Mozart Venite populi

 Mozart Works / Choral, Sacred, Motet

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Venite populi, K.260 (KV 248a) is one of the composers few works for double choir (an offertorium for two choirs), and one of the few settings of this rare and unusual text. It deserves to be better known.  

The 0ffertorium de venerabili sacramento “Venite populi” à 2 Chori K. 260/248a – dated Salzburg, 1767 by Mozart in his autograph score – clearly reveals a striving for more pronounced contrapuntal work. A short, homophonic central movement is framed by two predominantly polyphonic movements that are fashioned from the same thematic material. The two-chorus texture offers many opportunities for interweaving, as well as contrast and echo effects of all kinds. It is not known who wrote the non-liturgical text. [Music Room]

Title: Venite populi, K.260
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Number of voices: 8vv   Voicing: SATB.SATB
Genre: Sacred, Motet, Eucharistic song

Language: Latin
Instruments: 2 violins, cello, organ (continuo) OR organ (orchestra reduction)

Below, Mozart's Venite populi performed by the Scottish Chamber Choir. Director Mark Hindley, chamber organ Philip Sawyer, violin 1 Kate Miguda, violin 2 Simon Graham, cello Pete Harvey, double bass Emily Scott-Moncrieff. Recorded at Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh on 15 November 2014. Accessed October 27, 2020.

Latin Text:

Venite, populi, venite
de longe venite,
et admiramini gentes.
Venite, populi, venite,
an alia natio tam grandis,
quae habet Deos appropinquantes sibi,
sicut Deus noster adest nobis,
cujus in ara veram praesentiam
contemplamur jugiter per fidem vivam,
an alia natio tam grandis?
O sors cunctis beatior,
O sors sola fidelium,
quibus panis fractio
et calicis communio
est in auxilium.
Eja ergo epulemur
in azymis veritatis et sinceritatis,
eja ergo epulemur
et inebriemur vino laetitiae sempiternae;
an alia natio tam grandis?
Venite, populi, venite. 

English Translation:

Come, O peoples, come;
come from afar,
and marvel, O races.
Come, O peoples, come;
is there any nation so great
that it has its gods so near to it
as our God is near to us,
whose true presence on his altar
we continually contemplate through living faith:
is there any nation so great?
O fate more blessed than all others,
O fate only of the faithful
for whom breaking bread
and sharing the cup
is a help
Therefore let us feast
on the unleavened bread of truth and sincerity,
Let us feast, therefore,
and become drunk with wine of eternal joy;
is there any nation so great?
Come, O peoples, come. 

 

Resources:

A mere mention from A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mozart, Wolfgang (... a litany 'de venerabili' (243); an offertorium for 2 choirs 'Venite populi' (260); a graduale 'Sancta Maria' (273); a serenade for the wedding...). 

Venite populi (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart). CPDL. Accessed October 27, 2020. 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Venite Populi In D Major: Mixed Choir. Music Room. Accessed October 27, 2020.

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