In the religious times of Louis XIV, Easter was the most important period for the piety of the whole of society. But Christmas became increasingly important, to the point where it took second place in the hearts of the faithful.
Specific scores were dedicated to the Advent and Nativity seasons, using a wealth of popular melodies and silencing the organ from the first Sunday of Advent until Christmas, when it re-emerged with vigour to play the famous Noëls variés!
Charpentier may have returned to posterity with the first notes of his Te Deum, but his Messe de Minuit is probably one of the main works for which he is best known. It is an invitation to immerse oneself in a musical world where the learned and popular traditions are not opposed, quite the contrary: all Charpentier's art and science are illustrated in this invitation to traditional carols within a mass composed for Christmas Eve, around 1690. These melodies were known to everyone, peasants and gentlemen alike, who recognised them, interwoven within a subtle counterpoint and renewed harmony, enriched by orchestral parts. The pleasure of music is available to everyone: from recognising a familiar tune to grasping its extraordinary arrangement. The simplicity of the original chants also gives the whole Mass a candour and simplicity that spoke universally at the time.
Charpentier may have returned to posterity with the first notes of his Te Deum, but his Messe de Minuit is probably one of the main works for which he is best known. It is an invitation to immerse oneself in a musical world where the learned and popular traditions are not opposed, quite the contrary: all Charpentier's art and science are illustrated in this invitation to traditional carols within a mass composed for Christmas Eve, around 1690. These melodies were known to everyone, peasants and gentlemen alike, who recognised them, interwoven within a subtle counterpoint and renewed harmony, enriched by orchestral parts. The pleasure of music is available to everyone: from recognising a familiar tune to grasping its extraordinary arrangement. The simplicity of the original chants also gives the whole Mass a candour and simplicity that spoke universally at the time.
