Ave Verum Corpus

Ave verum corpus, natum
de Maria Virgine,
vere passum, immolatum
in cruce pro homine
cuius latus perforatum
fluxit aqua et sanguine:
esto nobis praegustatum
in mortis examine.

O Iesu dulcis, O Iesu pie,
O Iesu, fili Mariae.
Miserere mei. Amen

Hail, true Body, born
of the Virgin Mary,
having truly suffered, sacrificed
on the cross for mankind,
from whose pierced side
water and blood flowed:
Be for us a foretaste [of the Heavenly banquet] in the trial of death!

O sweet Jesus, O holy Jesus,
O Jesus, son of Mary,
have mercy on me. Amen.

The “Ave Verum Corpus” is a famous holy hymn. The words mean “Hail, True Body”. People first found the words in an old Franciscan book from the 13th century. Most experts believe Pope Innocent VI wrote the poem. For hundreds of years, people sang this hymn during church services, especially at Holy Communion. [1]

Famous Historical Settings of Ave Verum

The text is short, prayerful, and deeply emotional. Because of this, Ave Verum Corpus became one of the most popular texts for composers to set to music. Two versions became world-famous:
  • William Byrd wrote a dark, beautiful version in the 1600s during the Renaissance.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his famous version in 1791. Mozart’s version is simple, quiet, and filled with sweet strings and voices. [1, 2]
Many other great masters, like Franz Liszt and Edward Elgar, also wrote music for these words.

Michael John Trotta’s New Version of Ave Verum

American composer Michael John Trotta wrote a brand-new setting of the Ave Verum Corpus. It was commissioned by the University of Mary for an event called the Eucharistic Revival. Trotta’s version is special because it combines old church traditions with new musical styles.
The piece is written for an unaccompanied SATB choir, which means the singers use no instruments. Trotta starts the piece with a plainchant melody. This single voice line sounds like old medieval music from the middle ages. Then, the music slowly changes and grows. It turns into rich, modern harmonies and shimmering cluster chords. The vocal lines are very smooth and expressive. They give a warm, comforting feeling to the heavy words about life and death. 

Recording and Success

The famous Tenebrae Choir, led by conductor Nigel Short, recorded Trotta’s new piece live for their album O Nata Lux. Music critics loved the recording. They called it incredibly beautiful. Today, Trotta’s version is quickly becoming a favorite for school, church, and professional choirs around the world. It honors the 800-year history of the text while bringing something fresh to modern ears. 

Download the Official PDF Sheet Music at hamptonroadsmusicgroup.com

Get the Sheet Music

From the album O Nata Lux

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Described as “phenomenal” (The Times) and “devastatingly beautiful” (Gramophone Magazine), award-winning choir Tenebrae is one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles, renowned for its passion and precision.

For purity and precision of tone, and flawless intonation, Nigel Short’s chamber choir Tenebrae is pretty much unbeatable.

– The Times

Under the direction of Nigel Short, Tenebrae performs at major festivals and venues across the globe, including the BBC Proms, Wigmore Hall, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Rheingau Musik Festival and Sydney Festival. The choir has earned international acclaim for its interpretations of choral music from the Renaissance through to contemporary masterpieces, and has commissioned new music from composers including Judith Bingham, Joanna Marsh, Owain Park, Josephine Stephenson, Joby Talbot and Roderick Williams. Tenebrae has enjoyed collaborations with some of the UK’s leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra, the Academy of Ancient Music and Britten Sinfonia.

The choir also undertakes regular session work, having contributed the vocals for Max Richter’s Voices (2020), Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Notre Dame brûle (2022), and blockbuster sci-fi movie Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) among others. Its extensive recording catalogue comprises a wide range of music on labels including Signum, LSO Live and Warner Classics, and has earned the choir two BBC Music Magazine Awards and a Grammy nomination.

Signum’s current roster includes many excellent ensembles but the choral jewel in the crown is surely Tenebrae – Nigel Short’s outstanding chamber choir.

– Gramophone Magazine