Ave virgo gloriosa

This devotional motet by Thomas Crecquillon is ideal for services during Marian feasts or other occasions in the church's calendar honouring the Virgin Mary. Sung in Latin by a rich SATTB choir, Ave virgo gloriosa offers a vibrant polyphonic setting of a text that exalts Mary with a series of luminous comparisons. The lyrics describe her as brighter than the sun, sweeter than honey, more radiant than a rose, and whiter than a lily, whilst also praising her virtues and heavenly honour. Crecquillon's music would have been performed in the chapels and cathedrals of the Low Countries during the Renaissance, and it continues to offer its singers and listeners a moment of profound spiritual reflection and exquisite vocal beauty.