Ravanello Vexilla Regis • New Edition
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,721
    Greetings all,
    I wanted to share here my engraving of Ravanello's 3-part motet on the chant Vexilla Regis Próderunt in case any other choirs could benefit this Lent. I have kept the motets as intended, as well as interspersed the verses of chant that were not set (he intended the motet to punctuate every other verse), and finally added a public-domain (and beautiful) translation into english for all parts. In this way, either the latin or the english can be sung for the motets or chant. In our case, the choir sings the motets in english on the odd verses and then a cantor chants the latin on the even verses. It's very flexible and allows you to sneak latin into a N.O. parish without everyone freaking out because half of it is still in english. (I do provide a full translation in a worship aid regardless.)

    I'm attaching a standard Letter-sized version, as well as an 11x17 BOOKLET format in case you have access to large-format printers at church. I printed ours as 11x17 booklets stapled in the middle. My altos are clinically incapable of keeping all the sheets of a piece together lol. Now that will be a total non-issue.

    I hope this helps!
    Thanked by 4CatherineS Incardination M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 392
    This is beautifully produced and a useful piece.
    But I have a query. The original, in Secunda Anthologia Vocalis, appears to be written for three equal voices, so the first chord is a simple triad. This version drops the lowest voice an octave, so that at 'prodeunt' for example, there is a two octave gap between the lower two parts, thus producing a very different effect.
    Does this matter? do people habitually perform these motets in this way?
    Thanks.
    Thanked by 1Richard Mix
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,721
    I can't speak to how others perform them, however it works well for us. You are correct, however, that the original appears to be for 3 equal female voices (at least in the anthology you mention). I have very few men, however, so we sing it as transcribed in this edition.

    I decided to do SAB because that's what we needed. I don't recall if that particular edition was my original source, however, since I did this last year. It's entirely possible the version I referenced was SAB also. That said, you could certainly have your singers just take it up an octave if necessary.
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,721
    I'm rather irked with myself in that I see a few engraving mistakes on the first page (text alignment in the A&B voices at cadences where I had copied and pasted... sigh). I apologize for that.

    In other news: here's a short rehearsal video that solos out each voice so individuals can rehearse their part at home:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXLFXE_r49s
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,721
    Just a little reminder bump in case this helps anyone.
Add a Comment