Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific … Read Full Bio ↴Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition resulted in more than 800 works of virtually every Western classical genre of his time. Many of these compositions are acknowledged as pinnacles of the symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic, and choral repertoire. Mozart is widely regarded as among the greatest composers in the history of Western music, with his music admired for its "melodic beauty, its formal elegance and its richness of harmony and texture".

Born in Salzburg, then in the Holy Roman Empire and currently in Austria, Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. His father took him on a grand tour of Europe and then three trips to Italy. At 17, he was a musician at the Salzburg court but grew restless and traveled in search of a better position.

While visiting Vienna in 1781, Mozart was dismissed from his Salzburg position. He stayed in Vienna, where he achieved fame but little financial security. During his final years there, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas. His Requiem was largely unfinished by the time of his death at the age of 35, the circumstances of which are uncertain and much mythologized.

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

HOSTIAS et preces tibi, Domine,
laudis offerimns:
Tu suscipe pro animabus illis
quarum hodie memoriam facimus:
Fac eas, Domine,
de morte transire ad vitam.
Quam olim Ahrahee promisisti
et semini ejus.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of IV. Offertorium by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, conducted by Herbert von Karajan Wiener Philarmoniker, are taken from the Latin Mass for the Dead. The song is sung during the Offertory section of the Mass, where the faithful offer bread, wine, and other gifts to the Lord as a sign of their gratitude and devotion. In the lyrics, the faithful are offering "hostias et preces" (sacrifices and prayers) to the Lord, and asking Him to accept them on behalf of the souls of the departed, who are being remembered that day. They pray that the Lord will allow these souls to transition from death to life, as He promised to Abraham and his descendants in the Hebrew Scriptures.

The music that accompanies the lyrics is solemn and reverent, with a slow and measured pace that reflects the gravity of the words. The choir sings in unison for most of the song, but there are moments when the individual parts separate and create a beautiful harmony that underscores the emotional intensity of the lyrics. The song is a powerful testimony to the hope that the faithful have in the resurrection of the dead and the promise of eternal life.

Line by Line Meaning

HOSTIAS et preces tibi, Domine,
We offer sacrifices and prayers to you, Lord,

laudis offerimus:
We offer praises:

Tu suscipe pro animabus illis
Please accept them for the sake of those souls

quarum hodie memoriam facimus:
Whose memories we honor today:

Fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam.
Please help them, Lord, to pass from death to life.

Quam olim Ahrahee promisisti et semini ejus.
As you once promised to Abraham and his descendants.

Lyrics © Histoire et Chansons, PETER PAN MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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