In celebration of French-Italian friendship, an elite group of French musicians specialized in historical performance practice presents works by two of the greatest composers of the Baroque period: one French, one Italian.
They begin the musical evening with a collection of religious works by Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Pour un reposoir, Ave Verum Corpus, Précatio pro filio Regis, and Gaude Virgo Mater Christi. The exceptionally versatile and prolific composer and singer was born in Paris in 1643 but spent several years in his 20s studying in Rome with the Roman composer Giacomo Carissimi. Himself born in 1605, Carissimi was one of the founders of the early Italian Baroque, known in particular for his oratorios and motets. It is a work of this latter genre, Sancta et individua Trinitas, that the Ensemble Marguerite Louise performs in the middle of their program. They then close the evening with two seasonal works that include arrangements of traditional Christmas carols: the instrumental Noëls sur les instruments and Canticum in Nativitatem Domini.
