Salve regina [055]

William Byrd

Full title / Other titles

SR055 1.p. Salve regina 4 vv ; 2.p. Eia ergo 4 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

[1] Salve regina

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

S-C1; M-C3; T-C4; B-F4. No evidence of chant. Textual phrases are delineated through contrast of texture, motivic material, expressive use of pitch inflection and spatial perspective. A seventeen-measure three-voice texture (S, M, T) devoted to verses 1 and 2 opens the 1.p.; similarly, the 2.p. begins with an eighteen-measure passage but for the lower three voices. The symmetrical construction continues with full-voice sections in contrasting homorhythmic style to emphasize “ad te clamamus” in 1.p. and “et Jesum” in 2.p. A singular example of paired imitation (S/M and T/B) sets apart “nobis post hoc exilium.” Lower and upper half-step inflections eloquently express the textual phrases “gementes et flentes” and “O dulcis virgo Maria.” Declamatory text setting prevails. Final g.
[2] Eia ergo

Polyphonic ensemble SATB

Description

External link:
CPDL 18094 [Choral Public Domain Library]

Associated people

William Byrd - 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

[The Byrd edition. 6b]

Byrd, W., 1993, The Byrd edition. 6b: Gradualia I: (1605); other feasts and devotions, Brett P. (éd.), London.
(n° 4)

[The collected vocal works of William Byrd V]

Byrd, W., 1938, The Collected Vocal Works of William Byrd / Vol. 5, Gradualia (1605) (Parts Ii and Iii), Fellowes E. H. (éd.), London.
(n° 12)

[Tudor church music VII]

Byrd, W., 1927, William Byrd 1543-1623: Gradualia, Books I and II, London ; New York.
(pp. 151-5)

References

No information.

Contributors

Harry Elzinga - Project manager ; Scientific editor

Ailin Arjmand - Collaborative work

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Salve regina [055], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/2004/] (accessed 21 January 2026).

Last modification: Dec. 1, 2025