Alma redemptoris mater [121]

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AR121 Alma redemptoris mater 6 vv ; [2.p.] Tu quae genuisti 6 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

[1] Alma redemptoris mater

Polyphonic ensemble SSATTB

C I-C1; C II-C1; A-C3; T I-C4; T II-C4; B-F4, Bc-F4. No evidence of chant. Textual phrases are delineated through contrast of texture, mensuration, rhythmic gestures and antiphonal treatment. Full voice segments with independent voices (e.g., Alma…mater,” mm. 1-6, and “porta manes,” mm. 10-12) are juxtaposed with antiphonal sections (e.g., “quae pervia coeli,” C I, C II, A versus A, T I, T II, B, mm. 6-10; and “et stella maris,” 4 lower voices versus C I, C II, A, T II, mm. 12-7). A creative example of antiphonal treatment with triple mensuration and homophonic texture concludes 1.p., “surgere…populo,” mm. 23-33: the initial word “surgere” for lower 4 voices (m. 23) followed by alternation of full phrase by C I, C II, A, T II (mm. 24-6) & A, T I, T II, B (mm. 27-9) concluding with full voice segment (mm. 30-3). Pars II opens with rhythmic gestures involving minums and semiminums all treated syllabically. The text “Virgo…ab ore” is scored for upper three voices, C I, C II, A (mm. 42-52). The antiphon concludes with considerable text repetition of “peccatorum miserere” within a dense texture of a variety of melodic/rhythmic motives (mm. 57-75). Final F, b♭ signature; e-flats included in MS.
[2] Tu quae genuisti

Polyphonic ensemble SSATTB

Description

D-Mbs Mus.ms. 8 (dated 1611) opens with an unattributed cycle of the four Marian antiphons (SR326, AR121, AC170, & RC270), all for 6 vv with similar style characteristics, most likely by Giacomo Perlazio (d 1612). The Veronese priest was Vizekapellmeister at the Bavarian court chapel (1609-12) but had been associated with the Munich chapel since 1592. He is reported to have assembled a bound book “mit Magnificat und andern Kirchengesang.” In addition to the four antiphons, D-Mbs Mus.ms. 8 also includes eight Magnificats and 4 additional pieces, all anonymous (Fisher, 2008, ftnt. 67).

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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.

Bibliography

Modern editions

No information.

References

[Celestial sirens and nightingales]

Fisher, A. J., 2008, Celestial sirens and nightingales: Change and assimilation in the Munich anthologies of Georg Victorinus, Journal of seventeenth-century music, 14, https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=bb57fe05-e2d4-3834-a513-3ba4a88b4183 (consulté le 14 novembre 2025).

Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

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Alma redemptoris mater [121], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1285/] (accessed 23 January 2026).

Last modification: Jan. 20, 2026