O Maria plena gratia (Walter Lambe)
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- (Posted 2023-09-22) CPDL #75625:
- Editor: Bert Schreuder (submitted 2023-09-22). Score information: A4, 29 pages, 835 kB Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes: Note values halved, transposed down a minor third.
- (Posted 2023-09-22) CPDL #75624:
- Editor: Bert Schreuder (submitted 2023-09-22). Score information: A4, 28 pages, 820 kB Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes: Original pitch, note values halved.
General Information
Title: O Maria plena gratia
Composer: Walter Lambe
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 6vv Voicing: SATTBarB
Genre: Sacred, Evening Canticles
Language: Latin
Instruments: A cappella
First published: ca. 1500
Description: Lambe’s O Maria plena gratia is certainly his magnum opus among his surviving works. At 309 modern bars (with 4-beat bars for the duple time) it’s the longest surviving piece in the English repertoire from this period.
External websites:
Original text and translations
Latin text
O Maria plena gracia; certe
plenissima, quia sanctum sanctorum
et omnes litanie sanctos representas.
Nam cum considero, totam celestem
curiam aspicio et contemplor. Primo,
sanctam et individuam trinitatem:
patrem mittentem ad Mariam, filium
missum Marie, spiritum sanctum, ut
deo et Marie unus et idem esset filius,
obumbrantem Mariam. Gaude, homo,
cum perpendis talia; gaude, caro,
saltem, caro christiana, facta per
Mariam verbi socia.
Secundo, virtutes
angelicas in Maria video relucentes,
teste Gabriele, relictis seculi matronis,
virginem, ut eius ceterorumque
angelorum cognatam et totius orbis
creatori habitaculum conveniens,
salutavit. Et facta salutatione, consensit
Maria, concepit et abiit in montana et
salutavit Elizabeth. Hic video tertium
ordinem litanie, omnes patriarchas et
prophetas cum Johanne baptista
exultantes et psallentes et tripudiantes
in adventu Marie.
Tertio vero loco
video apostolos, post Christi
resurrectionem in conclavi servientes
Marie, cum Maria christi ascensionem
venerari, flammas spiritus sancti cum
Maria ignitas et dulces degustare. Et
tandem video eos, teste Johanne
Evangelista, usque ad funeralia
Mariam observare. Quem iterum in
testimonium adsumo fidele, quod ipsa
[et] omnes martyres, qui quartum
litanie occupant locum, anteibat. Nam
videbat unigenitum suum flagellatum,
consputum, coronatum spinis,
adfixum cruci clavis et lancea
perforatum et mortuum tandem.
Cuius animam tunc animas omnium
martyrum gladius doloris tanto
acutius, tanto fortius pertransivit,
quanto amor matris amorem
servulorum superexcedit.
Et in hac
morte quis Christi confessor erat, ut
quintum locum salutemus? Certe sola
Maria, que sola tunc credidit christum
deum et hominem.
In fine litanie mee
vos, virgines, adloquor. Quis vobis virginitatis
exemplum prebuit? Maria; quia sine
exemplo placuit in hoc Jesu Christo.
Ut brevis ergo sit litania mea: Ora pro
nobis, sancta Maria, ut digni
efficiamur (esse) de numero quibus dicetur
in extremo iudicio: ‘Venite, benedicti
patris mei, percipite regnum quod
vobis paratum est ab origine mundi.’
Amen.
The text and a translation can be found in the booklet accompanying the album “Choirs of angels” by Christ Church Cathedral Choir: https://www.chandos.net/chanimages/Booklets/AV2184.pdf