Views from the Choir Loft

Ten “Ave Maria” Settings from Different Lands

Lucas Tappan · May 12, 2017

AST SUNDAY the Most Pure Heart of Mary Schola Cantorum (both our adult and children choirs combined) presented a musical reflection on a Decade of the Most Holy Rosary in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. (The choir will repeat this concert next Saturday at 6 p.m. at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Basehor, KS, for those interested.)

The program began with the plainsong Pater noster followed by ten settings of the Ave Maria from different eras and lands before closing with Stanford’s setting of Psalm 150 and the Doxology. I thought I would share a few of the Ave Maria recordings from the day, which I hope you enjoy!

* * 2. AVE MARIA (Plainsong)

This chant provides the melodic material for Victoria’s setting.

* * 3. AVE MARIA attr. to Fr. Victoria (d. 1611)

Conducted by my assistant John Deahl.

* * 5. AVE MARIA by Colin Mawby (b. 1936)

Composed specifically for the Most Pure Heart of Mary Schola Cantorum.

* * 7. AVE MARIA by Matthew Martin (b. 1976)

Sung by Choristers only.

* * 9. AVE MARIA by Rachmaninoff (d. 1943)

Conducted by my assistant John Deahl.

* * 10. AVE MARIA by Charlie Wulke

This work was newly composed by our school music teacher for the concert!

* * 11. AVE MARIA by Gabriel Fauré (d. 1924)

Like Beethoven, Fauré was deaf as he grew older.

Many of our families are devoted to the Rosary, and the children enjoyed this musical “decade of the Rosary.”

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

About Lucas Tappan

Dr. Lucas Tappan is a conductor and organist whose specialty is working with children. He lives in Kansas with his wife and four children.—(Read full biography).

For the Upcoming Choir Season!

Last week, I posted an SATB choral setting of the SANCTUS in a ‘contemporary’ style. You might want to consider this piece for two reasons: (1) It’s extremely brief; (2) Free rehearsal videos are available for each individual part. The piece is by Father Lhoumeau.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Sunday Vespers” (22 pages)

When an organist accompanies Vespers, there is no time to think. It’s one thing after another: Bam – Bam – Bam. And that’s what makes Vespers difficult to accompany; there’s hardly even time to check the key signature for each piece! Therefore, although it’s far from perfect, I’m releasing this 22-page booklet:

PDF Download • SUNDAY VESPERS ACCOMPANIMENT

As time goes on, I will explain why I believe this booklet is important, my hopes for it, and why I selected the official edition, directly from the Vesperale Romanum. In spite of its imperfections, creating this (draft) booklet required much more effort than I had anticipated.

—Jeff Ostrowski

11 July 2022 • FEEDBACK

Someone who heard the CCW plainsong recordings with NOH accompaniment says: “For years I have travelled the continents and crossed the oceans of Gregorian chant in search of a composition and interpretation as sublime as this. The text and the melody are interwoven in a game of mirrors with the interpreters, the singer and the instrumentalist, so as to confer delicacy on the jubilation. The organ is soft, humble. This is what we hear from the singer. These artists have come together to produce beauty. In 1903, Pope Pius X, by motu proprio, restored Gregorian chant in the Latin Church. In his words: Sacred music must possess, to an eminent degree, the qualities proper to the liturgy, and notably the sanctity and delicacy of form, whence another characteristic spontaneously results, universality. I stress: the holiness and delicacy of forms result in universality, time and place. That is to say, sometimes the beauty of human hands gently caresses the face of the Eternal.”

—Jeff Ostrowski