Ave Maria
Instrumentation: voice, organetto, recorder, lute, vielle
Here we encounter Maria as the Queen of Heaven, Madonna of Mercy, or the sorrowful Mother of God. The simultaneously godly and human-like figure--which knows both God the Father and the most human of emotions--became a symbolic figure and mediator between humanity and the Divine. In the Middle Ages a tradition of piety and mysticism developed within European society. Maria, the pure Virgin and Mother, appeared as a unique character on this stage. Countless facets of the figure of Maria emerged, spanning from erotic fervor to ascetic piety. Hymns, Prayers, Masses and Motets to praise the Mother of God belong to the daily liturgical routine of the Catholic church. She is prayed to with metaphors such as stella maris (Star of the Sea) or stella matutina (Morning Star), as well as with floral symbols: rosa bella (Lovely Rose) or flos florum (Blossom of Blossoms).
Santenay connects fifteenth century motets and hymns by English composer John Dunstable and French composer Guillaume Dufay with instrumental music from the Buxheimer Orgelbuch, all dedicated to this figure.
