New Classical Tracks: Hymns to honor the Virgin Mary

Her story is one of devotion, faith and love. For hundreds of years, the Virgin Mary and the works of art created in her honor have offered an emotional connection both historically and spiritually in the Christian church.

On their latest recording, "A Mother's Love," Harry Christophers and The Sixteen take us down a musical path 10 centuries long -- all in honor of the mother Mary.

The recording opens with a hymn to Mary by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. During a visit to Birmingham, England, in the late 1880s, Grieg was introduced to the Unitarian movement. He was strongly influenced by its message of equality and tolerance.

In his diary he wrote, "This is something we should all try to emulate."

Grieg captures that calm spirit in his hymn, "Hail, Star of the Sea." It was written originally for solo voice and piano. Six years later he arranged it for chorus, and in that version the tightly blended voices of The Sixteen soar.

An antiphon is a song that's chanted in alternating parts. Anton Bruckner's "Tota Pulchra es, Maria," was written in this style.

This 19th century Austrian composer was a bit of an enigma -- a mixture of simplicity and depth. He loved life, and his beer, but was also completely dedicated to his Roman Catholic faith.

This gorgeous antiphon demonstrates his strong sense of spirituality. Tenor Mark Dobell takes the solo role of the cantor, while the remaining voices respond with glorious choral outbursts.

Mendelssohn was just 16 when he wrote his precedent-setting Octet for Strings. Five years later, he turned once again to the octet after traveling to Venice.

This time, Mendelssohn's octet is an eight-part choir with solo tenor and organ. Here, he captures the spirit of ancient Italian sacred music in the central section of his lush setting of the Ave Maria.

My personal favorite on "A Mother's Love" is the angelic prayer by Camille Saint-Saens. He too, offers praise to the Virgin in his Ave Maria. Saint-Saens was an organ virtuoso, and he uses the instrument to great effect as it undulates sweetly under the serene voices of The Sixteen.

The Roman church responded to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century by calling for services that were rooted in past traditions and less ornate. Giovanni Palestrina responded to this demand for new music by writing masses and motets that resonated with clarity and simple beauty.

With its well-balanced sound and crystal clear intonation, The Sixteen reveals the gorgeous subtleties of Palestrina's five-part motet, "As a Lily Among the Thorns."

For 28 years, Harry Christophers and The Sixteen have shared their passion for music of the past six centuries. Their fresh perspective on these broad-ranging works makes The Sixteen distinct.

"A Mother's Love," their latest collection of works, will enhance their international reputation, and provide the listener hours of serenity.

(originally aired 05/13/2008)

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