ABSTRACT
The Melanges autographes includes tell-tale signs of revisions, the most important of them involving changes of performing forces, notably the addition of concerting instruments to works conceived for voices and continuo alone. This practice of revision mainly concerns the sacred works, the grands motets and histoires sacrees - and provides evidence of the means at Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s disposal at a particular moment. Such evidence takes the form of added preludes and/or instrumental accompaniments. Originally composed for six voices (haut-dessus, two dessus, haute-contre, taille and basse) and two instrumental dessus, it was adapted by Charpentier to include a four-part orchestra including strings and flutes, while in several sections the vocal distribution was modified. The score of SacrificiumAbrahae presents the following characteristics: cross-reference to a prelude that was copied into another cahier, verbal cues indicating the addition of instruments in the four-part choruses, and written-out, short ritournelles for two dessus and continuo in the final chorus.
