Ave Regina a 8

This is a setting of the Marian antiphon Ave Regina Caelorum, praising Mary as Queen of Heaven and Lady of Angels. The text continues by greeting her as the root and gate from which the world's light was born, and as a glorious, beautiful, and graceful Virgin. It concludes with a plea for her to always pray to Christ for us. Juan Gutierrez de Padilla sets this deeply devotional text for double choir (SATB.SATB), creating rich sonic possibilities through the interplay of eight voices. The Latin text and sacred nature of the work place it firmly within the tradition of Catholic motet composition.