Regina caeli [061]

Andreas de Silva

Full title / Other titles

RC061 Regina caeli 6 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

Regina caeli

Polyphonic ensemble STBX

S-C1; T-C3; Ct I-C4; B I-F4. Range of 5 lower voices, F-a’. The S and Ct II carry the chant (App. 3) in canon at the octave and distance of 2 breves. A simultaneous canon at the octave between T and B II acts as a counterpoint to the cantus firmus in S and Ct II. The motive attached to “alleluia” (mm. 38-43) in the second canon anticipates the entrance of “resurrexit” (m. 43). De Silva creatively treats the double phrase in the final “alleluia” by dividing the melisma into three segments separated by rests and repeating the entire texture for the second phrase. To unify the motet a motive stated twice at the beginning in Ct I recurs with the concluding “alleluia” (m. 92) of B I; a motive attached to “regina caeli” in B I (mm. 1-5) also appears in B and T III of Moulu’s Regina caeli (RC148). A syllabic text setting prevails. Final F, b♭ signature.

Description

De Silva’s Regina caeli, one of seventeen Marian antiphons included in Pierre Attaingnant’s print of 1535, was intended for use at Salve services in honor of the Virgin. Pierre Attaingnant’s print (1535|4) consists entirely of seventeen settings of three Marian antiphons, (2 Ave regina caelorum, 8 Regina caeli and 7 Salve regina). As its title indicates (“musicales ad virginem christiparam salutationes”), Attaingnant compiled these works for use at Salve services in honor of the Virgin. The seventeen antiphons, attributed to French and Franco-Flemish composers, include the respective chant quotations, often paraphrased, within an imitative, polyphonic texture. Only two of the antiphons had been published prior to Attaingnant’s Lib. Duodecimus: Josquin’s 5-voice Salve regina (SR128) and J. Richafort’s 5-voice Salve regina (SR230). Willaert’s 5-voice Regina caeli (RC222) first appeared in 1535|4, but was also published in subsequent printed editions. The remainder of the antiphons are available only in Attaingnant’s publication: M. Sohier, AC122; M. Georget, AC052; M. Sohier, SR237; M. Sohier, RC199; P. Moulu, RC148; J. Rousée, RC195; Gombert, RC090; P. Vermont, RC209; F. Bourguignon, RC035; A. De Silva, RC061; C. de Sermisy, SR236; J. Conseil, SR066; J. Lhéritier, SR148; and H. Barra, SR034.

Associated people

Andreas de Silva - Composer

Creation place and date

No information.

Sung texts

Copied!

Regina caeli laetare, alleluia;
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia,
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

***

The Trope:

Alle Domine nate matris Deus alme nobis confer praestaque vivere:
Quam [quoniam] te decet laus honor O Domine qui de morte surgebas rex pie:
Fac nos tecum surgere, alleluia.

Bibliography

Modern editions

[CMM 49 - II]

De Silva, A., 1971, ANDREAS DE SILVA Opera Omnia, Rome.
(p. 7)

[Smijers, 1934]

Smijers, A. (éd.), 1934, Treize Livres de Motets Parus Chez Pierre Attaingnant En 1534 et 1535, Paris and Monaco.
(n° 11)

References

No information.

Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

Share

Permalink
Copied!

https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1610/

Citation
Copied!

Regina caeli [061], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/1610/] (accessed 20 January 2026).

Last modification: Nov. 19, 2025