(Exult, rejoice), K. 165, is a 1773 motet by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
History
This religious solo motet was composed when Mozart was staying in Milan during the production of his opera Lucio Silla which was being performed there in the Teatro Regio Ducale. It was written for the castrato Venanzio Rauzzini, who had sung the part of the primo uomo Cecilio in Lucio Silla the previous year. While waiting for the end of the run (from 26 December 1772 to 25 January 1773), Mozart composed the motet for his singer, whose technical excellence he admired. Its first performance took place at the Theatine Church on 17 January 1773, while Rauzzini was still singing in Mozart's opera at night. Mozart made some revisions around 1780. On 30 May 1779, a Trinity Sunday, a revised version was performed by Francesco Ceccarelli at the Holy Trinity Church, Salzburg. Another revised version was intended for Christmas. The manuscripts of the two Salzburg versions were discovered in 1978 in St. Jakob, Wasserburg am Inn.
Although nominally for liturgical use, the motet has many features in common with Mozart's concert arias, such as those drawn from his operas. Mozart also used elements of concerto form in this motet. This is something Mozart did more often, for example in his Sinfonia Concertante KV 364 in E-flat major for violin, viola and orchestra.
Libretto
Written in Latin, the author of the text is unknown but may have been Rauzzini.
{|
|<poem lang="la-VA">Exsultate, jubilate,
o vos animae beatae,
dulcia cantica canendo,
cantui vestro respondendo,
psallant aethera cum me.</poem>
|style="padding-left:2em;"|<poem>Rejoice, resound with joy,
o you blessed souls,
singing sweet songs,
In response to your singing
let the heavens sing forth with me.</poem>
|-
|<poem lang="la-VA">Fulget amica dies,
fugere et nubila et procellae;
exorta est justis
inexspectata quies.
Undique obscura regnabat nox,
surgite tandem laeti
qui timuistis adhuc,
et aurorae fortunatae
frondes dextera plena et lilia date.</poem>
|style="padding-left:2em;"|<poem>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];
arise, happy at last,
you who feared till now,
and joyful for this lucky dawn,
give garlands and lilies with full right hand.</poem>
|-
|<poem lang="la-VA">Tu virginum corona,
tu nobis pacem dona,
tu consolare affectus,
unde suspirat cor.</poem>
|style="padding-left:2em;"|<poem>You, o crown of virgins,
grant us peace,
Console our feelings,
from which our hearts sigh.</poem>
|-
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