The author of Regina coeli is unknown even though a tradition attributes it to Pope Saint Gregory who would have heard the first three verses sung by angels during an intercession procession while an epidemic of plague raged in Rome . He himself would have imagined the last verse: "Pray God for us".
It is in any case the most recent Marian antiphons. Still sung today in its simple form during the Easter season, it has inspired a great many composers.
In the version proposed by Dominique Plénat, the Gregorian melody of the 6th tone is entrusted to the soprano voice while the polyphonic treatment of the Alleluia is inspired by the prayerful atmosphere of the orthodox liturgies.
Resolutely simple and without difficulty of intonation, the harmony is immediately understood and immediately creates the feeling of fullness and joy peculiar to this antiphon.
The respect of the indicated nuances and a particular attention to the accentuation of the Latin words are to be privileged during the interpretation.
