Alma redemptoris mater [097]

Francesco Stivori

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AR097 Alma redemptoris mater 8 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

Alma redemptoris mater

Polyphonic ensemble SSAATTBB

Two contrasting choirs. Chr. I: C-C1; A-C3; T-C4; B-F4. Entire range, F-d’’. Chr. II: C-C1; A-C3; T-C4; B-F3. Entire range, B♭-d’’. No evidence of chant. Contrasting textures, rhythmic gestures, tonal areas and a variety of antiphonal treatments characterize the antiphon. An imitative, polyphonic texture (Chr. I, T, B, A, C, mm. 1-10) accompanies the initial textual phrase “Alma…mater” followed by a homorhythmic texture concurrent with “quae…manens” (Chr. II, mm. 10-13). There follows a series of short antiphonal interjections and responses primarily consisting of semiminums and fusae (“cadenti” and “surgure qui curat populo,” mm. 16-21). Antiphony involves adjacent textual phrases with the exception of “tuum sanctum genitorem” wherein identical rhythmic gestures unify the passage (mm. 29-32). Overlapping antiphonal statements normally extend for the duration of a minum. Full voice (8 vv) texture articulates “surgere…populo” (mm. 21-3), “virgo prius posterius” (mm. 33-5) and “peccatorum miserere miserere” (mm. 45-50). A unique transition from “qui curat populo” to Tu quae genuisti” involves a series of dominant/tonic progressions (A, D, G, C), of which G and C are coupled with statements of “tu” (Chr. II) anticipating the forthcoming textual phrase in Chr. I. Although the antiphon begins in F (b♭ signature), the work concludes in C; the harmonic progressions of the final four measures (F, B♭, d, A, D, g, C, G, C) suggest a degree of ambiguity regarding the tonal goal.

Associated people

Francesco Stivori - Composer

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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.

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Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

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https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1261/

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Alma redemptoris mater [097], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1261/] (accessed 22 January 2026).

Last modification: Dec. 12, 2025