Salve Regina Non-US copyright
SATB a cappella. Latin text. Lush and beautiful. Perfect for any Marian feast, or a Sung Compline with choir. It's the traditional Marian Antiphon for Trinity Sunday through the green season.
Notes: For those churches that sing Marian anthems, this setting of the Salve Regina is definitely one to try as it is quite straightforward and very effective. The composer has cleverly introduced some unison passages to give singers confidence after a more challenging four-part section. All the lines are very singable and there should be no major problems. For choirs not used to singing in Latin, read through the words in rhythm first, particularly in the section beginning at bar 28. Here, the phrases should not be jagged or forced but smooth, expressive and prayerful. Careful attention to the dynamics will further enhance the piece. Practice the last four bars to achieve a well blended ‘pp’ and uniformity of vowel sound.
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.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
[Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.]