Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643–1704) is recognised today as one of the greatest French composers. Having practised his art mainly in Paris, he held prestigious positions with Mademoiselle de Guise, with Molière and his successors at the Comédie-Française, at the Saint-Louis church and the Louis-le-Grand college of the powerful Society of Jesus, and finally at the Sainte-Chapelle. Although Charpentier never obtained an official position at court, he nevertheless endeared himself to Louis XIV. A tireless worker, he left a considerable body of work in quantity, variety and above all in quality, the latter proving to be quite exceptional. Having stayed in Rome, he remained all his life influenced by the Italian style, from which his music derives much of its originality.

Bringing together the main articles published in the Bulletin de la Société Marc-Antoine Charpentier from 1989 to 2003, some of which have been updated, this book allows us to measure the progress made in research on Charpentier over the last fifteen years, which have revealed elements of primary importance: the sole portrait of the composer, essential contributions concerning his family and social environment, on the history of musical manuscripts, the updating of pieces and new sources. These studies are accompanied by others relating to Charpentier’s manner of composition, the circumstances of performance, the interpretation and analysis of the works.

Director of research at the CNRS, Catherine Cessac works at the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles. A specialist in Marc-Antoine Charpentier, she was responsible for the editorial of the Bulletin de la Société Marc-Antoine Charpentier and coordinated the events for the 2004 Tercentenary.