VokalEnsemble Koln, Musica Antiqua Koln, Reinhard Goebel - Carpentier - Musique sacree (2003)

Very little is known about Charpentier's life (1643-1704). The main source of information is an obscure rival composer named de Brossard. According to de Brossard, Charpentier was originally from Paris but studied music in Rome under the composer Carissimi. In 1696 he beat out de Brossard for the post of choirmaster at the Sainte Chapelle Cathedral in Paris, where he remained until his death in 1704. As Goebels writes in the album liner notes, there are several reasons for Charpentier's neglect as a composer. First, he has traditionally been relegated to that band of other composers who were "Lully's imitators". Secondly, his music is "not easy listening, being neither instantly memorable nor readily digestible. Rather it is highly demanding and not always accessible to every listener from the outset." However, it is related that even de Brossard paid tribute to him, praising him as the "most profound and learned of modern composers."

Even if you love baroque music, gaining an appreciation of this music will take some time. But once you have put forth the effort, and assuming you do enjoy period baroque, you will not want to remove this disc from your changer, it is so amazingly good, no small thanks to Goebel and the Musica Antiqua Koln. And if that's not recommendation enough, included in this album is a bonus disc which celebrates 25 years of Musica Antiqua Koln on the Archiv Produktion label. Here's what's included on that disc: Heinichen's Concerto in F major, J.S. Bach's Suite in B minor, J.C. Bach's Andante de Molto, Handel's Haec est Regina virginum, J.S. Bach's Sinfonia from the Concerto in D after BVW 249, Telemann's Concerto for three oboes, three violins and basso continuo in B-flat major, G.C. Bach's Cantata `Siehe, wie fein und lieblich' (This is an astonishingly beautiful piece!), Vivaldi's "La Follia", and lastly Bach's Third Brandenburg Concerto.