Cecilia McDowall - Three Antiphons

By: Cecilia McDowall

Three Antiphons for trumpet and organ are adaptations of Latin motets for unaccompanied choir, commissioned originally by Janet and Douglas Mackay for the Canterbury Chamber Choir and first performed in Faversham, Kent, in April 2004. Regina Caeli, as a motet, was nominated for the Liturgical section in the British Composer Awards, December, 2005 and was performed by the BBC Singers. The re-scoring for this combination was made for Paul Archibald and Leslie Pearson and first performed at the Yoxford Festival in 2004.

... Ave Regina • Ave Maria • Regina Caeli

..."The three texts I chose for the choral motets address the Virgin Mary. The first movement, Ave Regina, is a gentle and lyrical response to the Queen of the heavens . . . from whom the light came into the world. The Ave Maria, originally written for upper voices, is more intimate in expression with a plainchant like muted opening. In contrast, the final movement, Regina Caeli, is robust and exultant. Each chordal passage (an Alleluia in the motet) punctuates the linear writing of the verses which make use of the plainchant footprints of the Regina Caeli itself. Three Antiphons have also been arranged for trumpet ensemble and organ and have been recorded in this version by the International Celebrity Trumpet Ensemble for the Brass Classics label. The motets are published by OUP."
Cecilia McDowall