Customer Reviews

Charpentier: Te Deum; Mass; Canticum Zachariae

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The casual browser will want to take note that the -Te Deum- that appears on this record is not the fully orchestrated one one with the well-known Prelude. All the works on this recording are for choir, soloists, and continuo alone.

The most interesting piece on this recording is in fact the Mass, which is an unusual setting in that few French composers of the high baroque wrote concerted Masses with soloist as well as choral passages. The Mass is probably the most interesting piece here.

Also worthy of note is the Canticle of Zachariah, -Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel-, which is given a deep contrapuntal treatment.

This is not Charpentier's showiest sacred music, but this is a good performance of these journeymanlike works.

This CD is shorter than the Te Deum CD released by harmonia mundi France, performed under the direction of William Christie, but its contents, aside from the headlining 'Te Deum' are different, and the performance quality and recording quality is comparable, and the price is far more attractive. Since Naxos has done an entire series on Charpentier's sacred works, this CD, as part of that economy set, is well worth the investment.