BLESSED MARY� is a short, anonymous 15th century English poem inspired by lines from the well-known Latin verse �Ave Maris Stella�. I have composed an satb choral setting with alto recorder (or any other treble woodwind) obbligato and a crotale played by any member of the chorus In my setting there is a purposeful juxtaposition between the simple and pure, diatonic singing of the ecclesiastical text by the chorus and the skepticism and plaintive searching for understanding suggested in the chromatic alto recorder solos. The struggle between skepticism and ecclesiasticism is a common theme throughout Christianity. My short Carol tries to suggest the possibility of an accommodation: that by giving voice to the skeptic the convictions of the faithful can be strengthened and one, indeed, can enrich the other through the mutual exchange of ideas. JAG

>The included MP3 recording by Hofstra University Choir 2008 omits the crotale part.