This article was written for the June 2025 issue of our parish magazine.
This is the second of a series of four motets written by Maurice Duruflé in 1960, based on motifs of Gregorian plainsong. The others are Ubi Caritas (Wherever there is Charity), Tu es Petrus (Thou art Peter) and Tantum Ergo (Only Then).
Tota Pulchra Es (Thou art all fair) is a text from Vespers (evening prayer) for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and is the only one of the four set for a women’s choir; the other three are all for mixed SATB choirs. The text of the prayer is:
| Tota pulchra es, Maria, Et macula originalis non est in Te. Tu gloria Ierusalem. Tu laetitia Israel. Tu honorificentia populi nostri. Tu advocata peccatorum. O Maria, Virgo prudentissima. Mater clementissima. Ora pro nobis. Intercede pro nobis. Ad Dominum Iesu Christi. | You are all beautiful, Mary, and the original stain [of sin] is not in you. You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you give honour to our people. You are an advocation of sinners. O Mary, Virgin most intelligent, Mother most merciful. Pray for us, Plead for us, To the Lord Jesus Christ. |
Which Duruflé shortened to:
| Tota pulchra es, Maria, Et macula originalis non est in Te. Vestimentum tuum candidum quasi nix Et facies tua sicut sol. Tu gloria Ierusalem, Tu laetitia Israel, Tu honorificentia populi nostri. | You are all beautiful, Mary, and the original stain [of sin] is not in you You are clothed as white as snow And your face is like the sun. You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you give honour to our people. |
I was set this piece for a Sing for Pleasure conducting course in June 2025, and after some initial alarm, grew to love it. Duruflé treats the first two lines as a refrain, which repeats after lines 3 and 4, and again at the end, giving it a structure of Chorus → Verse 1 → Chorus → Verse 2 → Chorus. The harmonies are light and delicate, and despite appearing to be set for Soprano I, Soprano II and Alto, the alto line often splits into Alto I and Alto II, and the Soprano II lines often splits into upper and lower, giving five lines of harmony weaving amongst each other. As conductor, I had to learn them all, and be able to hear and fix any errors!
To further complicate matter, Duruflé does an excellent job of mimicking plainsong and Renaissance polyphony in modern notation. This is not easy. Plainsong is written on four lines with a moveable Middle C (depending on the pitch of the intended voices), and always in F (as that suits the “average” male voice – remember Gregorian monks were all men). Furthermore, plainsong has no bar lines, nor any indications of rhythm. To replicate this, and accommodate female voices, Duruflé transposed the melody up a compound fourth, and changes time signature regularly, varying between 3, 4, 5 and 6 quavers to a bar. Too much information? Possibly! But it’s beautiful, and you can hear a recording of the Utah Chamber Artists here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=755x6IRfLaQ
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 