Te Deum

During the Ancien Régime, the Te Deum laudamus – a simple prayer – grew to become more or less the anthem of the French monarchy. Births, marriages, recoveries from illness, victories, treaties: no great occasion went by without a Te Deum resounding from the largest cathedral to the smallest chapel.

Charpentier’s most famous Te Deum – he wrote four – overawes in exultant D major, with an eight-part ensemble and show-stealing trumpets and timpani. It is no great surprise then that this work – and especially its instrumental prelude – became a hit!

Together with B’Rock, Vox Luminis completes the programme with a triumphant ode to the patron saint of music: Cecilia. Commissioned by London’s ‘Gentlemen Lovers of Musick’, Purcell composed a celebratory festival of colours that will shine brighter than ever in this rendition by two of Europe’s most exciting Baroque ensembles.

This production was realized with the support of the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government, in collaboration with Casa Kafka Pictures Tax Shelter empowered by Belfius.