About this work:
Ecclesia Consort Pierre Masse, Music Director
Program note. The greatest challenge of the Stabat Mater text is to figure out how to set twenty stanzas of “pain and suffering” without making it all sound too depressing. So, before I began composing, I looked at a number of scores and recordings of Stabat Mater by various composers: DesPrez, Palestrina, Pergolesi, Boccherini, Vivaldi, Haydn, Dvorak, Rossini, Poulenc, Szymanowski, Penderecki, et al. It was fascinating to see what each composer did with regard to text setting: the variety of musical textures from movement to movement, different approaches to the use of fast or “allegro” music to offset the mood of the text, solo versus choral sections, etc. Each composer took a very personal and creative approach to the task. It was a fascinating study! After weeks of listening and scrutinizing, I decided to divide the twenty-stanza text into six sections. It is my hope that the end result is formally coherent and emotionally affecting.
1. Stabat Mater dolorosa Iuxta crucem lacrimosa, Dum pendebat Filius
2. Cuius animam gementem Contristatam et dolentem Pertransivit gladius.
3. O quam tristis et afflicta Fuit illa benedicta Mater unigeniti!
4. Quae moerebat et dolebat, Pia Mater, dum videbat Nati poenas incliti!
5. Quis est homo qui non fleret, Matrem Christi si videret In tanto supplicio?
6. Quis non posset contristari, Christi Matrem contemplari Dolentem cum Filio?
7. Pro peccatis suae gentis Vidit Iesum in tormentis, Et flagellis subditum;
8. Vidit suum dulcem natum Moriendo desolatum Dum emisit spiritum.
9. Eia Mater, fons amoris, Me sentire vim doloris Fac, ut tecum lugeam.
10. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum In amando Christum deum, Ut sibi complaceam.
11. Sancta Mater, istud agas, Crucifixi fige plagas Cordi meo valide!
12. Tui nati vulnerati Tam dignati pro me pati, Poenas mecum divide!
13. Fac me vere tecum flere, Crucifixo condolere, Donec ego vixero!
14. Iuxta crucem tecum stare, Et me tibi sociare In planctu desidero.
15. Virgo virginum praeclara, Mihi iam non sis amara: Fac me tecum plangere.
16. Fac, ut portem Christi mortem, Passionis fac consortem Et plagas recolere!
17. Fac me plagis vulnerari, Fac me cruce inebriari, Ob amorem filii!
18. Inflammatus et accensus Per Te, Virgo, sim defensus In die iudicii!
19. Fac me cruce custodiri Morte Christi praemuniri, Confoveri gratia!
20. Quando corpus morietur, Fac, ut animae donetur Paradisi Gloria! Amen!