The First Concert

Muammer Sun, Ertuğrul Oğuz Fırat, and Muzaffer Arkan Girls Choir, conducted by Çiğdem Aytepe and Atilla Çağdaş Değer, came together and performed Mozart's motet Ave Verum Corpus as a large choir in November 25, 2103. This concert is considered to be the very first concert of Saygun Philharmonic Choir.

Motet, KV.618 "Ave Verum Corpus"

Mozart composed 'Ave Verum Corpus' in June 1791, about six months before his death. It is a motet for four-part choir, strings and organ. The motet is one of the most important polyphonic musical forms of the 12th century and has its roots in church music. Mot means word in French. In church music, motets are additions to monophonic liturgical songs with new texts. This form later played an important role in the development of polyphony. Ave Verum Corpus is a one-part work with lyrical content. Its expressive, flowing melodies are reminiscent of the composer's operatic arias.

The text of the work is as follows:

Hail, true Body, born of the Virgin Mary,
having truly suffered, sacrificed on the cross for mankind,
from whose pierced side water and blood flowed:
Be for us a sweet foretaste in the trial of death!