Motetti de la Corona (2020)
Title page from Petrucci's 1514 edition.
5 movements; SATB a cappella choir; ca. 13 min.
The composer writes: When the word “corona” entered daily use in the year 2020, I recalled the Motetti de la Corona: a book of popular motets published by Ottaviano Petrucci in Italy, in 1514. The volume contained part-songs with sacred texts in Latin, written by the leading composers of the day, including Josquin, Mouton, De Févin and others. The publication was popular, and Petrucci went on to publish another four books of motets under the same name.
Three of my own Motetti de la Corona are settings of texts excerpted from Petrucci’s publication: “Ecce Maria,” “Christum ducem” and “Sancta Trinitas.” The “Ave Maria” draws on the Book of St. Luke for its text. And “De profundis” (Psalm 129 or 130, depending on the numbering system used) has been set to music by many composers, from Josquin to Pärt. Its cry for help seemed an appropriate response to a time of global pandemic.
WATCH & LISTEN ...
Score available from:
TEXTS
I:
Ecce Maria genuit nobis Salvatorem.
Quem Joannes videns exclamavit dicens:
Ecce Agnus Dei, qui tollit peccata mundi.
Alleluia.
II:
Christum ducem, qui per crucem
nos redemit ab hostibus,
laudet cantus noster laetus,
exsultet coelum laudibus.
Poena fortis tuae mortis,
et sanguinis effusio,
corda terant ut te quaerant
Jesu nostra redemptio.
Per felices cicatrices,
sputa, flagella, verbera,
nobis grata, sunt collata
aeterna Christi munera.
Nostrum tangat cor, ne plangat,
tuorum sanguis vulnerum,
in quo toti sumus loti,
conditor alme siderum.
Passionis tuae donis
Salvator nos inebria,
qua fidelis dare velis,
beata nobis gaudia.
Amen.
III:
Sancta Trinitas unus Deus, miserere nobis.
Te invocamus,
Te adoramus,
Te laudamus,
Te glorificamus.
O beata Trinitas sit nomen Domini Benedictus,
ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum.
IV:
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum;
Quae est ista salutatio?
Ne timeas Maria, invenisti enim gratiam apud Deum,
ecce concipies in utero et paries Filium Dei.
Quomodo fiet istud? Quoniam virum non conosco.
Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi.
Ecce ancilla Domini: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
Dabit illi Dominus Deus sedem David patris eius et regnabit in Domo Iacob in aeternum,
et regni eius non erit finis.
Alleluia.
V:
De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine;
Domine, exaudi vocem meam.
Fiant aures tuae intendentes in vocem deprecationis meae.
Si iniquitates observabis, Domine: Domine, quis sustinebit?
Quia apud te propitiatio est; et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine.
Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus:
peravit anima mea in Domino.
A custodia matutina usque ad noctem,
speret Israël in Domino.
Quia apud Dominum misericordia, et copiosa apud eum redemptio.
Et ipse redimet Israël ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus.
TRANSLATIONS
I:
Behold, Mary bore the Saviour for us.
When John saw this, he exclaimed:
Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Alleluia.
II:
Christ who, through the cross
redeemed us from our enemy,
let our joyful songs of praise
fill the skies.
Let the pain of his death
and the shedding of his blood
lead our humbled hearts to seek him,
Jesus our redeemer.
Through his blessed wounds,
through spitting, whips and floggings,
may we be joyful and purified,
joined with Christ through his eternal gifts.
May our hearts mourn,
the blood of his wounds,
let us rejoice
in the creator’s constellations.
The passion of the savior’s gifts
intoxicates us;
may he grant the faithful
the gift of blessed joy.
Amen.
III:
Holy Trinity, the one God, have mercy upon us.
We beseech you,
we adore you,
we praise you,
we glorify you.
Blessed Trinity is the name of the Lord,
Now and forever.
IV:
Hail Mary, you who are highly favoured, the Lord is with you.
What manner of salutation is this?
Fear not, Mary: for you have found favour with God.
And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth the Son of God.
How shall this be, as I know not a man?
The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word.
And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
V:
Out of the depths have I cried unto you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice: let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word do I hope.
My soul waits for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning.
Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
The composer writes: When the word “corona” entered daily use in the year 2020, I recalled the Motetti de la Corona: a book of popular motets published by Ottaviano Petrucci in Italy, in 1514. The volume contained part-songs with sacred texts in Latin, written by the leading composers of the day, including Josquin, Mouton, De Févin and others. The publication was popular, and Petrucci went on to publish another four books of motets under the same name.
Three of my own Motetti de la Corona are settings of texts excerpted from Petrucci’s publication: “Ecce Maria,” “Christum ducem” and “Sancta Trinitas.” The “Ave Maria” draws on the Book of St. Luke for its text. And “De profundis” (Psalm 129 or 130, depending on the numbering system used) has been set to music by many composers, from Josquin to Pärt. Its cry for help seemed an appropriate response to a time of global pandemic.
WATCH & LISTEN ...
Score available from:
TEXTS
I:
Ecce Maria genuit nobis Salvatorem.
Quem Joannes videns exclamavit dicens:
Ecce Agnus Dei, qui tollit peccata mundi.
Alleluia.
II:
Christum ducem, qui per crucem
nos redemit ab hostibus,
laudet cantus noster laetus,
exsultet coelum laudibus.
Poena fortis tuae mortis,
et sanguinis effusio,
corda terant ut te quaerant
Jesu nostra redemptio.
Per felices cicatrices,
sputa, flagella, verbera,
nobis grata, sunt collata
aeterna Christi munera.
Nostrum tangat cor, ne plangat,
tuorum sanguis vulnerum,
in quo toti sumus loti,
conditor alme siderum.
Passionis tuae donis
Salvator nos inebria,
qua fidelis dare velis,
beata nobis gaudia.
Amen.
III:
Sancta Trinitas unus Deus, miserere nobis.
Te invocamus,
Te adoramus,
Te laudamus,
Te glorificamus.
O beata Trinitas sit nomen Domini Benedictus,
ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum.
IV:
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum;
Quae est ista salutatio?
Ne timeas Maria, invenisti enim gratiam apud Deum,
ecce concipies in utero et paries Filium Dei.
Quomodo fiet istud? Quoniam virum non conosco.
Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi.
Ecce ancilla Domini: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
Dabit illi Dominus Deus sedem David patris eius et regnabit in Domo Iacob in aeternum,
et regni eius non erit finis.
Alleluia.
V:
De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine;
Domine, exaudi vocem meam.
Fiant aures tuae intendentes in vocem deprecationis meae.
Si iniquitates observabis, Domine: Domine, quis sustinebit?
Quia apud te propitiatio est; et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine.
Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus:
peravit anima mea in Domino.
A custodia matutina usque ad noctem,
speret Israël in Domino.
Quia apud Dominum misericordia, et copiosa apud eum redemptio.
Et ipse redimet Israël ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus.
TRANSLATIONS
I:
Behold, Mary bore the Saviour for us.
When John saw this, he exclaimed:
Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Alleluia.
II:
Christ who, through the cross
redeemed us from our enemy,
let our joyful songs of praise
fill the skies.
Let the pain of his death
and the shedding of his blood
lead our humbled hearts to seek him,
Jesus our redeemer.
Through his blessed wounds,
through spitting, whips and floggings,
may we be joyful and purified,
joined with Christ through his eternal gifts.
May our hearts mourn,
the blood of his wounds,
let us rejoice
in the creator’s constellations.
The passion of the savior’s gifts
intoxicates us;
may he grant the faithful
the gift of blessed joy.
Amen.
III:
Holy Trinity, the one God, have mercy upon us.
We beseech you,
we adore you,
we praise you,
we glorify you.
Blessed Trinity is the name of the Lord,
Now and forever.
IV:
Hail Mary, you who are highly favoured, the Lord is with you.
What manner of salutation is this?
Fear not, Mary: for you have found favour with God.
And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth the Son of God.
How shall this be, as I know not a man?
The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word.
And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
V:
Out of the depths have I cried unto you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice: let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word do I hope.
My soul waits for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning.
Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
