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47-586: Hermannus Contractus (also called Herman the Cripple; 1013–1054) is said to have authored the hymn based on the writings of Saints Fulgentius , Epiphanius , and Irenaeus of Lyon. It is mentioned in The Prioress's Tale , one of Geoffrey Chaucer 's Canterbury Tales . At one time Alma Redemptoris Mater was briefly used as an antiphon for the hour of Sext for the feast of the Assumption, but since

94-587: A blank page of the Augmentations , Loulié in addition listed some of the points that Charpentier made in a treatise that Loulié called Règles de l'accompagnement de Mr Charpentier . Three theoretical works long known to scholars exist, but did not reveal much about Charpentier's evolution as a theoretician. Then, in November 2009, a fourth treatise, this time in Charpentier's own hand, was identified in

141-482: A small room in the vast residence, but was instead a courtier who occupied one of the new apartments in the stable wing. For the next seventeen years, Charpentier composed a considerable quantity of vocal works for her, among them Psalm settings, hymns , motets, a Magnificat setting, a mass and a Dies Irae for the funeral of her nephew Louis Joseph, Duke of Guise , and a succession of Italianate oratorios set to non-liturgical Latin texts. (Charpentier preferred

188-410: A solid knowledge of contemporary Italian musical practice and brought it back to France. Immediately on his return to France, Charpentier probably began working as house composer to Marie de Lorraine, duchesse de Guise , who was known familiarly as "Mlle de Guise." She gave him an "apartment" in the recently renovated Hôtel de Guise – strong evidence that Charpentier was not a paid domestic who slept in

235-513: A virgin after as before, You who received Gabriel's joyful greeting, have pity on us poor sinners. Kind mother of the Redeemer, who remain the open gate of heaven and the star of the sea: help your falling people who want to rise, you who bore your holy Parent, while nature marveled: a Virgin before and after, receiving that Ave from Gabriel's mouth, have mercy on [us] sinners. Mother of Christ! hear thou thy people’s cry, Star of

282-926: Is exactly the same prayer that concludes the Angelus (another Marian devotion focused on the Incarnation ). ℣. Ángelus Dómini nuntiávit Maríæ ℟. Et concépit de Spíritu Sancto. Oremus Grátiam tuam quáesumus, Dómine, méntibus nostris infúnde; ut qui, ángelo nuntiánte, Christi Fílii tui Incarnatiónem cognóvimus, per passiónem ejus et crucem, ad resurrectiónis glóriam perducámur. Per eúmdem Christum Dóminum nostrum. ℟. Amen. ℣. Post Partum Virgo invioláta permansísti. ℟. Dei Génitrix, intercéde pro nobis. Orémus Deus, qui salútis ætérnæ beátæ Maríæ virginitáte fecúnda humáno géneri práemia præstitísti: tríbue, quáesumus, ut ipsam pro nobis intercédere sentiámus, per quam merúimus, Auctórem vitæ suscípere Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum. ℟. Amen. Loving Mother of

329-510: Is often asserted, during his seventeen years in the service of Mlle de Guise, Charpentier was not the "director" of the Guise ensemble. The director was a gentleman of Mlle de Guise's court, an amateur musician, Italophile, and Latinist named Philippe Goibaut , familiarly called Monsieur Du Bois. Owing to Mlle de Guise's love for Italian music (a passion she shared with Du Bois), and her frequent entertaining of Italians passing through Paris, there

376-577: The Salve Regina ("Hail Queen"), Veni Sancte Spiritus ("Come Holy Spirit"), and Alma Redemptoris Mater ("Nourishing Mother of the Redeemer"). Herman died on Reichenau on 24 September 1054, aged 41. The Roman Catholic Church beatified him in 1863. Three of five symphonies that were written by Russian composer Galina Ustvolskaya are based on his texts. Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier ( French: [maʁk ɑ̃twan ʃaʁpɑ̃tje] ; 1643 – 24 February 1704 )

423-621: The Parlement of Paris . Marc-Antoine received a very good education, perhaps with the help of the Jesuits, and registered for law school in Paris when he was eighteen. He withdrew after one semester. He spent "two or three years" in Rome, probably between 1667 and 1669, and studied with Giacomo Carissimi . He is also known to have been in contact with poet-musician Charles Coypeau d'Assoucy , who

470-514: The Roman Catholic Church in 1863. Hermann's name is sometimes anglicized as Herman or Latinized as Hermannus; it sometimes also appears in the older form Heriman. He is sometimes distinguished as Hermann of Vöhringen ( Latin : Hermannus de Voringen ; German : Hermann von Vöhringen ) from his birthplace. He is better known as Hermann of Reichenau ( Latin : Hermannus Augiensis ; German : Hermann von Reichenau ) from

517-458: The quadrivium . He wrote about history, mathematics , astronomy , and Christianity . He wrote a treatise on the science of music , several works on geometry and arithmetics , and astronomical treatises including instructions for the construction of an astrolabe which caused him to sometimes be credited as its inventor. As an historian, he wrote a detailed chronicle from the birth of Christ to his own present day, ordering them after

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564-888: The 13th century it has been a part of Compline. Formerly it was recited at the end of the canonical hours only from the first Sunday in Advent until the Feast of the Purification (2 February). It was translated into English by, amongst others, John Henry Newman in " Tracts for the Times ", No. 75 (Kindly Mother of the Redeemer). Alma Redemptóris Mater, quæ pérvia cæli Porta manes, et stella maris, succúrre cadénti, Súrgere qui curat pópulo: tu quæ genuísti, Natúra miránte, tuum sanctum Genitórem Virgo prius ac postérius, Gabriélis ab ore Sumens illud Ave, peccatórum miserére. Depending on

611-399: The Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may, by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection . Through the same Christ, our Lord. ℟. Amen. ℣. After childbirth, O Virgin, thou didst remain inviolate. ℟. Intercede for us, O Mother of God. Let us pray. O God, Who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary, hast given to mankind

658-623: The Italian cantata of the time, and share most features except for the name: Charpentier calls them airs sérieux or airs à boire if they are in French, but cantata if they are in Italian. Not only did Charpentier compose during that "transitory period" so important to the "evolution of musical language, where the modality of the ancients and the emerging tonal harmony coexisted and mutually enriched one another" ( Catherine Cessac , Marc-Antoine Charpentier , 2004 edition, p. 464), but he also

705-473: The Latin canticum to the Italian term, oratorio ). Throughout the 1670s, the bulk of these works were for trios. The usual trio was two women and a singing bass, plus two treble instruments and continuo; but when performance in the chapel of a male monastic community required male voices, he would write for an haute-contre , a tenor and a bass, plus the same instruments. Then, about 1680, Mlle de Guise increased

752-615: The Redeemer, who remains the accessible Gateway of Heaven, and Star of the Sea, Give aid to a falling people that strives to rise; O Thou who begot thy holy Creator, while all nature marvelled, Virgin before and after receiving that "Ave" from the mouth of Gabriel, have mercy on sinners. ℣. The Angel of the L ORD brought tidings unto Mary ℟. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost. Let us pray. Pour forth we beseech Thee, O L ORD , Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom

799-614: The Royal Opera. In addition, during these years Charpentier succeeded Étienne Loulié as music teacher to Philippe, Duke of Chartres . Charpentier was appointed maître de musique for the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris in 1698, a royal post he held until his death in 1704. One of his most famous compositions during his tenure was the Mass Assumpta Est Maria (H.11). That this work survived suggests that it

846-463: The collection of the Lilly Library at Indiana University, Bloomington, U.S.A. Written during the final months of 1698 and numbered "XLI," this treatise appears to have been the forty-first in a series hitherto not imagined by Charpentier scholars, a series of theoretical treatises that spans almost two decades, from the early 1680s to 1698. The prelude to his Te Deum , H.146, a rondo , is

893-509: The competition for the sub-mastership of the royal chapel. Speculations that he withdrew because he knew he would not win seem disproved by his autograph notebooks: he wrote nothing at all from April through mid-August of that year, strong evidence that he was too ill to work. From late 1687 to early 1698, Charpentier served as maître de musique (music master) to the Jesuits, working first for their collège of Louis-le-Grand (for which he wrote Celse martyr , David et Jonathas and where he

940-408: The deep, and portal of the sky! Mother of him who thee from nothing made, Sinking we strive, and call to thee for aid: Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee, Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see. In The Divine Office (1974) this is hymn number 118 and it recommends singing it to the tune SONG I, by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625). This tune has a metre 10.10.10.10.10.10. Since

987-708: The employ of the Jesuits . Indeed, he is not named in the princess's will of March 1688, nor in the papers of her estate, which is strong evidence that she had already rewarded her loyal servant and approved of his departure. During his seventeen-odd years at the Hôtel de Guise, Charpentier had written almost as many pages of music for outside commissions as he had for Mlle de Guise. (He routinely copied these outside commissions in notebooks with Roman numerals.) For example, after Molière 's falling out with Jean-Baptiste Lully in 1672, Charpentier had begun writing incidental music for

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1034-433: The last line of the text has 12 syllables the tune will need to be modified. Marc-Antoine Charpentier , 2 settings, Alma Redemptoris Mater H.21 (1675), for 2 voices and bc, Alma Redemptoris Mater H.44 (16 ?), for soloists, chorus, 2 violins and bc. Hermannus Contractus Blessed Hermann of Reichenau or Herman the Cripple (18 July 1013   – 24 September 1054), also known by other names ,

1081-623: The location of his monastery on Reichenau Island ( Latin : Augia ) in Lake Constance . He was traditionally distinguished in Latin as Hermannus Contractus ( French : Hermann Contract ), which appears in English as "Hermann the Lame" ( German : Hermann der Lahme ) or "Hermann the Cripple" ( French : Hermann le Contrefait ). Hermann was a son of the Count of Altshausen . He

1128-481: The number authorized by Lully's monopoly over theatrical music. By 1685, the troop ceased flouting these restrictions. Their capitulation ended Charpentier's career as a composer for the spoken theater. In 1679, Charpentier had been singled out to compose for Louis XIV's son, the Dauphin . Writing primarily for the prince's private chapel, he composed devotional pieces for a small ensemble composed of royal musicians:

1175-399: The operas and pastorales in French, which date from 1684 to 1687, appear to have been commissioned by Mme de Guise for performance at court entertainments during the winter season; but Mlle de Guise doubtlessly included them in the entertainments she sponsored several times a week in her palatial Parisian residence. By late 1687, Mlle de Guise was dying. Around that time, Charpentier entered

1222-552: The oratorio. In 1670, he became a master of music (composer and singer) in the service of the Duchess of Guise .  From 1690 Charpentier composed Médée , on a piece by Corneille . It was a determining failure in his career of composer: he henceforth devoted himself to religious music. He became the composer of the Carmelites of the "Rue du Bouloir", Montmartre Abbey , Abbaye-aux-Bois and Port-Royal . In 1698, Charpentier

1269-471: The other Roman numbers, and each notebook numbered chronologically. These manuscripts (and their watermarks) have permitted scholars not only to date his compositions but also to determine the events for which many of these works were written. His compositions include oratorios , masses , operas , leçons de ténèbres , motets and numerous smaller pieces that are difficult to categorize. Many of his smaller works for one or two voices and instruments resemble

1316-645: The period, the following combinations of a versicle , response , and collect are added. From the first Sunday of Advent until Christmas Eve, the collect from the Fourth Sunday of Advent is used, and thereafter until the Feast of the Presentation, the collect from Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God , is used. The first collect (“ Grátiam tuam quáesumus... ”) is notably also used in Masses during Advent, and

1363-499: The quality of his prolific output. He mastered all genres, and his skill in writing sacred vocal music was especially hailed by his contemporaries. He began his career by going to Italy, where he fell under the influence of Giacomo Carissimi as well as other Italian composers, perhaps Domenico Mazzocchi . He would remain marked by the Italian style and become the only one with Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville in France to approach

1410-494: The reckoning of the Christian era . It was later extended by his pupil Berthold of Reichenau . He was a renowned religious poet and musical composer. Among his surviving works are officia for St. Afra and St. Wolfgang . When he went blind in later life, he began writing hymns. He was famous enough that he appears to have been credited with compositions by later writers; among the works traditionally attributed to him are

1457-456: The rewards of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession for us, through whom we deserved to receive the Author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son. ℟. Amen. Loving mother of the Redeemer, gate of heaven, star of the sea, assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again, To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator, yet remained

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1504-550: The signature tune for the European Broadcasting Union , heard in the opening credits of Eurovision events. This theme was also the introductory music to The Olympiad films of Bud Greenspan . Charpentier's compositions were catalogued by Hugh Wiley Hitchcock in his Les œuvres de Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Catalogue Raisonné, (Paris: Picard, 1982); references to works are often accompanied by their H (for Hitchcock) number. The following lists (554 H) show

1551-429: The size of the ensemble, until it included 13 performers and a singing teacher. In the pieces written from 1684 until late 1687, the names of the Guise musicians appear as marginalia in Charpentier's manuscripts – including "Charp" beside the haute-contre line. Étienne Loulié , the senior instrumentalist who played keyboard, recorder and viole, probably was entrusted with coaching the newer instrumentalists. Despite what

1598-484: The spoken theater of Molière. It probably was owing to pressure on Molière exerted by Mlle de Guise and by young Mme de Guise that the playwright took the commission for incidental music for Le Malade imaginaire away from Dassoucy and gave it to Charpentier. After Molière's death in 1673, Charpentier continued to write for the playwright's successors, Thomas Corneille and Jean Donneau de Visé . Play after play, he would compose pieces that demanded more musicians than

1645-448: The time of his death, Charpentier's complete works must have numbered about 800 opus numbers, but today only 28 autograph volumes remain, or more than 500 pieces that he himself took care to classify. This collection, called Mélanges , is one of the most comprehensive sets of musical autograph manuscripts of all time. Charpentier was born in or near Paris, the son of a master scribe who had very good connections to influential families in

1692-511: The two Pièche sisters singing with a bass named Frizon, and instruments played by the two Pièche brothers. In short, an ensemble that, with Mlle de Guise's permission, could perform works he had earlier composed for the Guises. By early 1683, when he was awarded a royal pension, Charpentier was being commissioned to write for court events such as the annual Corpus Christi procession. In April of that year, he became so ill that he had to withdraw from

1739-536: Was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV . One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his Te Deum , Marche en rondeau . This theme is still used today as a fanfare during television broadcasts of the Eurovision Network and the European Broadcasting Union . Marc-Antoine Charpentier dominated the Baroque musical scene in seventeenth century France because of

1786-699: Was a respected theoretician. In the early 1680s he was analyzing the harmony in a polychoral mass by the Roman composer Francesco Beretta (Bibliothèque nationale de France, Ms. Réserve VM1 260, fol. 55–56). About 1691 he wrote a manual to be used for the musical training of Philippe d'Orléans, duke of Chartres; and about 1693 he expanded this manual. The two versions survive as copies in the hand of Étienne Loulié, Charpentier's colleague, who called them Règles de Composition par Monsieur Charpentier and Augmentations tirées de l'original de Mr le duc de Chartres (Bibliothèque nationale de France, ms. n.a. fr. 6355, fols. 1–16). On

1833-399: Was an 11th-century Benedictine monk and scholar. He composed works on history , music theory , mathematics , and astronomy , as well as many hymns . He has traditionally been credited with the composition of " Salve Regina ", " Veni Sancte Spiritus ", and " Alma Redemptoris Mater ", although these attributions are sometimes questioned. His cultus and beatification were confirmed by

1880-596: Was appointed music master for the children of the Sainte-Chapelle du Palais . After having obtained from the king Louis XIV a softening of Lully 's monopoly, Molière turned to Charpentier to compose the music for the intermissions of Circe and Andromeda , as well as sung scenes for the revivals of The Forced Marriage , and finally the musical pieces of The Imaginary invalid . He composed secular works, stage music, operas , cantatas , sonatas , symphonies , as well as sacred music, motets (large or small), oratorios , masses, psalms, Magnificats , Litanies . At

1927-667: Was buried in the little walled-in cemetery just behind the choir of the chapel. (The cemetery no longer exists.) In 1727, Charpentier's heirs sold his autograph manuscripts (28 folio volumes) to the Royal Library, today the Bibliothèque nationale de France . Commonly known as the Mélanges , or Meslanges , and now available as facsimiles published by Minkoff-France, these manuscripts were divided by Charpentier himself into two series of notebooks – one bearing Arabic numbers and

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1974-508: Was composing for the French Embassy in Rome. A legend claims that Charpentier initially traveled to Rome to study painting before he was discovered by Carissimi. This story is undocumented and possibly untrue; at any rate, although his 28 volumes of autograph manuscripts reveal considerable skill at tracing the arabesques used by professional scribes, they contain not a single drawing, not even a rudimentary sketch. Regardless, he acquired

2021-418: Was disabled due to a paralytic disease from early childhood. He was born on 18 July 1013 with a cleft palate and cerebral palsy and is said to have had spina bifida . Based on the evidence, however, more recent scholarship indicates Hermann possibly had either amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or spinal muscular atrophy . As a result, he had great difficulty moving and could hardly speak . At seven, he

2068-472: Was little reason for Charpentier to conceal the Italianisms he had learned in Rome. During his years of service to Mlle de Guise, Charpentier also composed for "Mme de Guise" , Louis XIV 's first cousin. It was in large part owing to Mme de Guise's protection that the Guise musicians were permitted to perform Charpentier's chamber operas in defiance of the monopoly held by Jean Baptiste Lully . Most of

2115-564: Was placed in a Benedictine monastery by his parents who could no longer look after him. He grew up in the Abbey of Reichenau , an island on Lake Constance in Germany. He learned from the monks and developed a keen interest in both theology and the world around him. At twenty, Hermann entered their order as a Benedictine monk , becoming literate in several languages (including Arabic , Greek and Latin ) and contributing to all four arts of

2162-551: Was still employed in April 1691) and then for the church of Saint-Louis adjacent to the order's professed house on the rue Saint-Antoine. Once he moved to Saint-Louis, Charpentier virtually ceased writing oratorios and instead primarily wrote musical settings of psalms and other liturgical texts such as the Litanies of Loreto. During his years at Saint-Louis, his works tended to be for large ensembles that included paid singers from

2209-456: Was written for another entity, an entity that was entitled to call upon the musicians of the Chapel and reward them for their efforts. Indeed, virtually none of Charpentier's compositions from 1690 to 1704 have survived, because when the maître de musique died, the royal administration routinely confiscated everything he had written for the Chapel. Charpentier died at Sainte-Chapelle , Paris, and

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