Ave verum corpus (Mozart)
Ave verum corpus ("Hail, True Body"), K. 618, is a motet in D major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, setting the Latin hymn of the same name. Mozart composed the work in 1791, during the same period he was writing his opera *Die Zauberflöte*, while visiting his pregnant wife Constanze in the spa town of Baden bei Wien. He wrote it for his friend Anton Stoll, the musical director of the parish church St. Stephan in Baden, to celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi. The autograph manuscript is dated 17 June 1791, and Mozart entered it in his personal catalogue the following day. The feast itself fell on 23 June that year. The motet is brief, only forty-six bars long, and is scored for SATB choir, string instruments, and organ. Mozart’s manuscript includes minimal performance directions, with only a single *sotto voce* marking at the start. The composition sets the main verse of the 13th-century Eucharistic hymn, omitting the final three lines. Composed less than six months before Mozart’s death, the motet foreshadows elements of his Requiem, such as declamatory gesture, texture, and a blend of forward- and backward-looking stylistic features. Unlike the dramatic Requiem, this motet is simpler in structure, suited for a small-town church choir. It reflects Mozart’s deeply held beliefs about the Eucharist, employing chromatic and tonal harmonic structures to explore themes of death, salvation, and communion. Later composers engaged with the work: Franz Liszt made transcriptions for piano solo and for organ, and also quoted the motet 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
Quick Facts
- Composer
- W. A. Mozart
- Key
- D major
- Occasion
- Feast of Corpus Christi
- Catalogue
- K. 618
- Text
- Ave verum corpus
- Language
- Latin
- Composed
- date=1791-06-17 · location=Baden bei Wien
- Vocal
- SATB · soprano, alto, tenor and bass chorus
- Instrumental
- strings · organ
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Mozart composed this motet in 1791 while working on his opera *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 the following day. The piece sets the main verse of the 13th-century Latin Eucharistic hymn “Ave verum corpus,” omitting the final three lines. It is scored for SATB choir, string instruments, and organ, and is only forty-six bars long. Mozart’s manuscript provides minimal performance directions, containing only a single *sotto voce* marking at the beginning. The motet is simpler in structure than his later Requiem, suited for a small-town church choir, yet it foreshadows aspects of the Requiem through its declamatory gestures, textures, and blend of forward- and backward-looking stylistic elements. Mozart uses chromatic and tonal harmonic structures to reflect on religious themes of death, salvation, and communion, expressing his deeply held beliefs about the Eucharist. The composition was completed less than six months before his death.
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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