Madonna Mia!
At the same time, Rome pulses with Marian devotion. Antiphons such as Salve Regina and Ave Regina caelorum echo through its churches, offering comfort, hope, and protection. In this programme, Christina and Mary appear as parallel figures: one the queen of heaven, the other a patron-queen who finds her spiritual home in Rome.
The music of Carissimi, Melani, Stradella, Pasquini and Scarlatti unfolds within this world of splendour and searching. Sacred drama, daring harmonies, lyrical intimacy, and radiant counterpoint trace a journey from contemplation to exaltation—revealing how, in Baroque Rome, faith and art intertwined to stir both spirit and imagination.
Practical information
- Composers
- Melani · Stradella · Scarlatti · Carissimi · Pasquini
- Instrumentation
- SSATB and continuo (organ)
- Duration
- Around 60 min; can be adjusted.
- Tuning
- A=440 Hz, quarter-comma meantone
- Requirements
- Organ required. Continuo can be extended (e.g. with harpsichord)
- Stage setup
- 5 singers plus continuo. Standard concert setup.
Programme
Melani — Quae est ista
- SSATB bc
- Concerti Spirituali, op. 3 (1682).
Quae est ista
Who is this
novi luminis aurora consurgens,
dawn of new light arising,
quae progreditur aeternis
who advances
irradiata fulgoribus,
bathed in eternal splendors,
quae tanta laetitia,
what joy so great,
qui tantus nitor,
what brilliance so bright,
quae nam ista est?
who indeed is this?
Coeli de super rorate
Heavens above, drop your dew,
prata floribus ridete
meadows, gleam with flowers.
novae lucis et beatae gaudete,
Delight in the new, blessed dawn,
novi luminis gaudete.
rejoice in the new light.
Haec est Maria
This is Mary,
quae pulchra, quae pia
so fair, so devout,
diffundit in ortu
who spreads at dawn
coelestes nitores,
her celestial splendor
date rosas, date flores,
offer roses, offer flowers,
tantae Virgini favete.
honor a Virgin so great
Coeli de super rorate
Heavens above, drop your dew,
prata floribus ridete.
meadows, gleam with flowers.
Quae nox dispergitur
How the night is scattered,
oritur, quae dies.
how the day is born!
Augustis facibus
With august torches,
telluris incole
dwellers of the earth,
aeterno lumini,
the Eternal Light,
coelorum ordines,
ranks of heaven,
plaudite
applaud!
exultat in cantu
Rejoice in song
cui grata lux est
who welcome the light,
et fremat in planctu
and groan in grief
cui pulchra nox est.
who cherish the night.
Iam dulcis in via,
Now, sweet in her ways,
formosa et decora,
lovely and graceful,
exultat aurora,
the dawn exults,
incedit Maria.
Mary comes forth.
Translation: Bas Cornelissen
Stradella — Ave regina coelorum
- SA bc
- Alessandro Stradella, Composizioni Sacre da Chiesa (Modena, Biblioteca Estense Universitaria, Mus. F. 1140), cc. 41–48.
- Scarlatti — Toccata fuga in sol maggiore
- Org solo
Melani — Salve regina
- SSATB bc
- A. Melani (attrib., after 1667), Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, RISM I-Rism 94/19.
Carissimi — O dulcissimum Mariae nomen
- TB bc
- A. Poggioli, Delectus sacrarum cantionum 2–5vv (1652).
O dulcissimum Mariae nomen,
O sweetest name of Mary,
nomen vere sanctissimum,
name truly most holy,
O nomen gratiae,
O name of grace,
semper cogitandum;
ever to be thought upon;
O solatium animarum,
O solace of souls,
nomen venerandum;
name to be revered;
O nomen caelicum,
O heavenly name,
et vere angelicum,
and truly angelic,
resonent ergo in ore omnium.
let it resound then on the lips of all.
O Maria, mater pia,
O Mary, loving mother,
nos defende in hac via;
defend us on this way;
nos tuere, nos guberna,
guard us, guide us,
duc nos tecum ad superna
lead us with you to the heights above.
Translation: Tempera Mente
Melani — Alma redemptoris
- SSATB bc
- Münster, Diözesanbibliothek, Santini-Sammlung, Sant. Hs. 2658(11) (after 1667).
Carissimi — Salve amor noster
- SA bc
- Scelta de’ motetti da cantarsi […] Parte Prima (1665).
Salve amor noster,
Hail, our love,
Salve nostra spes et vita,
Hail, our hope and life,
Salve, o Maria.
Hail, O Mary.
Vulnerasti me sagitta amoris tui,
You wounded me with the arrow of your love,
inflammasti me incendio charitatis tuae
you enflamed me with the fire of your charity,
amor meus, ardor meus,
my love, my ardor,
o Maria.
O Mary.
Ecce cor meum in desiderio,
Here is my heart in longing,
in desiderio decoris tui,
in longing for your beauty
o pulcherima mulierum
oh, most beautiful of women
solum ardet, solum languet.
it only burns, it only languishes.
Fulcite me floribus,
Sustain me with flowers,
stipate me malis
surround me with apples,
quia cor meum, amore Virginis,
for my heart, for love of the Virgin,
totum ardet, solum languet
burns wholly, only languishes,
quam pulchri sunt gressus tui
how beautiful are your steps,
quam in calceamentis filia principis.
like a prince’s daughter in her sandals.
Trahe nos post te,
Draw us after you,
curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum
let us run toward the fragrance of your perfumes.
quam decora es, Regina caeli
How beautiful you are, Queen of Heaven,
in vestito deaurato,
clothed in gold,
circumdata varietate.
surrounded by splendor.
Voca nos, suscipe nos
Call us, receive us,
et serviemus tibi Regina coeli
and we shall serve you, Queen of Heaven
et mundi Domina
and Lady of the world.
Virgo potens, Virgo dulcis,
Mighty Virgin, gentle Virgin,
o Maria.
O Mary.
Te circumdent flores rosarum
May roses surround you with flowers,
te coronet serta stellarum
may garlands of stars crown you.
Virgo pulchra terrae,
Beautiful Virgin of the earth,
Virgo fulgens caeli lux
Radiant Virgin, light of heaven.
florete flores Virginis
Bloom, o virginal flowers!
fulgete serta siderum
Shine, o starry garlands!
Virgo noster odor est
Virgin, you are our fragrance,
Virgo nostrum iubar es
Virgin, you are our radiance,
agite, dulcite, dicite laudes.
go forth, with sweetness, proclaim praises.
Laudes dicamus Virgini
Let us sing praises to the Virgin,
dicamus illi canticum
let us chant a song to her,
que noster amor est
for she is our love,
et consolatio nostra
and our comfort,
et delectatio nostra,
and our delight,
spes nostra,
our hope,
amor noster.
our love.
Translation: Tempera Mente
Pasquini — Variazioni dedicate a Monsignor Kaunitz
- Org solo
- Wien, Minoritenkonvent (?), Ms. Wien XIV 743.
Scarlatti — Magnificat
- SSATB bc
- Münster, Diözesanbibliothek, Santini-Sammlung, Sant. Hs. 3874 (“Magnificat a cinque…”).