LSO Children’s Concert Lesson Plan “Ave Verum Corpus” Created: Matthew Eschliman Junior Music Education Major Doane College

Background of piece for instructor: “Ave Verum Corpus” is a setting of the 14th century English eucharistic hymn. This work was commissioned by Anton Stoll a close friend of Mozart’s. Stoll was the music coordinator of Baden bei Wien, a parish near Vienna. It is scored for SATB choir, strings, and organ. Mozart wrote this piece in the midst of writing Die Zauberflöte, The Magic Flute. Mozart completed this composition in 1791, a mere six months before his death. The piece is only 46 measures long. This piece is later to be quoted in both the works of and . “Ave Verum Corpus” Hail, true Body, born of the Virgin Mary, who having truly suffered, was sacrificed on the cross for mankind, whose pierced side flowed with water and blood: May it be for us a foretaste [of the Heavenly banquet] in the trial of death. O sweet , O pious Jesus, O Jesus, son of Mary, have mercy on me. Amen.

Learning Focus Concepts: Students will hear the difference between an organ and an orchestra.

Learning Outcomes for this lesson: Students will understand what an organ is and how it relates to Mozart

Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to verbally state what an organ is and contrast the sound of an organ and string orchestra.

Anticipatory Set:

Ask students if they’ve ever seen or heard an organ most likely not.

Show the students this video of Toccata and Fugue by Bach at most just the first two and a half minutes for them to hear and see what an organ looks like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4JQZb83oCc

Explain to the students an organ is like a piano but when you press a key air gets blown through giant pipes to make sound. Explain to students that organs were primarily used in churches in Mozart’s time. Mozart also was hired to often to write for churches meaning that Mozart used the organ in a good amount of his sacred music.

Learning Activities and Checking For Understanding: Have both the picture of the organ and choir up on different sides of the board. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvFUw9HvRf8

Have students listen to this recording of “Ave Verum Corpus” and identify when the organ itself is playing.

Have students point to either the picture of the choir or of the organ to identify which is most prominent.

Ask students to explain what an organ is.

After listening through the recording explain that at the symphony they most likely will not hear an organ but rather an orchestra accompanying the choir.

Play this recording for the students https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsUWFVKJwBM

Ask your students what differences they heard in the both recordings. How did the orchestra change the sound as opposed to the organ? Which did they like better? Which recording was easier to hear the choir? etc.

Materials, Resources, Bibliography: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4JQZb83oCc Toccata and fugue reference recording https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvFUw9HvRf8 Ave Verum Corpus Recording with Organ accompaniment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsUWFVKJwBM Ave Verum Corpus Recording with Orchestral accompaniment