Stella caeli - A Baroque Motet to End the Plague

"Stella Caeli" is a fourteenth-century prayer to end the plague that the Moravian baroque composer Philipp Jakob Rittler set to music in response to an outbreak in Vienna. We offer it here, wishing good health and speedy recoveries to everyone during our modern pandemic.
Text and translation in the captions.
"Stella Caeli" (Star of Heaven) and "Stella Maris" (Star of the Sea) are ancient titles for Mary, mother of Jesus, that identify her as a guidestar in times of trouble. The Stella Caeli prayer calls upon Mary to intercede with her son for relief from the plague.
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Philipp Jakob Rittler (1637-1690)
Stella Caeli exstirpavit (Ms. Kroměříž, Cz-Kra II.28 )
Tempesta di Mare
Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra and Singers
Laura Heimes, soprano
Julie Bosworth, soprano
Meg Bragle, alto
Jacob Perry, tenor
Jean Bernard Cerin, bass
Gwyn Roberts, recorder
Héloïse Dégrugillier, recorder
Emlyn Ngai, violin
Margaret Humphrey, violin
Fran Berge, viola
Christof Richter, viola
Lisa Terry, cello
Adam Pearl, harpsichord
Richard Stone, theorbo
Special thanks to the Arčibiskupský Zámek/Archbishop's Chateau in Kroměříž for access to its collection of seventeenth-century musical manuscripts.

[@karencook1782]

Circling back today for a little spot of sunlight. Thanks for this - just beautiful!

[@TempestadiMare]

Thanks, Karen!

[@dafnimbus]

May we all survive the current plague together.

[@tonytheironbrother6951]

What a treat from my favorite group, recorder player, harpsichordist, and of course lutenist (not to mention all the other beautiful people)!

[@thepaintingmonk827]

Thank you. It is a wonderful reminder that humanity has been here before.

[@TempestadiMare]

Indeed!

[@brqvlnfoodie]

brings tears to my eyes... thank you guys for putting this up!

[@TempestadiMare]

We miss you, Edmond!

[@johnmoran4582]

This is gorgeous.

[@TempestadiMare]

Thanks, John!

[@annbobes2040]

Dear Musicians, Thank you for this timely greeting. Health and hope to all! Ann Bobes

[@TempestadiMare]

will pass it along to all

[@judithwhitehouse2149]

Beautifully sung, played and presented - and a composer new to me - thank you!

[@afcmd]

Just delightful! Thank you so much!

[@beaglemusiclabs]

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing, and for all of the effort that went into putting this together. :o)

[@PeterGregoryDrums]

This is beautiful. Thank you!

[@richardbrook118]

Magnificent Dick Brook