Four Communion Motets
for a cappella choir

music by David McCulloch O.S.B.
(Catalogue L019)

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• Adoro te
• Ave verum
• O salutaris hostia
• Tantum ergo

Notes

Detailed performance notes, as written by the composer, are listed below: -

Adoro te devote
In this piece I wished to create an atmosphere of mystery through the mantra-like repetitions of "Adoro te devote" at the introduction and coda. Therefore these sections should be sung very quietly but with clear diction. Verses 1 and 3 need care through their changes of metre, but all should be well as long as it is realised that a rhythm of 3-bar phrases is established, which is repeated four times. The mood of verse 2 (from bar 18) is joyful and more extrovert.

Ave verum corpus
Anyone with knowledge of the Mozart and Elgar settings of this text should recognise that I am indebted to them for inspiration. Any tendency to rush should be avoided. From "cuius latus perforatum" I intend that the listener should be able to imagine the side-piercing spear and downward flow of blood through the modulations and the descending sequence. If any "Russian" basses with a low D flat are available, let them sing their two optional notes towards the end of this piece.

O salutaris hostia
This piece is more joyful in character than the others in this collection, so the mood should be lighter and sweeter. If solo voices for each part are unavailable or lacking in confidence, them a semi-chorus option would be valid for the first sections of each verse. The repetitions should be sung tutti and with greater emphasis, with the climax of each verse during the third line. As with the other pieces, real legato singing and good breath control are required.

Tantum ergo
'In this final piece, we return to a text which stresses the awesome nature of the Eucharistic mystery, and I hope that a performance will bring out the atmosphere of incense that I intended to create. The first verse in particular should be sung sotto voce in all parts, and when a solo voice is present, that voice needs to be clearly heard, so careful balance is essential. The solo melodic lines should sound like improvised melismas, but of course need to be sung in a rhythm that aligns with other parts.