Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus

The Lenten significance of the Eucharistic hymn

One of Mozart’s final compositions is his hauntingly beautiful Ave Verum Corpus. He wrote this piece while simultaneously writing his Requiem in D Minor and The Magic Flute, only months before his death at the age of thirty-five. While he never finished his Requiem in D Minor, Mozart did complete the Ave Verum Corpus, leaving the world a beautiful hymn that is not only Eucharistic in its theme but also very relevant for Lent.

Mozart’s melody for this moving hymn is written in four-part choral harmony with orchestral accompaniment. Mozart wrote the direction sotto voce on the score, instructing for a “subdued” performance. The work is only forty-six measures long, but the words are rich in Catholic symbolism and theological meaning. The words are from a traditional chant in honour of the Blessed Sacrament, and the English translation is as follows:

Hail, true Body, born of the Virgin Mary, / the very Body which suffered and was sacrificed on the cross for humankind, / and [W]hose pierced side overflowed with water and blood: / In the agony of death be for us a foretaste of heaven. (Source)

While primarily a Eucharistic hymn, this piece is imbued with rich symbolisms pertaining to the season of Lent. Mozart’s hymn begins by repeating the Latin word “Ave” twice, the only word to be repeated until the very last words of the piece. This repetition of “Ave” grounds us in humility and adoration, recalling the words of the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation: “Hail [Ave], full of grace, the Lord is with thee” (Lk 1:28 DRB). Mozart then slowly yet steadily leads us through the next verses before pausing on the words “in cruce,” which translates to “on the cross.”

Source

The soprano voices sing the two words first, sustaining the high note while the lower three voices rest for two beats before echoing the words. Following the example of Gregorian Chant, Mozart uses this melodic technique to enable listeners to pause for a moment and reflect on the words being sung. This moment marks a shift in the tone of the lyrics, which move from their initial adoration (“Ave”) to a more somber remembrance of Christ’s Passion (“in cruce”). This shift is further accentuated by three measures of instrumentation before the choir begins singing again.

Public domain

The harmonies resume their intertwined, solemn swells as the hymn proceeds. The intensity builds at the words “esto nobis” (“be for us”), culminating in the twice-repeated “in mortis examine” (“in the agony of death”). In the second repetition of this final phrase, the soprano line soars above the other voices before descending to end with the others at “examine” (“agony”). Here, Mozart’s genius is once again displayed as he uses the melodies and harmonies to remind us of Christ’s glorious victory over death and the suffering that He first endured.

You can listen to a beautiful recording of Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus here:

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Bibliography:

“Ave Verum Corpus, Natum.” At Hymnary, www.hymnary.org.

Schwarm, Betsy. “Ave Verum Corpus, K 618.” At Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 May 2016, at www.britannica.com.

“What Are the Lyrics to ‘Ave Verum Corpus’?” At Classic FM, 18 September 2023, at www.classicfm.com.