Ave stella matutina

Francisco Valls's motet Ave stella matutina is a rich and complex setting for double choir (SATB.SSATB). The music opens with intricate contrapuntal interplay, gradually building in texture and intensity. The Latin text is a Marian antiphon, addressing Mary as the morning star, medicine for sinners, and queen of the world. It praises her virtues, likening her to the rod of Jesse and Aaron's almond blossom, a sign of God's presence. The text also implores her as the chosen spouse of God to be a path to eternal joys, a source of solace in our earthly 'prison', and asks her to hear us with a merciful ear. Valls's setting captures both the devotional fervor and the poetic imagery of the text.