Exultate, Jubilate K165 (Solo Motet) – MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791

This religious SOLO MOTET was composed specifically for the feast day of the Regular Theatine Clerics, while Mozart was visiting Milan for the third time as part of his early operatic exploits and was premiered in Milan’s Church of San Antonio (pictures below) on January 17, 1773 . It was written for the CASTRATO Venanzio Rauzzini, who had sung the lead role in Mozart’s opera Lucio Sillia K. 135 in 1772, to great acclaim. The composition of the Motet was completed in great haste between the premiere of Lucio Silla on 27 December 1772 and the scheduled feast day barely three weeks later. Never mind that the soloist was performing a very demanding opera during that time himself and was probably not as available for rehearsal as one might have thought, for such a difficult work – 15 odd minutes of some very demanding singing – not to mention accompaniment, either in it’s orchestral version or in the uncomfortable piano reductions.

The motet is a good example of Mozart’s early Italianate operatic style. It also hints at where the strength of Rauzzini’s voice lay: long sustained lines in the middle range, florid and fast coloratura runs and a tender expressive quality for the recitative and central slow aria.

The work is divided into three parts:

1. Aria: Exultate, jubilate (Allegro)

– Recitative Accompagnato – Fulget amica dies

2. Aria: Tu virginum corona (Andante or Larghetto, depending on the edition)

segue without a break into:

3. Aria: Alleluia (Allegro, Allegro non Troppo or Molto Allegro depending on the edition)

This departs from the traditional “Solo Motet” shape (usually two arias, two recits and a concluding Alleluia), in that there is only one recitative and slow aria. This might indicate the rush with which Mozart completed it somewhere around Christmas 1772. As such it resembles a Three Movement Concerto for Coloratura, complete with Cadenzas at the end of each of the first two movements. The first movement is in simplified Sonata Form, further giving it the feel of an opening Concerto or Sonata movement. Also, most Sopranos alter Mozart’s written notes to introduce a high Top C at the climax of the famous “Alleluja” movement.

Although the work has a Latin Sacred text, its liturgical use is nominal compared to its concert use, beign classified as a Concert Aria – a genre in which Mozart excelled. Mozart’s liturgical music is also characteristically operatic – a feature which sometimes got him into trouble with church leaders who would have preferred more austere writing. Mozart obviously loved the voice and wrote for it with great skill and affection, and that affection bubbles through in this work. Beautiful lines designed to show off the natural beauty of a voice alternate with playful virtuosity building to a thrilling and exciting and undeniably operatic climax.

Three versions of the Motet are in existence and Richard Hamilton Armstrong and Paul F. Zweifel have written an excellent article on their differences, which can be accessed HERE.

Download a String Arrangement in G major of Exultate Jubilate HERE.

Find a SCORE  of  the Neue Deutsche Ausgabe HERE
Find a Ciritical Analysis of the Neue Deutsche Ausgabe HERE.

DOWNLOAD FREE SHEETMUSIC of the PIANO and VOICE Vocal Score of Mozart’s “Exultate Jubilate” Here:
Mozart Exultate Jubilate PianoVocal Score Klengel

MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791

The Autograph of the Motet “Exultate, Jubilate” (KV 165/158a) of the Bibliotheka Jagiellońska of Krakow. Facsimile Edition, Edited by Domenico Antonio D’Alessandro [&] Flavio Colusso. With an Essay by Rudolph Angermüller

[Motet, Exultate, Jubilate, soprano, orch, K.165/158a] Read More HERE

 Some pictures of the Milan’s Church of San Antonio where this work was Premiered in 1773 almost 240 years ago

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Text and tranlation of “Exultate Jubilate: Kv 165

Exsultate, jubilate,O vos animae beatae exsultate,  jubilate,dulcia cantica canendo;cantui vestro respondendopsallant aethera cum me.	Rejoice, be glad,O you blessed souls,Rejoice, be glad,Singing sweet songs;In response to your singingLet the heavens sing forth with me.
Fulget amica dies,jam fugere et nubila et procellae;exortus est justis inexspectata quies.Undique obscura regnabat nox,surgite tandem laeti qui  timuistis adhuc,et jucundi aurorae fortunatae.frondes dextera plena et lilia date.	The friendly day shines forth,both clouds and storms have fled now;for the righteous there has arisen an unexpected calm.Dark night reigned everywhere [before];you who feared till now,and joyful for this lucky dawn give garlands and lilies with full right hand.
Tu virginum corona,tu nobis pacem dona,tu consolare affectus,unde suspirat cor. Alleluja.	You, o crown of virgins,grant us peace,console our feelings,from which our hearts sigh. Alleluja