Leçon de ténèbres du Vendredi saint, H.95 (Charpentier)
Movements
Notes
Charpentier’s beautiful settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah were performed over the three days of Holy Week: Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, but for practical reasons were performed on the preceding evening of the relevant Holy day; the Lamentations for Good Friday were therefore performed on Maundy Thursday. The text, originally deploring the Siege of Jerusalem, applied allegorically to the three days of mourning for Christ between his crucifixion and resurrection.
