Ave verum, CG 85a2

Charles Gounod's setting of the traditional Latin text Ave verum corpus is a sacred motet for two voices, Soprano and Tenor. The text, originating from the Liber Usualis, is a meditation on the real presence of Christ's body, born of the Virgin Mary, who suffered and was immolated on the cross. It speaks of the blood and water flowing from his pierced side and pleads for a foretaste of this sacrifice in the hour of death, concluding with a prayer for mercy. Gounod's intimate setting in two parts, S and T, allows for a close and devotional exploration of these profound themes.