Name: Willis, Alison: Salve Deus, Rex Judaeorum
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Willis, Alison: Salve Deus, Rex Judaeorum

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This piece was commissioned to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Luminosa Voices and intended for performance alongside the Five Mystical Songs by Vaughan Williams, the texts for which were written by George Herbert (1593–1633). This sparked an exploration of works by female poets of the same era (whose voices are far less well known) and led to the chosen text.

Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum, was published in 1611 by Aemilia Lanyer, (or Emilia Lanier) ( 1569–1645). Lanyer was one of the first Englishwomen to publish a volume of original verse and identify herself as a professional poet at a time when there was still suspicion of women’s work in print. Some people think she may have been the Dark Lady referred to in Shakespeare’s Sonnets. I am passionate about enabling women’s voices to be heard, especially those that history has overlooked and have found great inspiration in Lanyer’s beautiful imagery.

The long central poem (over two hundred stanzas), Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum, (Hail, God, King of the Jews) is a daring version of the story of Christ, told from a female perspective. Part of the verse is narrated by Pilate’s wife who, according to the Bible (Matthew 27.19), tried to dissuade her husband from ordering Christ’s death. The soprano soloist, (by implication Pilate’s wife), acts as narrator and commentator as the Passion develops.

The piece consists of five short movements combining to create a full work of approximately twenty minutes in length. Each movement can also function as a standalone piece in the hope that the music may be used liturgically as well as in performance.

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