Ave Verum Corpus – Composition
The above is my own composition, a setting of the first part of the Ave Verum Corpus, which I composed in June of 2020. There is a bit of a dichotomy to this piece. The first section is decidedly major and more in the style of Palestrina, while the second section is minor and perhaps closer to the English Renaissance.
Being in two sections, the piece has an added versatility. If time is short, one could end at measure 36, with in cruce pro homine. This yields a motet of about 1m 30s having an overall sound/message of awe at beholding Christ in the Eucharist. If more time is available, both parts together produce a motet of about 3m 45s with a sound/message that is more solemn and penitential.
Exposition
The motet ranges from B-flat in the Bass (or Baritone) to a high G in the Soprano. The Tenor does not exceed F, and the Alto has only one passing low A, at the beginning, where it is cross-voiced with the Tenor.
The high point of the first section is in cruce pro homine, but I also emphasize other aspects of the text, both with the length at which I repeat the phrase ave verum corpus and the F’s in various voices at vere passum.
I emphasize the text et sanguine in the second section. During the fluxit aqua et sangine passage, I was thinking of St. John’s interruption of his account of the passion where he testifies that he indeed saw blood and water flow from the side of Christ.
My favorite passage of the setting is O dulcis, O pie, O Jesu fili Mariae. I particularly like O pie. I was actually going to end the piece there, but I realized I had gotten myself stuck in C-minor, whereas the key signature was G-minor (or B-flat major). So, I added the misereres later, like an afterthought. The misereres transition the piece back to the proper key.
Update 2020-10-24
Just this week, I heard my composition sung for the first time, when a choir director sent me a recording he had made. I have posted it with permission. Take a listen. The schola is quite good.
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