Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) was a French composer of the Baroque era. He was a prolific and versatile composer, producing music of the highest quality in several genres. His mastery in the composition of sacred vocal music was recognised and acknowledged by his contemporaries. Charpentier was born in or near Paris, the son of a master scribe who had very good connections to influential families in the Parlement of Paris. Marc-Antoine received a very good education