Charpentier: Te Deum, H 148

Description

The Te Deum, H 148, is the last of the six settings of this text by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643–1704), whose death is now being commemorated three centuries later. Unlike the better known and relatively lavish Te Deum of the "Eurovision Fanfare" (H 146), this version reduces the ensemble to four-voice chorus and basso continuo. Thanks to its relatively simple fabric, it is thus ideally suited for church choirs and small amateur ensembles. Despite its reduced forces, this Te Deum proves to be an impressive work of great effect in performance.