Ave regina caelorum [015]

Lodovico Balbi

Full title / Other titles

AC015 Ave regina caelorum 12 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

Ave regina caelorum

Polyphonic ensemble SSSAAATTTBBB

Three contrasting choirs. Chr. I: C-C1; A-C3; T-C4; B-F4. Range, F-d’’. Chr. II: C-C4; A-F3, T-F3; B-F4. Range, F-f’. Chr. III: C-C1; A-C2; T-C3; B-C4. Range, C-d’’. Inclusion of chant (App. 2) is limited to a slight embellishment of initial phrase of antiphon in C of Chr. I (mm. 2-8). Textual phrases are delineated through antiphonal treatment, contrasting texture and tonal goals. Except for the close of the second phrase, “Ave,…angelorum,” (mm. 12-3) where Choir II stands alone, Balbi observes the usual practice of overlapping choirs; indeed, simultaneous choirs often complete vertical harmonies. A homophonic texture prevails relative to single or double choir usage; on the other hand, a tutti section, confined to the final textual statement, “et pro…exora,” (mm. 40-8), embodies a dense texture of independent voices. Except for melismas accompanying “ave” (C & B), “regina” (CATB), and “coelorum” (A) of the initial textual phrase (mm. 1-8), a syllabic text setting in declamatory style of the Pre-Tridentine text prevails. To complement trochaic prosody, “gaude gloriosa,” notated as M, Sm, M, Sm, M, M interprets the inherent textual prosody (long-short) within duple mensuration and homorhythmic style (mm. 21-3).[1] Final F, b♭ signature.

1. The same principle is applied to “gaude gloriosa” in Ave regina caelorum settings by G. Cartari (AC026), G. P. Palestrina (AC098) and O. Vecchi (AC132).

Associated people

Lodovico Balbi - Composer

Creation place and date

No information.

Associated sources

Sung texts

Copied!

Ave, regina caelorum,
Ave, domina angelorum:
Salve, radix, salve, porta,
Ex qua mundo lux est orta:

Gaude, virgo gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa,
Vale, o valde decora,
Et pro nobis Christum exora.

***

Pre-Tridentine version:

Ave regina coelorum,
Ave, domina angelorum,
Salve radix sancta
Ex qua mundo lux est orta:

Gaude gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa:
Vale, valde decora,
Et pro nobis semper Christum exora.
Et pro nobis Christum exora.

***

Tridentine version:

Ave regina coelorum
Ave, domina angelorum,
Salve radix, salve porta
Ex qua mundo lux est orta:

Gaude virgo gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa:
Vale, o valde decora,
Et pro nobis Christum exora.

Bibliography

Modern editions

No information.

References

No information.

Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

Share

Permalink
Copied!

https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1331/

Citation
Copied!

Ave regina caelorum [015], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1331/] (accessed 22 January 2026).

Last modification: Dec. 10, 2025