Salve Regina (Handel)

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The Antiphon Salve Regina, HWV 241, was composed by George Friederic Handel mid-1707. It is most likely that the work was first performed on 16 July 1707 in the Church of Santa Maria in Montesanto, under the patronage of the Colonna family.

Based on the Marian anthem with its supplicatory text, the opening and closing movements are slow and reflective and frame a vigorous allegro movement.

A typical performance lasts nearly 12 minutes.

[edit] Movements

The work has the following movements:

Movement	Type and Voice	Text
1	Soprano solo	Hail Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, hail. To you we cry, exiles, sones of Eve. To you we sigh, mourning and weeping, in this valley of tears.
2	Soprano solo	Turn then, our advocate, your eyes of mercy towards us. And after this our exile show to us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
3	Soprano solo	Merciful, holy, weet virgin Mary.