Gegrüßet seist du, Maria (Hail Mary) for 6 - 8 part mixed choir a capella, op. 97e1 (1993)
First
performance: May 16, 1994, Würzburg, Kiliansdom
Würzburger Domchor
/ Siegfried Koesler
Dedication: for my sister Erika
Duration: 3 Minutes
Publisher: Schott Music C 53714 / ISMN: 979-0-001-17092-5
Foreword
(Schott Music C 53714)
Bertold
Hummel composed the motet Gegrüßet seist du, Maria (Hail
Mary) on 20 May 1993 and dedicated it to the memory of his deeply religious
sister Erika. In the same year, my father co-founded the Bruckner Festival in
Wurzburg and regarded his motet as a salutation for the composer with its reminiscence
of Anton Bruckner's well-known 7-part Ave Maria: both composers select
the juxtaposition of upper and lower voices in the opening section of their works
and Bertold Hummel quotes Bruckner's final cadence on the name of Jesus
prior to the Amen. In 1997, he utilised this material to produce a version
sung in Latin. (C 53543)
The
text of the so-called Angelic Salutation is based on Bible passages from
the Gospel of St Luke (Luke 1,28b, 42) which was extended over the centuries with
additions such as Jesus (14th century) and the Invocation to Mary (16th century).This
text was included in the Breviary of Pope Pius V in 1568 which officially confirmed
its status as a prayer. The German translation of the text utilised in this motet
corresponds to the Ecumenical version which has been utilised since 1968.
Martin
Hummel
Gegrüßet
seist du, Maria
Gegrüßest
seist du, Maria, voll der Gnade,
der Herr ist mit dir.
Du bist gebenedeit
unter den Frauen,
und gebenedeit ist die Frucht deines Leibes, Jesus.
Heilige Maria, Mutter Gottes,
bitte für uns Sünder
jetzt und
in der Stunde unseres Todes.
Amen.
English Translation:
Hail,
Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners
now and in the hour of our death.
Amen.