Ave Regina Caelorum

Ave Regina Caelorum is an a capella motet by the late Italian Renaissance composer, Carlo Gesualdo. Gesualdo, a prince of Venosa, is infamously remembered for murdering his first wife and her lover. However, his legacy to the world of music is undeniable. While his use of chromaticism is most associated with his madrigals, his religious works, such as this, are more diatonic. When he does employ dissonance and chromaticism it has a far more dramatic effect. This setting is playable by middle school bands and can be played with limited instrumentation. 2nd clarinet parts remain below the break and 2nd trumpet parts stay in a manageable range. It provides the opportunity to both teach expressive playing and introduce the idea of chromaticism to students.