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Titian, Assumption of the Virgin (detail), Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice, c.1516-18.
‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant [NRSV, Luke 1:46b-48a]’.
Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Click to go immediately to:
1) The Music Programme Homepage
Celebrate the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary with Patrick Wedd at the 1980 Wilhelm organ of Christ Church Cathedral on Saturday, August 15, at 4:30 pm: Music for Mary. Admission Free / Donations accepted.
Patrick Wedd, to honor Mary on her feast day, has chosen three compositions all of which include a treatment of the hymn, Ave Maris Stella, that finds deep roots in the Middle Ages and a popularity ever since. What few Canadians may realize is that this is a hymn especially dear to the Acadians, those French-speaking Canadians, inhabitants of the Maritimes, distinct in the development of their language from French-speaking Quebeckers. Ave Maris Stella is the national hymn of the Acadians, in French, of course, but the first and last verse in Latin.
Programme:
Ave Maris Stella (Plein jeu, Fugue à 4, Duo, Dialogue sur les grands jeux), Nicolas de Grigny (1672-1703)
Mariales (Incantation [Mater admirabilis], Pastorale [Regina caeli], Antienne [Salve Regina], Hymne [Virgo Dei Genetrix], Dance [Ave maris stella], Naji Hakim (b. 1955)
By way of preparation, listen free online:
Nicolas de Grigny, Ave Maris Stella, performed by PierreBardon at the 1772 Isnard organ of Saint Maximin en Provence [musicMe]
De Grigny composed Ave Maris Stella with the organ alternating verses with a choir: Performance by Jean-Pierre Lecaudey at the 1699 Julien Tribuot organ of Saint-Martin de Suerre and Les Chantres du Roy. For the text, right-click here, then click on "Open in New Window." For the music, right-click here, then click on "Open in New Window." Arrange windows.
Flor Peeters, Toccata, Fugue et Hymne sur “Ave Maris Stella,” performed by Julian Bewig at the 1989 Schuke organ of St. Lamberti, Münster [YouTube]
Naji Hakim, Mariales (Incantation [Mater admirabilis], Pastorale [Regina caeli], Antienne [Salve Regina], Hymne [Virgo Dei Genetrix], Dance [Ave maris stella]), performed by Heather Hernandez at the 2001 Casavant organ of the American Lutheran Church of Sun City, Arizona [YouTube].