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possibly by Josquin des Prez (c1440 - 1521)
Translation © by David Wyatt

Illibata Dei Virgo nutrix
Language: Latin 
Our translations:  ENG
Illibata Dei virgo nutrix 
Olympi tu regis o genitrix 
Sola parens verbi puerpera 
Quae fuisti Evae reparatrix 
Viri nephas tuta mediatrix 
Illud clara luce dat scriptura 
Nata nati alma genitura 
Des ut laeta musarum factura 
Prevaleat hymnus et sit ave 
Roborando sonos ut guttura 
Efflagitent laude teque pura 
Zelotica arte clament Ave. 

Ave virginum decus hominum 
Coelique porta 
Ave lilium, flos humilium 
Virgo decora. 
Vale ergo tota pulchra ut luna 
Electa ut sol clarissima gaude. 
Salve tu sola cum sola amica, 
Consola "la mi la" canentes in tua laude. 
Ave Maria, mater virtutum, 
Veniae vena, ave Maria, 
Gratia plena, Dominus tecum, 
Ave Maria, mater virtutum. 
Amen. 

Note: there is an acrostic in first part: IOSQVIN Des PREZ, and (possible) acrostic -- ESCAU-Condé, reading down and across -- in the second part, referring to Josquin's home, Condé-sur-Escaut.

Text Authorship:

  • possibly by Josquin des Prez (c1440 - 1521) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Josquin des Prez (c1440 - 1521), "Illibata Dei Virgo nutrix" [five-part chorus] [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "Unblemished Virgin nurse of God", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: David Wyatt

This text was added to the website: 2012-10-25
Line count: 25
Word count: 106

Unblemished Virgin nurse of God
Language: English  after the Latin 
Unblemished Virgin nurse of God,
O mother of the king of Olympus [heaven],
The sole parent of the Word, by giving birth
You repaired the sin of man which was from Eve,
You are our saviour and mediator. 
Scripture tells this with a clear light.
O daughter of your son through his good birth,
Grant that, by the joyful act of the Muses
Your hymn may prevail and it should be the 'Hail [Mary]';
And that, with reinforced sound, our throats 
Should offer prayer and praise, and shout Hail
To you with pure and zealous art.

Hail ornament of virgins and of men
And gate of heaven;
Hail lily, flower of the humble,
Noble virgin.
Hail indeed, all-beautiful as the moon,
Chosen and bright-shining as the sun, rejoice!
Hail you alone, with your sole friend,
Console those singing 'la-mi-la'1 in your praise.
Hail Mary, mother of virtues,
The artery and pulse of pardon, hail Mary,
Full of grace, God is with you;
Hail Mary, mother of virtues.
Amen.

View original text (without footnotes)
1 note: "La-mi-la" represents the vowels in 'Maria' and hence Mary's name in song; there is also a cantus firmus which uses the same syllables (and notes: D-A-D or G-D-G in the mode of this motet).

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2012 by David Wyatt, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in Latin possibly by Josquin des Prez (c1440 - 1521)
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2012-10-25
Line count: 25
Word count: 169

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