The Marian Antiphons: Alma Redemptoris Mater

The four Marian Antiphons have traditionally been sung at the end of Compline - each one during a particular season of the Church Year.  Here's a bit about Alma Redemptoris Mater, from "Singing the Four Seasonal Marian Anthems," by Lucy Carroll, published in Adoremus:

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Sung from the first Sunday of Advent until the Feast of the Purification on February 2 (the original ending date of the Christmas season), this prayer tells of Gabriel’s announcement, and of Mary’s divine motherhood. The text is credited to Herimann the Lame, a monk of Reichenau (1013-1054). Herimann’s Latinized name was Hermanus Contractus and he is sometimes also credited with the chant melody.

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli porta manes et stella maris, succurre cadenti, surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum genitorem, Virgo prius, ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore sumens illud ave, peccatorum miserere.

This translation is by the Reverend Adrian Fortescue, 1913:

Holy mother of our Redeemer, thou gate leading to heaven and star of the sea; help the falling people who seek to rise, thou who, all nature wondering, didst give birth to thy holy Creator. Virgin always, hearing the greeting from Gabriel’s lips, take pity on sinners.

Here's the Simple Tone version, sung by "the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey at Ganagobie." (Chant score is in the Liber Usualis (1961), p. 277.)



Here's the chant score of the Simple Tone version, from the Liber Usualis:

And here it is sung to the Solemn Tone, sung by "the Benedictine nuns of the Abbey of Notre Dame (d'Argentan)." (The chant score from the Liber Usualis (1961), p. 273-274.)



Here's the chant score of the Solemn Tone version, from the Liber Usualis:

Here are links to posts about all four antiphons on Chantblog:

• The Marian Antiphons: Alma Redemptoris Mater (sung from the first Sunday of Advent until the Feast of the Purification on February 2)
• The Marian Antiphons: Ave, Regina Caelorum (sung from after Purification (February 2 or Candlemas) until Easter Vigil) 
• The Marian Antiphons: Regina Caeli (sung from Easter Eve until Pentecost)
• The Marian Antiphons: Salve Regina (sung from the day after Pentecost Sunday until the first Sunday of Advent)

Here's more about the hymn, from Wikipedia:

Alma Redemptoris Mater (Ecclesiastical Latin: [ˈalma redɛmpˈtoris ˈmatɛr]; English: Loving Mother of our Savior) is a Marian hymn, written in Latin hexameters, and one of four liturgical Marian antiphons (the other three being: Ave Regina caelorum, Regina coeli and Salve Regina), and sung at the end of the office of Compline. Hermannus Contractus (Herman the Cripple) (1013–1054) is said to have authored the hymn based on the writings of Ss. Fulgentius, Epiphanius, and Irenaeus of Lyon.^[1] It is mentioned in "The Prioress's Tale", one of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Formerly it was recited at compline only from the first Sunday in Advent until the Feast of the Purification (February 2).

And still more, from TPL, including some Collects and Verse-Responses:

Alma Redemptoris Mater was composed by Herman Contractus (Herman the Cripple) (1013-1054). It is mentioned in The Prioress' Tale in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, which testifies to its popularity in England before Henry VIII. Contractus composed it from phrases taken from the writings of St. Fulgentius, St. Epiphanius, and St. Irenaeus. At one time Alma Redemptoris Mater was briefly used as an antiphon for the hour of Sext for the feast of the Assumption, but since the 13th century it has been a part of Compline. Formerly it was recited only from the first Sunday in Advent until the Feast of the Purification (Feb. 2), but with the revision of the Liturgy of the Hours, it can be recited anytime during the year. The traditional collects, which are not part of the original prayer, are also given below.

ALMA Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli Porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti, Surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti, Natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore Sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.	MOTHER of Christ, hear thou thy people's cry Star of the deep and Portal of the sky! Mother of Him who thee made from nothing made. Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid: Oh, by what joy which Gabriel brought to thee, Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.
Tempus Adventus	During Advent
V. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae. R. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.	V. The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary. R. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Oremus Gratiam tuam, quaesumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde: ut qui, Angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus; per passionem eius et crucem, ad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.	Let us pray Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts: that as we have known the incarnation of Thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an Angel, so too by His Cross and passion may we be brought to the glory of His resurrection. Amen.
Donec Purificatio	From Christmas Eve until the Purification
V. Post partum, Virgo, inviolata permansisti. R. Dei Genetrix, intercede pro nobis.	V. After childbirth thou didst remain a virgin. R. Intercede for us, O Mother of God.
Oremus Deus, qui salutis aeternae, beatae Mariae virginitate fecunda, humano generi praemia praestitisti: tribue, quaesumus; ut ipsam pro nobis intercedere sentiamus, per quam meruimus auctorem vitae suscipere, Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, Filium tuum. Amen.	Let us pray O God, who, by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary, hast bestowed upon mankind the reward of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession, through whom we have been made worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Amen.

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From the Roman Breviary.

Here's Rafael's Madonna Tempi:

From Wikipedia:

The Tempi Madonna is an oil painting by the ItalianHigh Renaissance painter Raphael. Painted for the Tempi family, it was bought by Ludwig I of Bavaria in 1829. It is housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. It is thought to have been made in 1508, at the end of the artist's Florentine period.^[