for children’s and women’s choir (SMezA) and organ/per coro di voci bianche femminili (SMezA) e organo

Description/Descrizione

The Canzoni sacre (sacred hymns) contained in this collection were composed by Nino Rota during the years 1966-1968. They are based on texts from the so-called post-conciliar liturgy resulting from a reform dictated by the previously concluded Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. Although the reform recognised that Latin would be retained as the official language of the church, national languages would now be permitted in several parts of the liturgy, including sung sections.

The Canzoni sacre with texts translated into Italian from the original Latin liturgy is therefore embedded in this panorama, for example the wonderful Gustate et videte which has flowed into Il pane del Cielo. There are no indications in the manuscript concerning the choral forces and accompanying instruments required. The single exception to this rule is Egli è il Redentore per due voci e organo. It appears that the indications "I" and "II" next to the vocal parts refer to children's voices otherwise Rota would have added more precise instructions, i.e. soprano and alto.

It is worth noting that the last part of this collection, Canto di Gloria, was actually composed as the first of all the pieces (1966). Rota incorporated it into the film score for Zeffirelli's La bisbetica domata (The Taming of the Shrew). He then composed Egli è il Redentore and Il pane del Cielo (both are dated "February 1967" in the manuscript) followed by the final piece Ave Maria in December 1968.

Bruno Moretti, Translation: Lindsay Chalmers-Gerbracht (from preface to Schott sheet music ED 57828)

Duration: 00:13:00

Texts/Testi

I Ave Marla

Ave Maria plena di grazie
il Signore è teco;
Tu sei benedetta fra le donne
e benedetto il frutto del ventre tuo Gesù.
Sancta Maria Madre di Dio
prega per noi peccatori
ora e nell'ora della morte nostra.
Così sia.

II Egli è il Redentore

III II pane del cielo

IV Canto di gloria

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Sheet Music