5 motets for soprano and alto or chor and organ

At the beginning of the rst decade of the twenty- rst century, Eric Lebrun composed four motets in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for women’s or children’s voices in two parts. These pieces can be sung equally well by a choir or by solo voices. The rst, second and third motets contain eeting references to Gregorian chants. The nal motet, Tota pulchra est, is the most expansive in the set, and brings in an optional third voice in a short reprise. The third one, Ave Maria, is written for a single voice, with a part for solo cello. It was given its rst performance by the famous counter-tenor Paul Esswood.

A fth piece, Ave maris stella, written slightly later, has been added to the cycle of motets, and was written especially for soprano Nathalie Nicaud’s Marian anthology. When he wrote these motets, Eric Lebrun set in motion the composition of a vast cycle of Marian music, of which the Vingt Mystères du Rosaire [Twenty Mysteries of the Rosary] are the pendant and the instrumental continuation.

I - Savle regina

II - Regina caeli

III - Ave Maria

IV - Tota pulchra es Maria

V - Ave Maris stella