A French Christmas Night
Music From the Parisian Chapels of the 17th Century
Charpentier–Daquin–Dandrieu
Marc Mauillon, taille and vocal coaching
Tuuli Lindeberg and Olivia Moss, dessus
Katariina Heikkilä and Teppo Lampela, haute-contre
Aarne Mansikka, taille
Juhana Kotilainen and Jussi Lehtipuu, basse-taille
Marianna Henriksson, harpsichord, organ and leader
Finnish Baroque Orchestra
PROGRAMME (in Finnish and Swedish)
Violin: Irma Niskanen, Kaisa Ruotsalainen
Viola da gamba: Johanna Randvere, Anthony Marini
Harpsichord and organ: Marianna Henriksson
Violone: Lassi Kari
Lute: Eero Palviainen
Traverso and recorder: Hanna Haapamäki, Sini Vahervuo
Marianna Henriksson and Marc Mauillon, programme planning
FiBO continues the popular Christmas concert series with a French programme. Marc Mauillon is the guest expert on French music. The singer, who performs as both baritone and tenor, has worked with renowned conductors specialising in French repertoire, including William Christie, Emmanuelle Haïm, and Marc Minkowski. Mauillon has also taught medieval singing at the University of Paris. The centrepiece of the Christmas programme is Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s Messe de minuit pour Noël (1694), the Midnight Mass for Christmas.
Rather than brilliant trumpets, Charpentier’s mass features the nocturnal delicacy of flutes and viols. Multi-voiced choirs, solo passages for small ensembles, and delightful instrumental numbers display the composer’s impeccable rhetorical sensibility. Melodies borrowed from well-known Christmas carols bring us to the very heart of the French Christmas. Parody masses, or contrafacta – setting new texts to familiar music – had a centuries-old tradition behind them.
Charpentier (1643–1704) once said that for him, music had become “a small honour but a heavy burden”. Though one of the key French Baroque composers, he never received an official post at the royal court. However, his work as musical director at Paris’ Jesuit church of Saint-Louis left a large body of sacred music for posterity. Charpentier also gained greater recognition as an opera composer after Jean-Baptiste Lully’s royal monopoly came to an end.
Charpentier’s motets invite us to forget the burdens of daily life and come together at a shared table. A selection of his instrumental Christmas music, along with sung Gregorian chants, gives shape to the flow of the concert programme.
Duration: 1 h 45 min (incl. intermission)
The Järvenpää concert is organized in co-operation between FiBO, Järvenpää's cultural and event services and Järvenpää parish.
FiBO's artistic planner Marianna Henriksson introduces the concert at the House of Nobility on 21 December from 5 pm to 5.30 pm.