How good to hear something so gentle, sober, soothing and sincere! Most of the time I prefer to hear Schubert (and each of the other classical composers) exactly as written, but the sound of an acoustic guitar sure can do a lot to help calm frayed nerves.
Every time I hear this song, it reminds me of my wedding lo these many decades ago: my fiance at the time and I planned to wed in her parent's Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod). We submitted our planned music list to the pastor, and included Ave Maria. The pastor just about had a cow, and firmly instructed us that this song puts the Virgin Mary in an improper position as it relates to the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. No place in the Lutheran liturgy for Mary as it relates to worship of God. He insisted that his Lutheran sanctuary would rather go up in flames than hear this blasphemous ditty blared into the sacred Lutheran environs.
There’s a great irony, Fredd, which your intolerant Lutheran pastor may have been ignorant –– and many members of the Roman Catholic clergy as well.
WIKI explains it very well:
The piece, [first published in 1825 as "Ellens’ Third Song," believe it or not] was composed as a setting of a verse XXIX from Canto Third of Walter Scott's popular epic poem The Lady of the Lake, in a German translation by Adam Storck (1780–1822), and thus forms part of Schubert's Liederzyklus vom Fräulein vom See.
In Scott's epic poem the character Ellen Douglas, the Lady of the Lake (Loch Katrine in the Scottish Highlands), has gone with her exiled father to stay in the Goblin's Cave as he has declined to join their previous host, Roderick Dhu, in rebellion against King James.
Roderick Dhu, the chieftain of Clan Alpine, sets off up the mountain with his warriors, but lingers and hears the distant sound of the harpist Allan Bane, accompanying Ellen who sings a prayer addressed to the Virgin Mary, calling upon her for help. Roderick Dhu pauses, then goes on to battle. ...
The opening words and refrain of "Ellen's Third Song," namely "Ave Maria" (Latin for "Hail Mary"), may have led to the idea of adapting Schubert's Lied 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 Roman Catholic Latin text.
Here are the words to “Ellen’s Third Song” in an English translation of the German translation used by Franz Schubert of Sir Walter Scott’s original secular text. ;-}
Ave, Maria! Maiden mild! Oh listen to a maiden's prayer; For thou canst hear tho' from the wild, And Thou canst save amid despair. Safe may we sleep beneath thy care Tho' banish'd outcast and reviled, Oh, Maiden hear a maidens prayer. Oh Mother, hear a suppliant child! Ave Maria!
Ave, Maria! Undefiled! The flinty couch we now must share, Shall seem with down of eider piled If Thy, if Thy protection hover there. The murky cavern's heavy air Shall breath of Balm if thou hast smiled; Then, Maiden hear a maiden's prayer. Oh Mother, hear a suppliant child! Ave Maria!
Ave, Maria! Stainless-styled! Foul demons of the earth and air, From this their wonted haunt exiled, Shall flee, shall flee before thy presence fair. We bow us to our lot of care
Beneath Thy guidance reconciled, Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer; And for a father bear a child! Ave Maria!
So any and all "religious" controversy over this famous piece is based on a complete misconception of what it is really about.
We human beings are bizarre creatures who prefer controversy, division, and battle over peace, harmony, an contentment. And ain't it a shame? ;-)
How good to hear something so gentle, sober, soothing and sincere! Most of the time I prefer to hear Schubert (and each of the other classical composers) exactly as written, but the sound of an acoustic guitar sure can do a lot to help calm frayed nerves.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kid.
FT, Glad you enjoyed it. I really like this version.
DeleteEvery time I hear this song, it reminds me of my wedding lo these many decades ago: my fiance at the time and I planned to wed in her parent's Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod). We submitted our planned music list to the pastor, and included Ave Maria. The pastor just about had a cow, and firmly instructed us that this song puts the Virgin Mary in an improper position as it relates to the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. No place in the Lutheran liturgy for Mary as it relates to worship of God. He insisted that his Lutheran sanctuary would rather go up in flames than hear this blasphemous ditty blared into the sacred Lutheran environs.
ReplyDeleteSo much for Christian tolerance.
Fredd, you should have moved the venue to Vegas.
DeleteFredd, and Others, this might interest you:
ReplyDeleteThere’s a great irony, Fredd, which your intolerant Lutheran pastor may have been ignorant –– and many members of the Roman Catholic clergy as well.
WIKI explains it very well:
The piece, [first published in 1825 as "Ellens’ Third Song," believe it or not] was composed as a setting of a verse XXIX from Canto Third of Walter Scott's popular epic poem The Lady of the Lake, in a German translation by Adam Storck (1780–1822), and thus forms part of Schubert's Liederzyklus vom Fräulein vom See.
In Scott's epic poem the character Ellen Douglas, the Lady of the Lake (Loch Katrine in the Scottish Highlands), has gone with her exiled father to stay in the Goblin's Cave as he has declined to join their previous host, Roderick Dhu, in rebellion against King James.
Roderick Dhu, the chieftain of Clan Alpine, sets off up the mountain with his warriors, but lingers and hears the distant sound of the harpist Allan Bane, accompanying Ellen who sings a prayer addressed to the Virgin Mary, calling upon her for help. Roderick Dhu pauses, then goes on to battle. ...
The opening words and refrain of "Ellen's Third Song," namely "Ave Maria" (Latin for "Hail Mary"), may have led to the idea of adapting Schubert's Lied 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 Roman Catholic Latin text.
Here are the words to “Ellen’s Third Song” in an English translation of the German translation used by Franz Schubert of Sir Walter Scott’s original secular text. ;-}
Ave, Maria! Maiden mild!
Oh listen to a maiden's prayer;
For thou canst hear tho' from the wild,
And Thou canst save amid despair.
Safe may we sleep beneath thy care
Tho' banish'd outcast and reviled,
Oh, Maiden hear a maidens prayer.
Oh Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave, Maria! Undefiled!
The flinty couch we now must share,
Shall seem with down of eider piled
If Thy, if Thy protection hover there.
The murky cavern's heavy air
Shall breath of Balm if thou hast smiled;
Then, Maiden hear a maiden's prayer.
Oh Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!
Ave, Maria! Stainless-styled!
Foul demons of the earth and air,
From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Shall flee, shall flee before thy presence fair.
We bow us to our lot of care
Beneath Thy guidance reconciled,
Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer;
And for a father bear a child!
Ave Maria!
So any and all "religious" controversy over this famous piece is based on a complete misconception of what it is really about.
We human beings are bizarre creatures who prefer controversy, division, and battle over peace, harmony, an contentment. And ain't it a shame? ;-)
http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=18769
"We human beings are bizarre creatures who prefer controversy, division, and battle over peace, harmony, an contentment. And ain't it a shame? ;-)"
DeleteYep.
Beautiful. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it Sir.
Delete