Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus: For Cello

Composed originally for voice in 1791, the last year of Mozart‘s life, the melody of this beautiful hymn is presented here for cello in three different registers: low, medium and high.

In the original key (D major) we can choose to play it in either the lower or higher octave. The lower octave version is our “Easiest Version” as it stays always in the Neck Region and, in fact, goes no higher than the E, a fifth above the open A string. The higher octave version is our “Difficult Version” as it spends most of its time in the Intermediate and Thumb regions. As both these versions are in the original key, any standard piano accompaniment part can be used with them.

  1.    Original Key: Lower Octave: Edited Version
  2.    Original Key: Lower Octave: Clean Version
  3.    Original Key: Higher Octave: Edited Version
  4.    Original Key: Higher Octave: Clean Version

Here is an audio of a play-along accompaniment in D major, for use with the low and higher register versions:

 

The following version, transposed down by a fifth from the original into G major, is our mid-register (and mid-difficulty) version. This is possibly the most successful version, not only because of the more appropriate register but also because the piano accompaniment part that is presented here is considerably better than many that are available for the original key versions.

  1.   In G Major (Mid-Register): Edited Version
  2.   In G Major (Mid-Register): Clean Version
  3.   Piano Score in G Major

And here below is a play-along accompaniment audio in G major. Be aware that this accompaniment, played on the harp, is not exactly the same as the piano accompaniment part offered above.