Salve regina [173]

Jean Molinet

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SR173 Vita dulcedo 5 vv ; [2.p.] Ad te suspiramus 4 vv ; [3.p.] Et Jesum 5 vv ; [4.p.] O pia 5 vv

Type

Motet

Scores

[1] Vita dulcedo

Polyphonic ensemble

[D I]-C1 (1.p., 2.p., 3.p.), G-2 (4.p.); D II-C2; Ct-C4; T-C4; B-F4. Entire range, D-f’’. Alternatim setting. A slightly ornamented “vita” (“salve”) motto permeates full-voice, contrapuntal texture (mm. 1-4); for the remainder of the setting, chant (App. 4)[1] is primarily assigned to T usually in semibreves (“Et Jesum” motive appears in Ct as breves). An equally significant unifying device involves the Dutch liedeken, O werde mont, that serves as a cantus firmus in D II; Salve regina and liedeken melodies share mode 1 and principal pitches a and d. The A section of the melody is stated in pars 1, the B section in pars 2, the complete melody with a repeat of initial pitches of final phrase (mm. 71-82) in pars 3 and the first phrase of model in pars 4. The author of the text describes the physical features of his beloved and urges her to keep her promise to marry him. Text underlay is of minimal concern and particularly awkward in D II. Final d (1.p., 2.p., 3.p.), a (4.p.).

1. The source for the chant is most likely Cambrai, Médiathèque Municipale, XVI C 4 (ca. 1508-18), ff. 227v-8, or an antiphonary with a similar disposition of the plainsong.

2. K. Vellekoop, en H. Wagenaar-Nolthenius, Het Antwerps Liedboek: 87 melodieën op teksten uit “Een Schoon Liedekens-Boeck van 1544, 2 vols., (Amsterdam: Vereniging voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis, 1975). The transcription of O werde mont, No. 63, consists of quarter-notes and eighth-notes (the latter for melismas) without a mensuration symbol. On the other hand, the melodic and rhythmic content of O werde mont, as well as its disposition in SR173 complements the anonymous Salve regina setting, SR331. A four-voice Ough waarder mount in LonBM 31922 includes the Dutch liedeken in the upper voice with remarkably similar melodic and rhythmic content of the two Salve reginas. Music at the Court of Henry VIII, Edited by John Stevens, MB 18, (London: Stainer and Bell Ltd., 1962), No. 42.

O werde mont / O dear mouth
Ghi maect ghesont / You make the bottom
Mijns herten gront / Of my heart healthy
Tot alder stont. / In every hour.
Als ick bi u mach wesen, / If I may be with you,
So ben ick al genesen. / I am already feeling better.

Mer tscheyden quaet / But taking leave
Van tfier gelaet / Of your proud face
Maect me disperaet; / Make me desperate;
Ten baet gheenen raet; / I do not know what to do;
Wilt si mi nu begheven, / If you you come to me now,
Van vruechden moet ic sneven. / I will faint from joy.

Haer schoon ghelu hayr, / Her beautiful yellow hair,
Haer oochskens clear / Her clear eyes
Brenghen mi in vaer, / Make me fear
Nu hier, nu daer, / Here and now
Dat ic sesoude verliesen, / That I would lose [her],
Oft si een ander soude kiesen. / Or she would choose an other.

Haer lippekens root, / Her red lips
Haer borstkens bloot, / Her bare breasts
Al sonder ghenoot, / Without a lover
Maken mi vroecht groot. / Make me wanting more
Al sic bi haer mach rusten / If I may rest with her
Boete ic mijns herten lusten. / It will still my heart’s demands.

Schoon life, doet wel / Beautiful lover, be good,
Enbe kiest neimant el, / And choose no one else
In narst, in spel! / In earnest, in play.
Doet mijn bevel / That is my order
Ende hout gelofte in trouwen / Hold your promise in marriage
Het en sal u niet berouwen. / And you will not regret.

Translation by Nathalie Vanbellenberghe
[2] Ad te suspiramus

Polyphonic ensemble

[3] Et Jesum

Polyphonic ensemble

[4] O pia

Polyphonic ensemble

Associated people

Jean Molinet - 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 [173], in RicercarDataLab [https://ricercardatalab.cesr.univ-tours.fr/works/2122/] (accessed 20 January 2026).

Last modification: Dec. 2, 2025