Music Notes for September 15
On this weeks Music Notes join me as we look closer at Sunday's choral anthem, the popular Ave verum corpus by Edward Elgar.
Ave verum corpus is a short Eucharistic hymn that was debatably written either in the 13th century by an unknown Italian Franciscan or in 14th century by Pope Innocent VI. No matter its origins, many notable composers have found inspiration in it’s bold and poignant language with famous works by Mozart, Byrd, and more. On Sunday we will hear a setting by the Victorian English composer Sir Edward Elgar. In 1872 a young Edward had left school and began working for W.A. Allen as an office boy and clerk at the church where his father was organist, St. George's Roman Catholic Church, Worcester. Following Allen’s death in 1887, Edward Elgar marked his passing with a funeral setting for the choir of St George’s that included the Pie Jesu. It is then in 1902 that the music of that Pie Jesu was reset to the text Ave verum corpus and dedicated to Mrs. H. A. Leicester, wife of Elgar’s friend Hubert Leicester (mayor of Worcester and supporter of the arts).
Hail, true Body, born
of the Virgin Mary,
truly suffered, sacrificed
on the cross for mankind,
from whose pierced side
flowed water and blood:
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.