Although Charpentier left little trace of his worldly existence, his music fortunately has been preserved nearly in its entirety. This book is the first comprehensive study of his approximately 550 compositions, including a number of important pieces that remain relatively unknown. A discussion of the composer's theoretical writings, a complete catalog of Charpentier's works, and an extensive bibliography are all given here.

While Charpentier's life and personality are still shrouded in mystery, our knowledge about him has nevertheless increased considerably over the past few years, and it will certainly continue to be enriched by new discoveries in the future. His music, for the most part still unknown both on disc and in concert, is waiting for performers to reveal all its facets, and for an ever-growing public finally to discover Charpentier as one of France's most remarkable composers.