Description

SATB setting of a 13th-century macaronic Marian song in Latin and Middle English. Ideal for performance at Christmas, this dramatic, folk-like setting evokes medieval organum and English folksong within a contemporary harmonic context. It is suitable for mixed choirs of all ability levels and can be learned aurally (with a bit of practice to memorise the words) or from notation. The piece is available in two arrangements: for a cappella choir, or choir and orchestra.

The Crucial Info

Forces: SATB (also available with orchestral accompaniment)
Duration: c. 5′
Text: London, British Library Egerton 613, f. 2r1
Date of composition: 2019
Premiere: SO Vocal (dir. Ula Weber) and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (cond. Simon Halsey), Birmingham Symphony Hall, 2019
Midi demo (no-one likes midi, but it’s better than nothing!): coming soon

Of on that is so fayr and bricht,    Velud maris stella, Brichter than the dayes licht,    Parens et puella: Ic crye to thé thu sé to mé, Levedy, preye thi Sone for mé,    Tam pia, That ic mote come to thé,    Maria.	Of one that is so fair and bright,    Like the star of the sea, Brighter than the daylight,    Both mother and maiden: I cry to you to look upon me, Lady, implore your Son for me,    In humble penitence, That I might come to you,    Mary.
Of care conseil thu ert best;    Felix fecundata. Of alle weri thu ert rest,    Mater honorata. Bisek him with milde mod, That for us alle shed is blod    In cruce. That wé mote come til Him,    In luce.	In sorrow you are the best counsellor;    Good fortune in abundance. For all the weary you are rest,    Honoured mother on high. Beseech him with mildest mood, That for us all shed His blood    On the cross. That we may come to Him    Into the light.
Al this world was forlor    Eva peccatrice, Til our lord i was ibore     De te genitrice. With Ave it went away, Thester nicht and comet the day    Salutis; The welle springet ut of thé,    Virtutis.	All this world was forlorn    Because of Eve’s sin, Till our Lord was born    Through you, his mother. With Ave it went away, Darkest night and comes the day    Of salvation; The well springs out of you,    Of virtue.
Levedi flour of alle thing,    Rosa sine spina, Thu bere Jesu, hevene king,    Gratia divina. Of alle thu berst the pris, Levedi quen of parais    Electa, Mayde milde moder    Es effecta.	Lady, flower of everything,    Rose without thorn, You bore Jesus, heaven’s king,    By divine grace. Above all, you bear the prize, Lady, queen of paradise    Chosen, Maiden mild, mother You are made

Middle English pronunciation: is the same as in Modern English, except: <a> = /a/ (‘a’ as in Spanish ‘casa’), not /ɑ/ (‘a’ as in Mod. Eng. ‘father’); <i> = /i/ (‘ee’ as in ‘see’); <é> = /e/ (‘é’ as in French ‘santé’); <o> = /ɒ/ (‘o’ as in ‘got’) or /ɔ/ (‘ou’ as in ‘pour’), not /u/ (‘oo’ as in ‘too’); <ou> = /u/ (‘oo’ as in ‘boot’), not /aʊ/ (‘ou’ as in Mod. Eng. ‘out’); <ay> = /aɪ/ (‘ie’ as in ‘die’); <ch> = /x/ (‘ch’ as in Scottish ‘loch’); <c> = /ʧ/ (‘tch’ as in ‘catch’).

Latin pronunciation: is the same as Ecclesiastical Latin, except: <c> = /ʦ/ (‘ts’ as in ‘cats’) or /k/ (‘k’ as in ‘king’), not /ʧ/ (‘tch’ as in ‘catch’).

Please contact Stef for more information and/or a license to perform this piece.