Monteverdi Choir - "Alma Redemptoris Mater" - Palestrina

Fourth Sunday of Advent

 

Alma Redemptoris Mater or, in English, "Loving Mother of our Savior," is one of four liturgical Marian antiphons (the other three being: Ave Regina caelorum, Regina coeli and Salve Regina), and sung at the end of the office of Compline. Hermannus Contractus (Herman the Cripple) (1013 - 1054) is said to have authored the hymn based on the writings of Ss. Fulgentius, Epiphanius, and Irenaeus of Lyon. It is mentioned in "The Prioress's Tale", one of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Formerly it was recited at compline only from the first Sunday in Advent until the Feast of the Purification (February 2),

 Loving Mother of our Savior, hear thou thy people's cry
Star of the deep and Portal of the sky!
Mother of Him who thee made from nothing made.
Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid:
Oh, by what joy which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.

Westminster Cathedral Choir - 'Sicut Cervus Desiderat' - Giovanni Palestrina

No words can convey the ineffable beauty of this sacred music. It truly must be what heaven sounds like.  Listen, let it envelop you and touch the divine!

BBC's Sacred Music Series - Pt 2 of 4 'Palestrina and the Popes'

Continuing this beautiful BBC documentary on sacred music, actor and former chorister Simon Russell Beale explores the sublime contribution of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, "the Prince of Music" and the culmination of Renaissance polyphony.  Part 1 of this series can be seen here.  We will post the remaining two parts of this program over the next two Saturdays.

Choir of the Basilica of San Marco, Milan "Alma Redemptoris Mater" - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Alma Redemptoris Mater or, in English, "Loving Mother of our Savior," is one of four liturgical Marian antiphons (the other three being: Ave Regina caelorum, Regina coeli and Salve Regina), and sung at the end of the office of Compline. It is mentioned in "The Prioress's Tale", one of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Formerly it was recited at compline only from the first Sunday in Advent until the Feast of the Purification (February 2).

English Translation:

Loving Mother of our Savior, hear thou thy people's cry

Star of the deep and Portal of the sky!

Mother of Him who thee made from nothing made.

Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid:

Oh, by what joy which Gabriel brought to thee,

Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.

Westminster Cathedral Choir - "Kryie" and "Gloria" - Palestrina

From 'Missa Aeterna Christi Munera" by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. The choir is directed by James O'Donnell.