Home / Compositions / Ave Maria...Virgo Serena (Josquin)

Ave Maria...Virgo Serena (Josquin)

Instrumentation
cl,vln,vc,pno
Year
2007
Duration
4:00

"Sunday's program began, though, with a work that Charles Wuorinen wrote last year in anticipation of Tashi's reunion, his ingenious arrangements of two Renaissance vocal works: Josquin des Prez's ''Ave Maria ... Virgo Serena,'' and Thomas Morley's ''Christes Crosse.'' The Josquin emerges here as calmly beautiful, with undulant modal counterpoint. The Morley is restless, alive with fidgety lines that break loose from the harmonic backdrop." Anthony Tommasini, New York Times

"Ave Maria, Virgo Serana (on Josquin)" for clarinet, violin, cello and piano was simpler and even sweeter than the work on which it was based, Josquin des Prez's great Renaissance motet.  The scoring for clarinet,played by Benjamin Fingland, gave the noble melody a lilting quality; there were moments that this 12-tone master seemed to be channeling Copland." Zachary Woolfe,  New York Times