. Les Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr under the direction of Emmanuel Mandrin lovingly shape Charpentier’s alluring inflexions, not always with tonal refinement, but with a directness of sentiment and a beguiling artlessness which takes the listener directly to the heart of the music and the purpose for which it was written. And the solo organ contributions by Michel Chapuis provide lively and tasteful punctuation of the vocal sections. Where the Mass itself is concerned this version has the edge on its rival, but the experienced solo singing of Jill Feldman, Greta de Reyghere and Isabelle Poulenard make a much deeper impression in the Magnificat (Erato, 1/89 – nla). A satisfying release, none the less.'
The principal work on this disc is the Messe pour le Port Royal which Charpentier scored for three soloists with chorus and organ continuo. As well as the sections belonging to the Ordinary, Charpentier provided alternative settings of sections from the Proper in honour of two saints, St Francis and St Margaret. In a previous recording of this Mass the settings for St Margaret were incorporated (Ricercar, 1/89 – nla) while, happily, here, those for St Francis have been chosen, enabling us to hear both versions of these items.
The other pieces in the programme consist of a psalm setting for a cappella voices (H182), a hymn to the Virgin for two voices and continuo (H63), another for solo voice and continuo (H69), a motet for Sainte Therese for three voices and continuo (H342), and a Magnificat (H81) which, like the Mass, was written for the solo and ripieno voices of the Port Royal convent. The Magnificat is a beautifully crafted work in which strongly contrasting verses for solo voices alternate with a refrain containing suspensions of great expressive intensity. In this piece, furthermore, the names of the nuns who sang the solos are identified: Mademoiselle de Fresnoy, Mother Sainte Agathe and Mother Saint Bernard.
This is music for the contemplative spirit rather than the sombre one. Les Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr under the direction of Emmanuel Mandrin lovingly shape Charpentier’s alluring inflexions, not always with tonal refinement, but with a directness of sentiment and a beguiling artlessness which takes the listener directly to the heart of the music and the purpose for which it was written. And the solo organ contributions by Michel Chapuis provide lively and tasteful punctuation of the vocal sections. Where the Mass itself is concerned this version has the edge on its rival, but the experienced solo singing of Jill Feldman, Greta de Reyghere and Isabelle Poulenard make a much deeper impression in the Magnificat (Erato, 1/89 – nla). A satisfying release, none the less.'
Explore the world’s largest classical music catalogue on Apple Music Classical.
Included with an Apple Music subscription. Download now.
Gramophone Digital Club
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Events & Offers
From £9.20 / month
SubscribeGramophone Club
- Print Edition
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Events & Offers
From £11.45 / month
Subscribe
If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.