The Memorare is a popular and beautiful Marian prayer which used to be attributed to St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153). Instead, it was made popular by Fr Claude of Clairvaux (1588-1641), and its author remains unknown. The composer, Timothy Blinko says of the work:
I was excited to find such a beautiful and significant text which had not been set to music before. The words spoke to me very directly through the centuries of the universality of motherhood, made particularly poignant as I had lost my own mother before composing the work.
Our memories are very important to us and define us as people, so I used the Memorare (Remember) opening as a refrain which cycles through the work like a reminiscence or memory, and decided to use a solo soprano voice to represent the feminine.
Being commissioned for the majestic acoustic of Tewkesbury Abbey, I wanted to enjoy the sonic wonder of the space, exploring the limits of the voice with floating top Cs for the soloist and rumbling bottom Cs for the basses. The choice of the C major key which conjures white light for me, together with the outer C pitches are also symbolic.
Timothy Binko
Memorare, O piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum. Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere; sed audi propitia et exaudi. Amen.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.