Salve regina [052]

John Browne

Full title / Other titles

SR052 Salve 5 vv ; Regina 3-5 vv ; Ad te clamamus 3-5 vv ; Virgo mater 3 vv ; O clemens 5 vv ; Virgo clemens/O pia 3-5 vv ; Funde preces/O dulcis Maria, salve 3-5 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

[1] Salve

Polyphonic ensemble SATBX

Tb-C1; M-C2; Ct-C4; T-C5; B-F4. Entire range, F-e’’. No evidence of Salve regina chant. The antiphon Maria ergo unxit,[1] assigned to the Mandatum service on Holy Thursday, serves as a cantus firmus (T) in long-note values for the five-voice sections wherein it appears two times: the first six pitches conclude (mm. 3-7) the introductory “salve” but the remainder of the antiphon coincides with verses 4 through 6; Browne divides the second statement into three segments that, respectively, underscore verse 7 (mm. 105-17), verse 8 (mm. 145-56) and verse 9 (mm. 182-206).[2] Except for brief imitative passages at beginning of selected textual phrases (e.g., “vita dulcedo,” “ad te clamamus” and “salve”), a contrapuntal texture comprised of supple rhythmic gestures prevails. Contrast between the five-voice sections and two-and three-voice segments is characteristic of the antiphon and clearly defines the Virgo mater trope verses that precede the three invocations to Mary (See text and translation below). Verses 1-6 (mm. 104) display triple mensuration whereas duple mensuration characterizes verses 7, 8 and 9 and the intervening trope verses. Editorial text underlay is provided for trope as well as texts “regina…et spes nostra” and “ad te clamamus…Evae.” Final F, b♭ signature.

1. Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawl.liturg.d.4, f. 59. For transcription, see MB, Vol. 10, Appendix 1 No. 6, p. 141.
Maria ergo unxit pedes Jesu et extersit capillis suis: et domus impleta est odore unguenti.
Mary anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped them with her hair, and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. John 12:3

2. Regarding the disposition of the cantus firmus, see Frank ll. Harrison, Music in Medieval Britain, 4th ed., (The Netherlands: Frits Knuf, 1980), 313-4.

3. Virgo mater ecclesiae, / Virgin mother of the church
aeterna porta gloriae, / eternal gate to glory,
esto nobis refugium / be a refuge for us
apud Patrem et Filium. / before the Father and the Son,

O clemens! / O gentle one;

Virgo clemens, virgo pia, / Gentle virgin, virgin holy,
virgo dulcis, O Maria, / O sweet virgin Mary,
exaudi preces omnium / hear the prayers of all
ad te pie clamantium. / Who make their dutiful cry to you,

O pia! / O loving one;

Funde preces tuo nato / Pour out your prayers to your Son,
crucifixo, vulnerato, / crucified, wounded,
et pro nobis flagellato / and scourged for our sake,
spinis puncto, felle potato, / pierced with thorns, given gall to drink.

O dulcis Maria, salve. / O sweet Mary, hail!
[2] Regina

Polyphonic ensemble SATBX

[3] Ad te clamamus

Polyphonic ensemble SATBX

[4] Virgo mater

Polyphonic ensemble

[5] O clemens

Polyphonic ensemble SATBX

[6] Virgo clemens/O pia

Polyphonic ensemble SATBX

[7] Funde preces/O dulcis Maria, salve

Polyphonic ensemble SATBX

Description

External link:
CPDL 21766 and 21767 [Choral Public Domain Library]

Associated people

John Browne - Composer

Creation place and date

No information.

Associated sources

Sung texts

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Salve, regina, mater misericordiae;

Vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae.

Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.

Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens,

O pia,

O dulcis virgo Maria.

Bibliography

Modern editions

No information.

References

No information.

Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

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Salve regina [052], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/2001/] (accessed 21 January 2026).

Last modification: Dec. 1, 2025