Salve regina [139]

Orlande de Lassus

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SR139 Salve regina 4 vv ; [2.p.] Vita dulcedo, 4 vv ; [3.p.] Ad te clamamus 4 vv ; [4.p.] Ad te suspiramus 4 vv ; [5.p.] Eya ergo 4 vv ; [6.p.] Et Jesum 4 vv ; [7.p.] benedictum 3 vv ; [8.p.] O clemens 4 vv ; [9.p.] O pia 4 vv ; [10.p.] O dulcis virgo mater Maria 4 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

[1] Salve regina

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

C-G2; A-C2; T-C3; B-C4. High clefs. Entire range, B♭-g’’. Chant (App. 4) usually presented in T as semibreves and breves also appears in anticipatory statements (e.g., “salve regina,” C and B, mm. 1-12), or in imitative passages where it permeates the texture. Paired imitation introduces verse 5, “Eia ergo,” with plainsong in the upper voices (C and T) and initial pitches of lower voices (A and B); chant pervades the passage (“advocata, ” mm. 90-4) that immediately follows. On the other hand, “Et Jesum,” a textual phrase normally accompanied by the appropriate chant motive, is devoid of chant; the remaining text of verse 6 (7.p.), cast as a “Trio” and presumably performed by solo singers, is replete with chant. Identical music is used for verses 7 and 8, “O clemens” and “O pia.” Declamatory text setting prevails. The word “mater” is omitted in verse1 but inserted in verse 9 (”O dulcis virgo mater Maria”). Final g, b♭ signature.
[2] Vita dulcedo,

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

[3] Ad te clamamus

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

[4] Ad te suspiramus

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

[5] Eya ergo

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

[6] Et Jesum

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

[7] Benedictum

Polyphonic ensemble

[8] O clemens

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

[9] O pia

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

[10] O dulcis virgo mater Maria

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

Description

Of the 24 Marian antiphons composed by Orlande de Lassus, Salve regina was most frequently set with eight different versions. The prominence of Salve regina as well as the other Marian antiphons may reflect fervid devotion to the BMV at the court of Wilhelm V, but also the influence of Wilhelm’s wife, Renata, who in 1575 established a tradition of performing a polyphonic setting of Salve regina after Compline. Alexander Heinzel, “Orlando di Lasso und die Münchner Salve-Regina-Tradition,” Musik in Bayern 55 (1998): 143-8. Quoted in RRMR 141, p. xvi. Furthermore, in 1581 Walram Tumler, an emissary from the Munich court to Rome, recommended the reinstatement of the antiphons for Vespers at the court of Wilhelm V.

In this first volume of Berg’s series of 12 choirbooks containing sacred music published between 1573 and 1598, Lasso’s 21 motets were all first editions. This “Salve regina” is Lasso’s earliest setting of any of the four Marian antiphons. RRMR 120, xiii and xvii.


External link:
CPDL 30785 [Choral Public Domain Library]

Associated people

Orlande de Lassus - Composer

Creation place and date

No information.

Associated sources

Sung texts

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Salve, regina, mater misericordiae;

Vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae.

Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.

Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens,

O pia,

O dulcis virgo Maria.

Bibliography

Modern editions

[Lasso, 2000]

Lasso, O. di, 2000, The Complete Motets, Bergquist P. (éd.), Madison.
(n° 2)

References

No information.

Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

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Salve regina [139], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/2088/] (accessed 26 January 2026).

Last modification: Dec. 2, 2025