Regina caeli [115]

Orlande de Lassus

Full title / Other titles

RC115 Regina caeli 7 vv ; [2.p.] Resurrexit 7 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

[1] Regina caeli

Polyphonic ensemble SSAATTB

C I-C1; C II-C1; A I-C3; A II-C3; T I-C4; T II; B-F4. Following chant (App. 3) statements of “regina caeli” in C I (mm. 1-4) and T I (mm. 4-7) the cantus firmus appears in T II (m. 7) in semibreves and breves accompanied by motivic material imitated in various voices. Preceded by the “quia” ascending fifth in all voices, the cantus firmus migrates to T I for the remainder of the 1.p. Chant related to “resurrexit dixit” permeates the texture but a cantus firmus is absent. Imitative entries associated with “ora pro nobis” introduce the cantus firmus in T I; for the double “alleluia” melisma, Lassus repeats the entire texture (mm. 58-62 equal mm. 54-8) concluding with a four-measures coda. Except for the initial measures of each pars, the motet is full voiced. Declamatory style is well defined. Final F, b♭ signature.
[2] Resurrexit

Polyphonic ensemble SSAATTB

Description

This setting “is quite likely one of Lasso’s very last compositions.” Peter Bergquist, Vol. 130, In RRMR, (Middleton, WI: A-R Editions, Inc., 2002), xxi.

Of the 24 Marian antiphon credited to Lassus, this is the only setting for seven voices. Seven-voiced settings of the Marian antiphons are unusual and may represent the BVM and perfection (Elders, 1968 ,pp. 108-20).


External link:
CPDL 52647 [Choral Public Domain Library]

Associated people

Orlande de Lassus - Composer

Creation place and date

No information.

Associated sources

Sung texts

Copied!

Regina caeli laetare, alleluia;
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia,
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

***

The Trope:

Alle Domine nate matris Deus alme nobis confer praestaque vivere:
Quam [quoniam] te decet laus honor O Domine qui de morte surgebas rex pie:
Fac nos tecum surgere, alleluia.

Bibliography

Modern editions

[Lasso, 1894, vol. 19]

Lasso, O. di, 1894, Sämtliche Werke, F. Haberl et A. Sandberger (éd.), Leipzig.
(n° 700-701)

[Lasso, 2002]

Lasso, O. di, 2002, The Complete Motets 19, Bergquist P. (éd.), Madison.
(n° 43)

References

[Studien zur Symbolik in der Musik der alten Niederlander]

Elders, W., 1968, Studien zur Symbolik in der Musik der alten Niederlander: Proefschrift ... Rijksuniversiteit te Utrecht, Bilthoven.
(pp. 108-20)

Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

Share

Permalink
Copied!

https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1664/

Citation
Copied!

Regina caeli [115], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1664/] (accessed 24 January 2026).

Last modification: Nov. 19, 2025