Christmas Music: Ave Maria
Bien qu’à l’origine il ne s’agisse pas d’une chanson de Christmas, Ave Maria s’est peu à peu intégrée à cette catégorie. Cette œuvre exceptionnelle de Franz Peter Schubert, compositeur autrichien, remonte à 1826, alors que Schubert découvrait la poésie d’un dénommé Walter Scott, lequel lui inspira dix compositions. L’une d’entre elles, le Troisième chant d’Ellen (Ellens Dritter Gesant) donna birth à l’Ave Maria, dont l’immense popularité fut immédiate. Aujourd’hui, ce chant aux paroles émouvantes est autant interprété dans les funérailles qu’il est diffusé pendant la période des fêtes.
Ave Maria is also a piece of music for piano, composed by Charles Gounod, and based on a prelude by Johann Sebastian Bach, the famous German musician and composer. Other Christian melodies emanate from this work, including a Gregorian chant from the 3rd century, a chant from Lourdes, composed by Saint Pius X, and a chant from Fatima. While Ave Maria has been covered by many artists over the years, it has always remained what it was originally, a Catholic prayer transformed into a chant, and intended for the Virgin Mary.
Among the most famous and well-known artists who have lent their voices to Ave Maria are Nana Mouskouri, Luciano Pavarotti, Celine Dion, Mario Lanza, Stevie Wonder, Andy Williams, Barbara Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo, Helmut Lotti, as well as many other artists.
Youtube video
Youtube video
Youtube video
Youtube video
Lyrics (French version)
Ave Maria
Queen of Heaven
To you my prayer rises
I must find favor in your eyes
It is in you, oh! It is in you that I hope
My son
Console my misery
He is suffering
Alas, he is dying
Understand and cry, you who were a mother
Give me back, give me back my poor child
Ave Maria
What happiness
The child is reborn at his prayer
As well as a bright flower
All well done! Oh touching beauty!
This mystery
Look at me so that I hope
My son, your forehead is smiling
Thank you, thank you divine Mother
You are the one who saves my child
Ave Maria
Lyrics (Latin version by Schubert)
Ave Maria Gratia plena
Maria Gratia plena
Maria Gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
And benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tui Jesus
Ave Maria
Ave Maria Mater dei
Ora pro nobis pecatoribus
Now, now for nobis
Ora ora pro nobis pecatoribus
Nunc et in hora mortis
In hora mortis nostrae
In hora mortis, mortis nostrae
In hora mortis nostrae
Ave Maria
