Schubert's Ave Maria

The piece was originally composed as a version of a song from Walter Scott's popular epic poem The Lady of the Lake, it forms part of Schubert's Liederzyklus vom Fräulein vom See.

The song's opening words and refrain, namely "Ave Maria" (Latin, "Hail Mary"), may have led to the idea of adapting Schubert's melody as a setting for the full text of the traditional Roman Catholic prayer Ave Maria. The Latin version of the Ave Maria is now so frequently used with Schubert's melody that it has led to the misconception that he originally wrote the melody as a setting for the Ave Maria prayer.

Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828) was an Austrian composer. He wrote over six hundred lieder (songs), nine symphonies (including the famous Unfinished Symphony), liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, numerous pieces of chamber music, and a large body of solo piano music.

Renowned for his magnificent melodies, he was perhaps even more proficient at creating music of extraordinary depth and emotional power. And despite his tragically short life, Franz Schubert is widely considered to be one of the greatest of all composers.

Tutorials

Piano Solo in C Major

Sheetmusic Classical Music Book

Piano Solo in B-flat Major (arr. August Horn)

Sheetmusic at imslp.org

Piano Solo transcription by LIszt

Sheetmusic at imslp.org

Piano Accompaniment for Flute

Sheetmusic imslp link

Piano Accompaniment for Voice

Sheetmusic

Eusebius Mandyczewski (1857–1929) edition