Stabat Mater - Paul Mealor 

This is an amazing piece. When we performed it ( I am the double bass player) we had tears in our eyes, as did many in the audience. Watching it here, I still get tears in my eyes. So beautiful. Let's get Paul Mealor to come to the States so we can do more of his wonderful pieces! Ann Marie McIntire

1 - Stabat mater dolorosa Stabat mater dolorosa O thou mother, fount of love, Juxta crucem lacrimosa Touch my spirit from above, Dum pendebat Filius. Make my heart with thine accord. Cujus animam gementem Make me feel as thou hast felt; Contristatem et dolentem Make my soul to glow and melt Pertransivit gladius. With the love of Christ, my Lord. Quis non posset contristari Holy mother, pierce me through, Christi matrem contemplari In my heart each wound renew Dolentem cum Filio? Of my Savior crucified. Pro peccatis suae gentis Let me share with thee His pain, Vidit Jesum in tormentis Who for all my sins was slain, Et flagellis subditum. Who for me in torments died. Vidit suum dulcem natum At the cross her station keeping, Moriendo desolatum, Stood the mournful mother weeping, Dum emisit spiritum. Close to her Son to the last. 2 - Eia mater, fons amoris Eia mater fons amoris, Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, Me sentire vim doloris All His bitter anguish bearing, Fac ut tecum lugeam. Now at length the sword has passed. Fac ut ardeat cor meum Can the human heart refrain In amando Christum Deum From partaking in her pain, Ut sibi complaceam. In that mother’s pain untold? Sancta mater istud agas, For the sins of His own nation, Crucifixi fige plagas She saw Jesus wracked with torment, Corde meo valide. All with scourges rent. Tui nati vulnerati, She beheld her tender child, Tam dignati pro me pati, Saw Him hang in desolation, Poenas mecum divide. Till His spirit forth He sent. 3 - Virgo virginum praeclara Virgo, virginum praeclara, Virgin of all virgins blest, Mihi jam non sis amara, Listen to my fond request: Fac me tecum plangere; Let me share thy grief divine; Fac, ut portem Christi mortem, Let me, to my latest breath, Passionis fac consortem, In my body bear the death Et plagas recolere. Of that dying Son of thine. Fac me plagis vulnerari, Wounded with His every wound, Fac me cruce inebriari, Steep my soul till it hath swooned, Et cruore Filii. In His very blood away; Flammis ne urar succensus Be to me, O virgin, nigh, Per te, virgo, sim defensus Lest in flames I burn and die, In die judicii. In His awful judgment day. 4 - Christe, cum sit hinc exire Christe, cum sit hinc exire, Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, da per matrem me venire By Thy mother my defense, Ad palmam victoriae. Be Thy cross my victory; Quando corpus morietur, While my body here decays, Fac, ut animae donetur May my soul Thy goodness praise, Paradisi gloria. Amen. Safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

What a beautiful and emotional piece! Thanks for sharing it. It warmed my heart.

Ah... thanks for this - much appreciated !

I need to own this recording, how might I acquire it?

The only nit I have is that the soloist gets off in the second movement and although I believe she catches up, it never sounds like it lines up. As a soloist, I know this happens and toy just have to keep on going. The instrumentals are off, too, making the second movement sound very muddy. Part of the problem is that the conductor is directing it a little slower than the recording and the downbeat doesn't feel strong and certain to me.

The pitches of violins really distracted me.

For a more accurate translation go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stabat_Mater e.g. 1st stanza At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to her Son to the last.

Couldn’t hold a candle to Pergolesi’s.