Forgotten Masterpieces of the French Baroque

Beyond Versailles: Forgotten Masterpieces of the French Baroque

The music of Versailles has come to define the music of the French baroque, causing it to overshadow the rest of that period’s musical output, especially in the field of church music. Sacred music during the Age of Absolutism was seen as an indispensable tool by French kings to convey an image of piety, prestige, and power, but their preferred idiom –– the prestigious grand motet –– was harshly criticized outside of the Court as being theatrical, bombastic, and disconnected from the liturgy. Conversely, the music of provincial churches was often derided by contemporary elites as being old-fashioned and austere, with an inordinate emphasis placed on Gregorian plainchant. The exception to this derision –– and possibly a via media –– is the music of the great Parisian churches, which were simultaneously liturgically conservative while seamlessly integrating sacred masterpieces by great composers such as Charpentier, Campra, and Couperin.

The Society of Jesus was established at Paris in the year 1534, and in the coming decades they enthusiastically spread both baroque architecture and baroque liturgical music in their efforts to disseminate Italianate artistic influences north of the Alps in the aftermath of the Council of Trent. Their Parisian headquarters, the Eglise Saint-Louis, became famous for its music, famously employing Charpentier, Campra, and Rameau. Interestingly, this church was the first baroque building in Paris, as well as the first Parisian building to have a dome.

Musica Transalpina is proud to present a mass setting by Charpentier which was composed to celebrate a very important religious event –– and most likely commissioned by the Jesuits –– around the year 1670. This mass combines Charpentier’s love for Italian polychoral sacred music with a uniquely French orchestration. Performances of Charpentier’s mass settings are an unusual treat in the United States, and we are confident that this event will be a unique musical experience for all in attendance!