Ave regina caelorum [072]

Rudolph de Lassus

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AC072 Ave regina coelorum 8 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

Ave regina coelorum

Polyphonic ensemble SSAATTBBXX

Two equal choirs. Chr. I, CI-C1; AI-C3; TI-C4; BI-F4; Bc-F4. Entire range, G-e’’. The Bc is a basso seguente. No evidence of Ave regina coelorum chant; however, the “salve” motto (la-sol-la-re) from Salve regina appears in B in both choirs with “salve radix.” Except for “super omnes speciosa” and the final eight measures, the majority of the work is predicated upon an “echo” between the two equal-voice choirs. The setting was most likely inspired by Orlande de Lassus’s O là o che bon echo[1] that uses the echo principle throughout; indeed, the two pieces have similar opening material, the same Bassus for the first six measures and a G final. Declamatory text setting prevails except for melismatic treatment of “salve radix, salve porta.” “Gaude…speciosa,” in triple mensuration and homorhythmic texture (mm. 37-44) complements trochaic prosody.[2] Choirs are independent harmonically. The basso seguente supports strong harmonic progressions. Final G.

1. Libro de villanelle, moresche, et altro canzone, a 4. 5. 6. Et 8. voce. Paris: A. le Roy et R. Ballard, 1581. LassoSW, Vol. 10, pp. 140-3.

2. To emphasize textual/musical structure and complement trochaic prosody of “gaude…speciosa,” triple mensuration and homophony defines Ave regina caelorum settings by G. Aichinger (AC002 & AC003), F. Anerio (AC006), G. Bassano (AC016 & AC017), A. Gabrieli (AC047), R. de Lassus (AC072), G. de Macque (AC076), G. P. Palestrina (AC099), P. Philip (AC106), E. Saÿve (AC121), F. Soriano (AC123), F. Stivori (AC126), T. Victoria (AC136), Anon (AC170), Anon (AC184) and F. Anerio (AC232).

Description

L 1040 contains an additional setting of Alma redemptoris mater and Ave regina caelorum, three settings of Regina caeli and one setting of Salve regina all for concertato performance.

Associated people

Rudolph de Lassus - Composer

Creation place and date

No information.

Associated sources

Sung texts

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Ave, regina caelorum,
Ave, domina angelorum:
Salve, radix, salve, porta,
Ex qua mundo lux est orta:

Gaude, virgo gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa,
Vale, o valde decora,
Et pro nobis Christum exora.

***

Pre-Tridentine version:

Ave regina coelorum,
Ave, domina angelorum,
Salve radix sancta
Ex qua mundo lux est orta:

Gaude gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa:
Vale, valde decora,
Et pro nobis semper Christum exora.
Et pro nobis Christum exora.

***

Tridentine version:

Ave regina coelorum
Ave, domina angelorum,
Salve radix, salve porta
Ex qua mundo lux est orta:

Gaude virgo gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa:
Vale, o valde decora,
Et pro nobis Christum exora.

Bibliography

Modern editions

[Lassus, 2019]

Lassus, R. de, 2019, Virginalia Eucharistica (1615), Fisher A. J. (éd.), Middleton, Wisconsin.
(n° 114)

References

No information.

Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

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Ave regina caelorum [072], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1388/] (accessed 25 January 2026).

Last modification: Dec. 11, 2025