Schola Summer 2024 Program
Miserere miseris
Medieval Irish chant
Arr. Michael McGlynn (Ireland, b. 1964)
This sequencia (chant to follow the Alleluia of the mass in medieval times) was written down in the 13th/14th century “Dublin Troper” song book. It is a prayer to St. Mary, and reflects the deep roots of Ireland’s monastic communities that date back to the 5th century.
Miserere miseris fons misericordie
Si misera fueris parit aula glorie,
Honor nostri generis,
Archa novi federis,
et aurora gracie.
Have mercy on the suffering, fount of mercy.
You bore the glorious prince in your great mercy.
Greatest of our race,
the new ark of the covenant,
and the dawn of grace.
Ríu, ríu chíu
Anonymous
Traditional 15th century Spanish villancico
Ríu, ríu, chíu is the sound the shepherds made to call in their flock in this anonymous 15th century Spanish villancico (carol).
Ríu, ríu, chiu, la guarda ribera,
Dios guardó del lobo a nuestra cordera.
Muchas profecías lo har profetizado,
Y aún en nuestros días, lo hemos alcançado,
A Dios humanado vemos en el suelo,
Y al hombre en el cielo porque'l lo quisiera.
Mira bien que os cuadre que ansina lo oyera,
Que Dios no pudiera hazerla más madre;
El qu'era su Padre, oy d'ella nasçió,
Y el que la crió, su Hijo se dixera.
Este qu'es nasçido es el gran monarcha,
Christo patriarcha de carne vestido.
Ha nos redimido con se hazer chiquito,
Aunque era infinito, finito se hiziera.
Ríu, ríu, chíu, the riverside guard,
God saved our lamb from the wolf.
Many prophecies have prophesied it,
And even in our days, we have reached it,
We see God incarnate on the ground,
And to the man in heaven because he wanted it.
Take a good look to make sure that he has heard it,
That God could not make her more of a mother;
He who was her father, he was born from her,
And the one who raised her, her Son was said.
This is the birth of the great monarch,
Christo father of flesh dressed.
He has redeemed us by becoming small,
Although he was infinite, he became finite.
Bogoróditse Devo
Sergei Rachmaninoff (Russa, 1873 – 1943)
This Russian version of the Ave Maria was included in Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil that was published just prior to the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. That Revolution outlawed religion in Russia and curtailed its' performance in Rachmaninoff's homeland. This setting is so heavily influenced by the original religious chant that Rachmaninoff called it a "conscious counterfeit."
Богородице Дево, радуйся,
благодатная Марие, Господь с тобою.
Благословена ты в женах,
и благословен плод чрева твоего,
яко Спаса родила еси душ наших.
Mother of God, rejoice
Gracious Mary, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you in women
and bless the fruit of your womb
As a Savior, you gave birth to our souls.
Alma Redemptoris Mater
11th century Gregorian chant
+ Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (Italy, 1525 – 1594)
Herman Contractus (1013 – 1054), a Benedictine monk on the monastic island of Reichenau Island in the Rhein River (on boundary of Germany and Switzerland) composed this prayer in the 11th century.
Since then Alma redemptoris mater has been the last Gregorian chant sung at the close of the day in monasteries during Christmastide.
Schola also sings a polyphonic setting of this chant by Italy's Palestrina. Palestrina is considered the créme de la créme of Renaissance polyphonic sacred musicians. Palestrina composed this polyphonic setting of Alma Redemptoris Mater in 1584 while at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This composition would have been the last sounds the Pope heard at the end of in the day in the Sistine Chapel during Christmastide.
Alma Redemptoris Mater,
quae pervia caeli porta manes, et stella maris,
succurre cadenti surgere qui curat populo:
Tu quae genuisti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem:
Virgo prius ac posterius,
Gabrielis ab ore sumens illud Ave,
peccatorum miserere.
Loving mother of the redeemer –
you are an open gate to heaven and Star of the Sea:
help a fallen people who want to rise again.
You, who gave birth to your holy creator, with nature in awe,
a virgin before and after hearing that “Ave” from the mouth of Gabriel,
have mercy on us sinners.
(translation Fr. Joe Vanderholt, S.J.)
Interior of the 7th century monastic church on Reichenau Island. (Photo Wikipedia)
Ave Maris Stella
Esteban Salas y Castro (Cuba, 1725 - 1803)
Salas' music in considered baroque. Although Europe had moved on to the classical period by this time, the slower travel of musicians and their music from the Iberian peninsula (Spain) to New Spain delayed the arrival of classical style music to the Américas.
Salas mixed the 6th century Ave Maris Stella Gregorian chant with "new" baroque sounds. This chant has been a part of Vespers dedicated to St. Mary for more than 15 centuries.
1. Ave maris stella,
Dei Mater alma,
atque semper Virgo,
felix caeli porta.
Hail, Star of the Sea (Mary etymology),
loving Mother of God,
and Virgin immortal,
heaven's blissful portal.
2. Sumens illud Ave
Gabrielis ore,
funda nos in pace,
mutans Hevae nomen.
Receiving that "ave"
from the mouth of Gabriel,
establish us in peace,
reversing the name of Eva.
3. Solve vincla reis,
profer lumen caecis:
mala nostra pelle,
bona cuncta posce.
Break the chains of sinners,
bring light to the blind:
drive away our evils,
and ask for all good things.
4. Monstra t(e) esse matrem:
sumat per te preces,
qui pro nobis natus,
tulit esse tuus.
Show yourself to be a mother,
that, through you, he may accept our prayers.
He who, born for us,
chose to be your son.
5. Virgo singularis,
inter omnes mitis,
nos culpis solutos,
mites fac et castos.
Virgin incomparable,
meek above all other,
mac us, freed from our faults,
meek and chaste.
6. Vitam praesta puram,
iter para tutum:
ut videntes Iesum,
semper collaetemur.
Keep our life pure,
make our journey safe,
so that seeing Jesus,
we may rejoice together forever.
7. Sit laus Deo Patri,
summo Christo decus,
spiritui Sancto,
tribus honor unus.
Amen.
Let there be praise to God the Father,
and glory to Christ the most high,
and to the Holy Spirit,
and to the Three be on e honor.
So be it.
Mañanitas a la Virgen de Guadalupe
Trad. of the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
Las Mañanitas a la Virgen de Guadalupe is the traditional song of the ‘Patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe.’ Las Mañanitas is our song of greeting to 'her,' where we celebrate Juan Diego’s encounter with the Virgin Mary in 1531, greeting her as 'Guadalupana'. The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on December 12.
1.
Oh Virgen, la más Hermosa del Valle del Anáhuac,
tus hijos muy de mañana te vienen a saludar.
O Virgin, the most beautiful of the Valley of Anahuac,
your children come to greet you very early in the morning.
Estribillo
Despierta, Madre, despierta, mira que ya amaneció,
mira este ramo de flores que para ti traigo yo.
Refrain
Wake up, Mother, wake up, look at the dawn,
look at this bouquet that I bring to you.
2.
Recibe, Madre querida, nuestra felicitación,
hoy por ser el día tan grande de tu tierna aparición.
Receive, dear Mother, our congratulations,
For today being the great day of your tender appearance.
3.
Recibe, Madre querida, nuestra felicitación;
míranos aquí postrados y danos tu bendición.
Receive, dear Mother, our congratulations;
see at us here prostrate and give us your blessing.
4.
Tú brillaste, Virgen Santa, como estrella matinal,
anunciando la alborada que iba pronto a comenzar.
You shone, Holy Virgin, as the morning star,
announcing the dawn that was soon to begin.
5.
Ya viene alborando el día, qué linda está la mañana,
saludemos a María: buenos días, Guadalupana.
El cerro del Tepeyac escogiste por morada,
por eso te saludamos, buenos días, Guadalupana.
Ya viene amaneciendo, ya la luz del día nos dio,
levántate, Virgencita, mira que ya amaneció.
The day is already dawning, how beautiful the morning is,
Let’s say hello to Mary. ‘God morning Guadalupana!’
You chose the Tepeyac hill as your home,
so we greet you; Good morning, Guadalupana!
Dawn is coming, and the light of day is upon us.
Get up, little Virgin, look and see that it is already dawn!
Ave Maria, Gregorian Chant (14th century)
The “Ave Maria” first existed as a Gregorian chant, or plain chant, derived from the French plein chant, meaning “full singing.” This plein chant prayer is full of the sounds of medieval Europe, praying their intercession to Mary.
Ave Maria, Tomás Luis de Victoria (Spain, 1548-1611)
This polyphonic setting of Ave Maria is attributed to Spain’s 16th century Tomás Luis de Victoria.
Maria Matrem
Text from Alma Redemptoris Mater, 13th century
Michael McGlynn (Ireland, b.1964)
Mariam Matrem Virginem,
natura mirante, tu quæ genuisiti.
Ave peccatorum miserere.
Mary, the Virgin Mother,
You, who gave birth to your holy creator, with nature in awe
(after hearing that) “Ave” (from the mouth of Gabriel),
have mercy on us sinners.
Salve Regina
11th century Gregorian chant
The author Salve Regina is unknown, but the strongest candidate seems to be Adhemar de Monteil (died 1098), bishop of Le Puy-en-Velay, who is said to have composed it for a processional chant for the Crusades. Indeed there are 12th century references to the Salve Regina as the "Antiphon of Puy"!
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ:
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevæ.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Hail, O Queen, Mother of mercy;
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope: hail!
To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To you we send up our signs,
groaning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos,
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
Hasten therefore, our Advocate,
and turn your merciful eyes toward us.
And show us Jesus, the blessed fruit
of your womb, after this exile.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
O merciful, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Ave Maria…Virgo Serena
Josquin des Prez (Franco-Flemish, Condé-sur-l'Escaut, France, c.1450 – 1521)
des Prez published this wonderful piece that speaks to the five important milestones of St. Mary's life. The text starts with the well known Ave Maria (Hail Mary…), then employs a medieval poem telling of St. Mary's life, and ends with a personal petition of des Prez, praying to St. Mary asking her to remember him.
Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum,
Virgo serena.
Salutation
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord be with you,
serene (gentle) Virgin.
1. Conceptio
Ave cujus conceptio,
solemni plena gaudio
cœlestia, terrestria,
Nova replet lætitia.
Conception – December 8 (Mary’s freedom from original sin)
Hail whose conception,
solemnly filled with joy,
Heaven and earth
are filled with happiness of this news.
2. Nativitas
Ave cujus nativitas
nostra fuit solemnitas,
Ut lucifer lux oriens,
verum solem præveniens.
Nativity – September 8 (birth of Mary – 9 months after Conception)
Hail whose birth
was our solemn celebration,
as the light-bringer (Morning Star) from the east,
foretelling the coming of the true sun.
3. Annunciatio
Ave pia humilitas,
sine viro fœcunditas,
cujus annunciatio
nostra fui salvatio.
Annunciation – March 25 (9 months before Christmas)
Hail pious humility,
created without a man
whose announcement
was our salvation.
4. Purificatio
Ave vera virginitas,
immaculata castitas,
cujus purificatio
nostra fuit purgatio.
Purification – February 2 (40 days after Christmas…)
Hail true virginity,
immaculate chastity
whose purification
was our purification (cleansing).
5. Assumptio
Ave præclara omnibus
Angelicis virtutibus,
cujus fuit assumptio
nostra glorificatio.
Assumption – August 15 (body & soul of Mary assumed to heaven)
Hail to you most glorious
Angelic virtues
whose assumption was
our glorification (unjustifiably admirable).
O Mater Dei,
Memento mei.
Amen.
Petition
O Mother of God,
remember me.
And so it shall be. 
Opening line of Ave Maria…Virgo Serena
Lullay My Liking
Gustav Holst
Lullay My Liking is a 15th century middle English poem. It frames an encounter of the nativity
where the Virgin Mary sings this song to the infant Christ. Although it was originally intended
to be sung, no manuscript survives. This musical setting was composed during World War I
by Gustav Holst (1916) for a Whitsun (Pentecost) festival in the 4th century town of Thaxted,
England.
Chorus
Lullay my liking,
My dear son, my sweeting;
Lullay my dear heart,
Mine own dear darling
1.
I saw a fair maiden
Sitten and sing:
She lulléd a little child,
A sweeté lording.
Chorus:
2.
That eternal lord is he
That made allé thing;
Of allé lordés he is Lord
Of allé kinges King.
Chorus:
3.
There was mickle melody
At that childés birth:
Though the songsters were heavenly
They madé mickle mirth.
Chorus:
4.
Angels bright they sang that night
And saiden to that child,
"Blessed be thou and so be she
That is both meek and mild."
Chorus:
5.
Pray we now to that child,
And to his mother dear,
God grant them all his blessing
That now maken cheer.
Chorus:
Ave Maris Stella
Guillaume Du Fay (Franco-Flemish, 1397 – 1474)
DuFay mixed the 6th century Ave Maris Stella Gregorian chant with "new" ancient medieval sounds. This chant has been a part of Vespers dedicated to St. Mary for more than 15 centuries.
1. Ave maris stella,
Dei Mater alma,
atque semper Virgo,
felix caeli porta.
Hail, Star of the Sea (Mary etymology),
loving Mother of God,
and Virgin immortal,
heaven's blissful portal.
2. Sumens illud Ave
Gabrielis ore,
funda nos in pace,
mutans Hevae nomen.
Receiving that "ave"
from the mouth of Gabriel,
establish us in peace,
reversing the name of Eva.
3. Solve vincla reis,
profer lumen caecis:
mala nostra pelle,
bona cuncta posce.
Break the chains of sinners,
bring light to the blind:
drive away our evils,
and ask for all good things.
4. Monstra t(e) esse matrem:
sumat per te preces,
qui pro nobis natus,
tulit esse tuus.
Show yourself to be a mother,
that, through you, he may accept our prayers.
He who, born for us,
chose to be your son.
5. Virgo singularis,
inter omnes mitis,
nos culpis solutos,
mites fac et castos.
Virgin incomparable,
meek above all other,
mac us, freed from our faults,
meek and chaste.
6. Vitam praesta puram,
iter para tutum:
ut videntes Iesum,
semper collaetemur.
Keep our life pure,
make our journey safe,
so that seeing Jesus,
we may rejoice together forever.
7. Sit laus Deo Patri,
summo Christo decus,
spiritui Sancto,
tribus honor unus.
Amen.
Let there be praise to God the Father,
and glory to Christ the most high,
and to the Holy Spirit,
and to the Three be on e honor.
So be it.
Pie Jesu, Arr. Michael McGlynn (Ireland, b. 1964)
This calming text is the last line of the Requiem Mass' sequence (the Dies Iræ).
Ireland's Michael McGlynn set this ancient sacred text to music following the 1998 Northern Ireland Omagh bombing.
Pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem.
Merciful Jesus, grant them eternal rest.
Angelus Domini
Franz Xaver Biebl (Germany, 1906 – 2001)
The praying of the “Angelus” originated in 11th century Europe. As the bells rang in monasteries at dawn, noon and dusk, the custom of chanting the Ave Maria, interspersed with scripture passages, took hold. Biebl composed this setting of the Angelus in 1964 at the request of a choir of firemen in the Fürstenfeldbruck parish near Munich, Germany.
[℣.] Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ;
[℟.] Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.
[℣.] The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary
[℟.] And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[℣.] Ecce ancilla Domini.
[℟.] Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
[℣.] Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
[℟.] Be it done unto me according to your word.
Ave Maria…
[℣.] Et Verbum caro factum est. (In actual practice, here all bow reverently or genuflect.)
[℟.] Et habitavit in nobis.
[℣.] And the Word was made Flesh.
[℟.] And dwelt among us.
Ave Maria…
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death.
And so it shall be.
Jean-Francois Millet (France, 1814-1875). Millet said of his painting; "The idea for The Angelus came to me because I remembered that my grandmother, hearing the church bell ringing while we were working in the fields, always made us stop work to say the Angelus prayer for the poor departed."
Summer 2024 Schola singers
Anna George - alto/percussion
Denise Moore - soprano
Jackie Mattos - alto/soprano
Siri Sanchez - alto
Lucinda Sydow - alto/soprano/trumpet
Susan Roller Whittington - alto
Maestro Billy Turney - baritone/accordion