This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Ave, dulcissima Maria
Staff Notation • Sacred, Motets
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3 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
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Ave, dulcissima Maria by Carlo Gesualdo — Lyrics
Ave, dulcissima Maria,
vera spes et vita, dulce refrigerium!
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About Ave, dulcissima Maria
Carlo Gesualdo's Ave, dulcissima Maria is a sacred motet for SATTB choir, sung in Latin. Gesualdo was an Italian nobleman and composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, known for his intense and highly chromatic musical style. This motet sets a Marian text, addressing the Virgin Mary with profound reverence. The words are a prayer, calling her the sweetest Mary, the true hope and life, and a sweet solace. It further asks her to be the flower of virgins and to pray for us to Jesus. The rich SATTB voicing allows for intricate harmonies and expressive dissonances, characteristic of Gesualdo's unique compositional voice, creating a deeply spiritual and emotionally charged musical setting of this devotional text.
