Alma redemptoris mater [085]

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Full title / Other titles

AR085 Alma redemptoris 4 vv ; [2.p.] Tu quae genuisti 4 vv ; [3.p.] sumens illud 4 or 8 vv

Scores

[1] Alma redemptoris

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

Two equal choirs. C-G2; A-C2; T-C3; B-F3. High clefs. Entire range, B♭-f’’. Chant (App. 1) relegated to C (mm. 1-25) where it assumes rhythmic character of other voices within a homorhythmic texture with independent voices. Paired imitation (C/A, T/B, C/A) including chant in C & T introduces “virgo prius” (m. 25-31); chant associated with “peccatorum miserere” permeates the polyphonic texture (mm. 39-47). Antiphony occurs across a lengthy time span: Chr. I, 1st two textual/musical phrases (mm. 1-16); Chr. II, 3rd phrase and a majority of 4th phrase (“virgo…ore”), mm. 17-35; and Chrs. I & II, “sumens…miserere” (mm. 36-47). Final F, b♭ signature.

[2] Tu quae genuisti

Polyphonic ensemble SATB


[3] Sumens illud

Polyphonic ensemble SSAATTBB

Description

The antiphon may be performed by a 4-voice choir or antiphonally by two equal choirs.


External link:
CPDL 34371 [Choral Public Domain Library]

Associated people

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina - Composer

Creation place and date

No information.

Sung texts

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Alma redemptoris mater, quae pervia caeli porta manes
Et stella maris, succurre cadenti surgere qui curat populo:
Tu quae genuisti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum genitorem:
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore sumens illud, Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Bibliography

Modern editions

[Pierluigi da Palestrina's Werke 7]

Palestrina, P. da, 1869, Pierluigi da Palestrina’s Werke, Haberl F. X. et Espagne F. (éd.), Leipzig.
(pp. 73-5)

References

No information.

Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

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Alma redemptoris mater [085], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1249/] (accessed 21 January 2026).

Last modification: Nov. 13, 2025