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Views from the Choir Loft

A Chinese “Ave Maria”

Andrew Leung · August 14, 2018

THINK MANY OF OUR READERS would enjoy listening to this Chinese setting of Ave Maria by Mons. Anthony Chi-Ming Lau. Mons. Lau was born in Guangzhou, China, in 1938. He received his musical training in Macau and Rome (Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music), and he now lived in Taiwan. Mons. Lau composed a large body of hymns and sacred pieces in Chinese.

In the video, you will hear this piece sung in Cantonese, which is the mother tongue of Mons. Lau. Both Eastern and Western musical elements can be found in this piece. The first half of the “Hail Mary” is written based on the Chinese modality and the second half of the prayer is set to a fugue in the Western style. I was quite amazed by this work when I first heard it two years ago.



This video was recorded live at a special Choral Evensong service held at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady, Macau. At the invitation of the cathedral parish, my choir sang this piece as a choral prelude with the Cathedral Schola of Macau. The Evensong was then sung by the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. Another video recorded from a few more different angles can be found on Vox Antiqua’s Facebook page.

A PDF of this piece (in Latin) can be downloaded on the website of the Sacred Music Commission of the Diocese of Hong Kong.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Church officials frequently asked Tomás Luis de Victoria for his opinion on cathedral appointments because of his fame and knowledge. He was faithful to his position as convent organist even after his professional debut as an organist, and never accepted any extra pay for being a chapelmaster. Held in great esteem, his contract allowed him frequent travel away from the convent, and he attended Palestrina’s funeral (in Rome) in 1594.”

— ‘Dr. Robert Stevenson, 1961 (mod.)’

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