Here is our new recording of Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus by the vocal quartet Tembresha. We recorded this in my living room at the tail end of the pandemic in December 2021. This was one of several groups I worked with in my home during the pandemic. During the pandemic I wasn’t able to perform publicly so I started working with people in my home as a way to keep my sanity and creativity alive.
Click the bottom right of the video “Watch on YouTube” to listen to it on my YouTube channel and also to read more about the singers, our recording and the history of Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus
Read more about the history of Ave Verum Corpus by W.A. Mozart: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_verum_corpus_(Mozart)
You can also listen to this recording on your favorite streaming platform: https://social.tunecore.com/linkShare?linkid=kvv70yBgJXvm6qcaL8RFqg
I first sang Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus in 1977 as a boy soprano in the Northwest Boychoir (Seattle, WA USA). It is one of my absolute favorite sacred choral pieces and my favorite choral piece by W.A. Mozart. (I would say “favorite sacred choral work” but there’s always the Mass in B minor by J.S. Bach…)
The lyrics are also very moving. Here’s the original Latin lyrics and the English translation:
LYRICS – AVE VERUM CORPUS
ORIGINAL LATIN
Ave verum corpus,
Natum de Maria virgine;
Vere passum immolatum
In crucis pro homine.
Cuius latus perforatum
Unda fluxit et sanguine.
Esto nobis praegustatum
In mortis examine.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Hail, true body,
Born of the virgin Mary;
Who has truly suffered, slaughtered
On the Cross for humanity.
Whose side was pierced,
Pouring out water and blood.
Be a foretaste for us
During our ordeal of death.