Born in or near Paris, 1643
Died in Paris, Feb 24, 1704
- Charpentier spent much of his career as a composer and singer at the private musical establishment of Parisian noblewoman Marie de Lorraine known as “Mademoiselle de Guise,” and later also served as a church musician, notably at Sainte-Chapelle, the chapel at the Palais de Justice.
- Until recently Charpentier’s fame has been overshadowed by that of his contemporary Lully, who as a court musician to Louis XIV had one of the most influential and prestigious music jobs in Europe.
- A great deal of Charpentier’s output is religious music, not only from his time working as a church musician, but also because his patroness Mademoiselle de Guise was very devout. 1
Sources
- H. Wiley Hitchcock, “Charpentier, Marc-Antoine,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed August 21, 2019, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000005471.