Review

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ave Verum Corpus K.618:

Arranged by Edwards Hayes in collaboration with Frank Harmantas

Eight trombones

Vancouver, BC, , Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2018
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Originally for four voices, 2 violins, viola, bass, and organ. Voice parts are represented in trombone parts 1-4. Score and parts.

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

Composed a mere six months prior to Mozart’s death, Ave Verum Corpus was written to celebrate the Catholic observation of the Feast of Corpus Christi. With its slow-moving harmonic motion and delightful chromatic lines that elevate the musical tension, Mozart’s piece has become one of the most popular and often performed choral works in the repertoire. Performed on trombones, this work retains the qualities of the original composition and will be a familiar and appreciated piece for any audience.

A simple and beautiful piece, Ave Verum Corpus has been performed by trombone choirs for years, usually in a four-part setting. This particular setting by Edward Hayes restores the string and organ accompaniment found in the original score while simultaneously reducing the orchestration to fit better with a homogeneous ensemble. Although small sections of the orchestral lines are left out, the arrangement works well. Hayes’ setting changes the key to B-flat major from the original D major making the piece more approachable for a younger ensemble. Indeed, this is a great arrangement to hand out to an inexperienced trombone ensemble to work on creating a beautiful chorale sound with eight interconnected but independent parts.