Poetry is the essence of the rich and symbolic language employed to venerate Mary, Mother of God. Salutations such as »thou refuge of sinners« or »thou vessel of the spirit« express her role in salvific history, or are derived from Biblical images. This also applies to the expression »thou mysterious rose«, going back to the development of a rose symbolism in connection with Jesus Christ and Mary. In Wolfegg, the British vocal ensemble Stile Antico presents its eponymous programme: »mystic rose« features wonderful Marian chants from three centuries and four countries. The twelve vocalists have made a name for themselves with vivid and moving performances of renaissance polyphony. The selections include settings of the four great Marian antiphons sung throughout the ecclesiastical year: moving miniatures such as the »Ave Maria« by Cristóbal de Morales or William Cornysh’s canticle »Salve Regina«.

Image © Marco Borggreve