Presto Editor's Choice
April 2019

Diapason d’Or
June 2019

Gramophone Magazine
July 2019
Recording of the Month

Ensemble Correspondances, Sébastien Daucé

Charpentier, M-A: Caecilia, virgo et martyr, H. 397
Charpentier, M-A: Motet pour les Trépassés
Charpentier, M-A: Dialogus inter Magdalenam et Jesum, H. 423: Hei, hei mihi infelix Magdalena
Charpentier, M-A: Judith sive Bethulia liberata H. 391
Charpentier, M-A: Mors Saülis et Jonathae H 403
Charpentier, M-A: Prelude pour Mementote peccatores, H. 425a
Charpentier, M-A: Dialogus inter Christum et peccatores, H. 425
Charpentier, M-A: Dialogus inter Christum et homines H. 417
Charpentier, M-A: Élévation, H. 408
Charpentier, M-A: Pestis mediolanensis, H. 398

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 Jonathæ).

As a bonus, a DVD of the show from 2016 is included.

"This is superb. Here is a generous selection of sacred pieces by Charpentier, impeccably performed by Ensemble Correspondances under Sébastien Daucé, [...] underpinned by violins, recorders and those plangent viols. Do not miss these wonderful performances." - Gramophone Magazine, July 2019.