Ave verum corpus (Mozart)
Ave verum corpus ("Hail, True Body"), K. 618, is a motet in D major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composed in 1791. It sets the main verse of the 13th-century Latin Eucharist hymn of the same name, omitting the final three lines. Mozart wrote the piece for his friend Anton Stoll, the musical director of St. Stephan parish in Baden bei Wien, where Mozart’s wife Constanze was staying while pregnant with their sixth child. The motet was intended for the feast of Corpus Christi; the autograph is dated 17 June 1791, and Mozart entered it in his personal catalogue the following day. The composition is brief, only forty-six bars long, and is scored for SATB choir, string instruments, and organ. Mozart’s manuscript provides minimal performance directions, with a single *sotto voce* marking at the start.
Composed less than six months before Mozart’s death, the motet was written in the midst of work on *Die Zauberflöte*. It foreshadows certain aspects of the later Requiem, including declamatory gesture, texture, and a blend of forward- and backward-looking stylistic elements. However, unlike the dramatic Requiem, this motet is simpler in structure, suited for a small-town church choir. Through its chromatic and tonal harmonic language, the work reflects Mozart’s deeply held beliefs about the Eucharist, meditating on themes of death, salvation, and communion. Franz Liszt later made transcriptions of the motet for piano solo and for organ, and also quoted it in his fantasy *Evocation à la Chapelle Sixtine*, producing versions for piano, organ, orchestra, and piano duet. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky incorporated an orchestration of Liszt’s transcription into his fourth orchestral suite, *Mozartiana*, Op. 61, as a tribute to Mozart’s music.
- Composer
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Key
- D major
- Catalog number
- K. 618
- Genre
- Motet
- Scoring
- SATB choir, string instruments, organ
- Dedicatee
- Anton Stoll
Lore & Background
Mozart composed this motet in 1791 while working on *Die Zauberflöte*, during a visit to his wife Constanze, who was pregnant with their sixth child and staying at the spa in Baden bei Wien. He wrote it for his friend Anton Stoll, the musical director of the parish church of St. Stephan in Baden, to celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi. The autograph is dated 17 June 1791, and Mozart entered it in his personal catalogue on 18 June; the feast itself fell on 23 June that year. The piece sets the main verse of the 13th-century Latin Eucharistic hymn “Ave verum corpus,” omitting the final three lines. It is only forty-six bars long and is scored for SATB choir, strings, and organ. Mozart’s manuscript provides minimal performance directions, containing only a single *sotto voce* marking at the beginning. The motet was written less than six months before his death and foreshadows aspects of his Requiem, such as declamatory gestures, textures, and a blend of forward- and backward-looking stylistic elements. Unlike the dramatic Requiem, this motet is simpler in structure, suited for a small-town church choir. It expresses Mozart’s deeply held beliefs about the Eucharist, using chromatic and tonal harmonic structures to reflect on themes of death, salvation, and communion.
Reader's Guide
The motet was composed less than six months before Mozart's death. It foreshadows "aspects of the Requiem such as declamatory gesture, textures, and integration of forward- and backward-looking stylistic elements". While the Requiem is a dramatic composition, this motet is simpler in structure, suited for the church choir in a small town. It expresses Mozart's deeply held beliefs about the Eucharist; he uses chromatic and tonal harmonic structures to reflect on religious themes of death, salvation and communion. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky incorporates an orchestration of Liszt's transcription in his fourth orchestral suite, Mozartiana, Op. 61; a tribute to Mozart's music.
Did You Know?
- Mozart composed the motet while visiting his wife Constanze, who was pregnant with their sixth child and staying in the spa Baden bei Wien.
- The composition is only forty-six bars long and contains minimal directions, with a single sotto voce marking at the beginning.
- Franz Liszt made transcriptions of the motet for piano solo and for organ, and quoted it in his piece Evocation à la Chapelle Sixtine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ave verum corpus (Mozart)?
It is a brief sacred motet by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, catalogued as K. 618, that sets the traditional Latin hymn of the same name to music. Mozart composed it specifically for the feast of Corpus Christi.
Who did Mozart write Ave verum corpus (Mozart) for?
The piece was dedicated to Anton Stoll, a personal friend of Mozart who worked as the church musician at St. Stephan in Baden bei Wien. Mozart intended it for Stoll to use in his Corpus Christi services.
What is the scoring of Ave verum corpus (Mozart)?
The work calls for a four-part SATB choir supported by a string ensemble and organ. It is a modestly sized ensemble, far smaller than many of Mozart's other choral works.
What key is Ave verum corpus (Mozart) in?
The motet is written in D major. That bright, open tonality fits the devotional and celebratory mood of the hymn text about the Eucharist.
Why is Ave verum corpus (Mozart) so widely performed?
Despite lasting only a few minutes, it is celebrated for its luminous harmonic writing and the way it conveys deep reverence with remarkable economy of means. It has become one of the most beloved and frequently programmed pieces in the standard choral repertoire.
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