Alma Redemptoris Mater Explained

"Alma Redemptoris Mater" (pronounced as /la-x-church/; "Loving Mother of our Redeemer") is a Marian hymn, written in Latin hexameter, and one of four seasonal liturgical Marian antiphons sung at the end of the office of Compline (the other three being Ave Regina Caelorum, Regina Caeli and Salve Regina).

History

Hermannus Contractus (also called Herman the Cripple; 1013–1054) is said to have authored the hymn based on the writings of Saints Fulgentius, Epiphanius, and Irenaeus of Lyon.^[1] It is mentioned in The Prioress's Tale, one of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

At one time Alma Redemptoris Mater was briefly used as an antiphon for the hour of Sext for the feast of the Assumption, but since the 13th century it has been a part of Compline.^[2] Formerly it was recited at the end of the canonical hours only from the first Sunday in Advent until the Feast of the Purification (2 February). It was translated into English by, amongst others, John Henry Newman in "Tracts for the Times", No. 75 (Kindly Mother of the Redeemer).

Text

Latin

Depending on the period, the following combinations of a versicle, response, and collect are added. From the first Sunday of Advent until Christmas Eve, the collect from the Fourth Sunday of Advent is used, and thereafter until the Feast of the Presentation, the collect from Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, is used.

The first collect (“Grátiam tuam quáesumus...”) is notably also used in Masses during Advent, and is exactly the same prayer that concludes the Angelus (another Marian devotion focused on the Incarnation).

From the first Sunday of Advent until Christmas Eve

English translation

From First Vespers of Christmas until the Presentation

Translation of Edward Caswall (1814-1878)

In The Divine Office (1974) this is hymn number 118 and it recommends singing it to the tune SONG I, by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625).^[3] This tune has a metre 10.10.10.10.10.10. Since the last line of the text has 12 syllables the tune will need to be modified.

Musical settings

Marc-Antoine Charpentier, 2 settings, Alma Redemptoris Mater H.21 (1675), for 2 voices and bc, Alma Redemptoris Mater H.44 (16 ?), for soloists, chorus, 2 violins and bc.^[4]

Notes and References

1. The Tradition of Catholic Prayer by Christian Raab, Harry Hagan 2007 page 234

2. Book: Apel . Willi . Willi Apel . Gregorian Chant . 1958 . Indiana University Press . Bloomington, Indiana . 404 .
3. The Divine Office is a book for celebrations of the Liturgy of the Hours in the Catholic Church’s Roman Rite. It is published by Collins (London and Glasgow) and The Talbot Press (Dublin). There are three volumes. In Volume I the hymn is on page 621* and the recommended tune on page 632*. In A Shorter Morning and Evening Prayer, Collins, 1983, ISBN 0005997348, the hymn is on page 315. The hymn was published in 1851 in Lyra Catholica, published by E. Dunigan, page 84.
4. Web site: Psychoyou. Theodora. Les Meslanges latins.