Charpentier: Histoires Sacrees - Ensemble Correspondances (2 CDs)

Marc-Antoine Charpentier is the only composer of the age of Louis XIV to have distinguished himself so remarkably in the genre of the 'sacred history': he wrote more than thirty such works, all composed after his residence in Italy. Sébastien Daucé and the Ensemble Correspondances have carefully extracted from this outstanding corpus a number of gems that reflect both his experience in Rome (probably studying with Carissimi, the master of the oratorio) and the humanist concerns of an entire period. Like a miniature opera, each piece relates an exemplary destiny, including several strong-willed women (Judith, Cecilia, Mary Magdalene) and a deep friendship put to the test (Mors Saülis and Jonathae).

Disc 1

Cæcilia, virgo et martyr octo vocibus, H. 397

1Prima pars
Præludium - Est secretum, Valeriane (Cæcilia) 1'26
2Nullus audit, nullus videt (Valerianus, Cæcilia)
Et aquis lustratibus (Chorus fidelium) 3'47
3Acceptis autem ab Angelo flosculis (Historicus, Cæcilia, Valerianus, Tiburtius) 4'37
4O Christi fidem profitentium (Tutti) 1'43
5Secunda pars
Præludium 1'09
6Cum autem Valeriani et Tiburtii (Historicus, Almachius, Cæcilia) 5'01
7Ecce, ecce mihi Jesu (Cæcilia) 1'34
8Heu, heu, nos dolentes (Chorus fidelium, Angeli) 1'54
9Cur ploratis fideles (Angeli, Chorus fidelium) 1'45
10Guay - Nolite flere fideles (Angeli, Chorus fidelium, tutti) 6'40
Motet pour les trépassés à 8, H. 311

11Prélude - Miseremini mei 3'13
12Heu, mihi Domine 2'29
13Ritournelle - Ah, ah ponis crucior 3'40
14Hei, hei mihi infelix Magdalena 4'05
Judith, sive Bethulia liberata, H. 391

15Première partie
Stabat Holofernes super montes (Chorus Assyriorum)0'28
16Filii Israel (Tres duces Assyrii) 1'00
17Et placuerunt (Historicus ex Assyriis, Historicus ex filiis Israel, Tres viri Israelitæ, Historicus ex Israel) 2'52
18Peccavimus, Domine (Filii Israel) 2'22
19Et, cum his clamoribus (Historicus ex filiis Israel, Ozias) 1'51
20Quod cum audisset (Historici ex filiis Israel)0'27
21Quod est hoc verbum (Judith) 2'13
22Vera sunt omnia (Ozias, Judith, Chorus ex Israel, trois voix seules) 3'06
23Nocte autem sequetem (Historicus ex Israel, Judith) 3'46
24Post hæc Judith deposuit (Historicus ex Israel)0'50
25La nuict 2'54
26Seconde partie
Cum autem Judith descenderat montem (Ancilla, Duo exploratores ex Assyriis, Judith, Chorus Assyriorum) 2'35
27Æquo animo esto (Holofernes, Judith) 6'02
28Et ingressa Judith (Historici ex Assyriis)0'49
29Ut autem sero factum est (Ancilla) 1'40
30Aperite portas, custodes fideles (Judith)0'43
31Et cum audissent filii Israel (Chorus filiorum Israel) 1'39
32Laudate Dominum Deum nostrum (Judith, Choeur) 4'19
Disc 2

Mors Saülis et Jonathæ, H. 403

1Rumor bellicus0'29
2Première partie
Cum essent congregata (Chorus) 1'28
3O mulier, suscita mihi (Saül, Maga) 2'25
4Première symphonie [de l'enchantement]
Æther umbrosus nigro velamine (Maga)
Per hanc virgam in terram trahentem (Maga)
[Seconde] symphonie de l'enchantement
Ecquid ad surdos (Maga) 5'34
5Cumque Samuel volente Deo (Duo ex choro)0'38
6Surge Saül et responde mihi ! (Samuel, Saül) 3'12
7Seconde partie
Cecidit repente Saül (Chorus) 1'46
8Tolle, quæso, tolle (Saül, Miles) 1'42
9Age cito (Saül, chorus) 1'56
10Cumque miles invitus (Tres ex choro)0'59
11Quisnam es tu ? (David, Miles) 2'02
12O sors ! (Chorus sans violons) 2'06
13Sed tu, unde scis quod Saül (David, Miles) 3'01
14Doleo super te (David) 4'33
15David autem conversus (Duo ex choro, David)0'48
16Montes Gelboe (Chorus ultimus) 3'20
17Prelude pour Mementote peccatores, H. 425a 1'20
Dialogus inter Christum et peccatores, H. 425

18Mementote peccatores (Christus) 1'17
19Vos autem (Christus, à 3) 2'20
20Quis capiti meo dabit aquam (Premier dessus) 1'32
21Heu, stupiditas cordis mei (Deuxième dessus) 1'36
22Ah, cor durum, ah cor ingratum (à 3) 1'59
Dialogus inter Christum et homines, H. 417

23Prélude - Homo Deus fecit conam magnam 4'39
24O panis Deus 4'19

Élévation, H. 408

25[Symphonie] 1'46
26Famem meam quis replebit (Esuriens, Christus, Sitiens) 1'31
27Panem colestem habeo (Christus) 1'52
28Esurio, sitio (Esuriens, Sitiens, Christus) 2'51
29O panis angelorum (Esuriens, Sitiens, Christus) 2'58
Pestis mediolanensis, H. 398

30Prélude pour Horrenda pestis - Horrenda pestis Mediolanum vastabit 6'08
31Afflictionem miseri populi ut audivit (grand choeur)0'40
32Cantilena. Infirmos languentes solatur 2'06
33Hymnum ergo cantemus (grand choeur) 2'18