Ave regina caelorum

Andreas de Silva composed this SATTB setting of the Latin votive antiphon Ave Regina caelorum. The text, a Marian antiphon, begins with a salutation to the Queen of Heaven and Lady of Angels, then praises Mary as the 'root' and 'gate' from which the world's light sprang. It continues with a joyful acclamation of the glorious Virgin, most beautiful of all, and concludes with a plea for her to intercede with Christ for us. Silva's lush five-part texture would have been ideal for expressive devotional singing in the Renaissance.