Charpentier:
Mass for Holy Saturday
Requiem Mass

Marc-Antoine Charpentier is unquestionably the greatest master of church music in 17th century France. On this recording selections from the two organ masses composed by the great harpsichordist François Couperin for use in parish churches (Messe pour les Paroisses) and in cloister churches (Messe pour les Convents) are heard at those places in the Easter mass. The alternation of organ playing and singing is a practice which has been attested since the late 14th century. ??t did not experience a real flourishing, however, until the France of the second half of the 17th century. ??n 1690 François Couperin obtained permission to print both his organ masses. Each of these two masses contains twentyone pieces assigned to the various units in the ordinary of the mass. Couperin prescribed the registration for these pieces in exact terms, as is the case, for example, in the dialogue between trumpet and cromorne in the Messe pour les Paroisses.