Ave Maria - 5

The San Marino Chamber Choir sings Biebl's Ave Maria at a Christmas concert.

Today's version of Ave Maria come from a modern German composer, Franz Biebl (1906-2001). Written in 1964, this is Beibl's most well known composition.

Biebl intersperses some chant verses with the text of the Ave.

The piece is introduced with:
Angelus Domini, nuntiavit Mariae, et concepit tu spiritu sancto.
(The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary and she conceived of the Holy Spirit.)

The second interpolation is:
Maria dixit, ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
(Behold the servant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.)

The third gloss on the Ave text is:
Et verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis.
(And the word became flesh and dwelled among us.)

You may remember an earlier post on the Angelus which is the prayer Biebl wove into the Ave Maria.

I hope you'll join us for the concert Chosen From All Women on Sunday night, September 9 at 7:30 p.m., following Evening Prayer at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Family Parish in Concord. The concert will be presented by Lauren Sprague (soprano) and Carol Messina (piano).

For more information on the concert see my first post on this topic, and scroll down to find the first previous posts on the Ave Maria.

Update: I just realized that the San Marino Chamber Choir omits the third piece of the Angelus in this performance of Biebl's Ave Maria. To hear the complete piece, try this audio (sorry, no video) of Chanticleer's performance.

Ave Maria Numbered Series

Ave Maria - 4

This is an Ave Maria I had never heard before, composed by Giulio Cacinni who died in Florence in 1618. The only lyrics for the entire piece are the two words of the title, repeated over and over again. The vocalist here is 20 year old Hayley Westenra of New Zealand.

I hope you're enjoying this series of posts on different performances and versions of the prayer, Ave Maria. Most of all I hope you'll join us for the concert Chosen From All Women on Sunday night, September 9 at 7:30 p.m., following Evening Prayer at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Family Parish in Concord. The concert will be presented by Lauren Sprague (soprano) and Carol Messina (piano).

For more information on the concert see my first post on this topic, and scroll down to find the first 3 renditions of the Ave Maria.

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Ave Maria - 3

Here's a rendition of the Schubert Ave Maria featuring two of today's best known performers, Pavarotti and Bono - in a duet. Bono fans won't be surprised to find that he adds some musical editorial comment to the well known composition. Some might find that out of place, but I can't help but think of those who have prayed millions of Hail Mary's precisely for the issues and concerns Bono names in his interpretation.

All this is a reminder to join us for a concert, Chosen From All Women on September 9 at 7:30 p.m., following Evening Prayer at 7:00 p.m. For more information check my earlier post.

Each day between now and the concert date, I'll post another version of the Ave Maria. Scroll down a few posts for yesterday's.

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Ave Maria - 2

The youngest readers may not recognize the voice of Perry Como here but some of us feel like we grew up with him and his variety show. (Let me know if you remember this: Letters, we get letters, we get stacks and stacks of letters! Dear Perry, would you be so kind, to fill a request and sing the song I like best...)

Perry's rendition of Schubert's Ave Maria comes with many images of the Madonna and some readers here will recognize them as holy cards we placed in our Sunday missals. (As you might guess, I'm partial to the icons.)

This post is a reminder of the concert, Chosen From All Women, which will be presented by our cantor, Lauren Sprague (soprano) and accompanist, Carol Messina (piano) on Sunday night, September 9 at 7:30 p.m., following Evening Prayer at 7:00 p.m. Please join us and plan to bring at least one friend with you!

For more information and another setting of the Ave, check this earlier post.

Ave Maria Numbered Series

The Birthday of Jesus' Mother, Mary

Kathleen Battle and Christopher Parkening Performing Live at the 1987 Grammy Awards: Bach-Gounod Ave Maria

Do you know the date of Mary's birthday?

Take a minute or two to figure that out before reading on...


Not sure? Well, you can figure it out from the church calendar. You know the day when we celebrate Mary's Immaculate Conception - December 8. Now, just count 9 months across the calendar and you’ll land on Mary's birthday - September 8 which this year falls on a Saturday.

Just the next day, September 9, two of our music ministers, Lauren Sprague (soprano) and Carol Messina (piano) will present a concert in honor of the Blessed Mother's birthday. Lauren is one of our cantors and Carol one of our accompanists. The program they have prepared presents a variety of pieces written for and inspired by Mary including: a 9th century chant setting of the Annunciation; a piece entitled “Mary Alone,” written from the perspective of a mother whose son has been killed in war; a contemporary song, “Breath of Heaven” in which Mary sings of her concerns about becoming a mother; as well as a number of musical settings of the Ave Maria prayer by lesser known composers and, of course, the two most familiar settings (Schubert and Bach/Gounod). The repertoire is quite diverse and offers something for everyone.

We will sing Evening Prayer at 7:00 p.m. and the will follow, around 7:30 p.m. There is no admission fee, but all free will offerings will benefit Rosie’s Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women in Boston.

Each day between now and the concert, I will post a different rendition of the Ave Maria, with a reminder about the upcoming concert date.

Ave Maria Numbered Series