Five Treble Motets

- Genevieve Rose Kwasniewski

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Use: Holy Week, Easter, Marian
Required Resources: SSA(A) choir
Language: Latin

Composer Genevieve Kwasniewski has set five texts (2 Holy Week, 1 Easter and 2 Marian) for equal voices. Three are set for SSA choir, one for SAA, and one for SSAA.

Miss Kwasniewski writes:

They are meant to be accessible to amateur choirs for use in parish or chapel settings, and the provision of multiple verses or psalm verses enables them to be longer or shorter depending on liturgical needs. Since it is often the case that more women volunteer for choir than men, it seems that a set of five relatively simple treble settings could be quite useful, for both usus antiquior and usus recentior communities.

This collection includes the following:

1. Confitebor tibi, Domine [SSA] is the Offertory for Passion Sunday, the Fifth Sunday of Lent. A unison psalm verse can be sung prior to a repetition of the piece to extend its length.
2. Potum meum cum fletu [SSA] is the Communion Antiphon for Wednesday of Holy Week. As in the preceding piece, a psalm verse is given as a possible extension.
3. Alleluia, surrexit [SAA] is an Easter antiphon taken from the Minden Gradual, an early 11th century volume associated with Medieval mystery plays.
4. Et unde hoc mihi [SSAA] is a setting of Luke 1:43, 46-48, recounting Elizabeth's words, "But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" followed by several verses of the Magnificat.
5. Ave Maria, Virgo serena [SSA] is an anonymous 12th century Marian text. A rhyming refrain, "Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, Virgo serena," is sung before five verses. A coda, "O Mater Dei, memento mei. Amen" concludes this poetic work.

These lovely, well-written pieces can also be sung by male voices, particularly in a seminary setting.