“Ave Maria” means “Hail, Mary,” a version of a Latin prayer to the Virgin Mary that is commonly used in the Church of the Roman Catholic. The song “Ave Maria” is a well-known funeral song that was composed in 1825 by Franz Schubert and has long been translated into various languages with different versions. This song is among the composition of the seven songs “The Lady of the Lake” by Walter Scott as his Opus 52, which Schubert later published in 1826. Thus, it forms part of the poem Scott wrote.
In the poem “The Lady of the Lake,” Ellen Douglas, a character, goes to exile into a Goblin’s cave with her father because he declines to join Roderick Dhu, who was a former host to rebel against James, who was King. Dhu, who is Alpine’s clan leader, charges to the mountains prepared for battle with his soldiers, but his mind drifts off and grasps the voice of Ellen, who is singing a prayer accompanied by the harpist Allan-Bane. Ellen was calling the Virgin Mary for help. Dhu briefly hesitates, then moves on to battle.
Ellen is said to be characterized as the lady of the lake because Schubert’s first performance at the fortress of Soffie Weissenwolff, who was the wife of an Earl in the tiny town of Austrian in Steyregg, was supposedly devoted to her. The reason for the adaptation of Schubert’s melody in the Catholic prayer from Rome, “Ave Maria,” as a setting of the full text came from the repeated phrases and lines of Ellen’s song “Ave Maria.” On the other hand, a misconception that the Latin version of the “Ave Maria” Schubert had written the melody’s setting where the “Ave Maria” came from. Moreover, all seven songs are not considered for solo performers.
The song has been characterized to have a piano accompaniment for the Ellen songs, which are to be sung by a woman. However, for the baritone by Johann Vogl, the songs for Malcolm Graeme and Norman were considered. The remaining songs included one for a female chorus and the other for a male choir. The composition of these songs by Schubert was in German texts, apart from one by Norman Gesang titled ‘Night will soon be falling,” which was planned to be published in English texts. This brought forth challenges like finding free translations.
Walt Disney used the essence of “Ave Maria” in their film named Fantasia in the concluding parts. This is because one of the most known Pastiches is linked to “Night on Bald by Modest Mussorgsky. When investigated, Mussorgsky’s work blends in with Schubert’s song with no break into the beginning. The text inwritten by Rachel Field is in the English Version, having three stanzas just like “Ave Maria,” but the third stanza is the only one that made it to the film.
What is the meaning behind the song “Ave Maria”?
The song brings you a feeling of being closer to God with a feeling of rendition which pays tribute to the classic. As you hear the story behind the famous tune by Schubert, it brings much more relief. The soothing notes are enough to make your heart swell. Throughout the film, death is associated with the song, majorly premeditating the passing away of Mayor Don Mitchell Jr and Thomas Wayne.
It is mostly seen rhyming with the Riddler’s character traits and is sung when he wants to do something or plot something. It brings out his character boldly for revenge based on what happened when he was at an orphanage. The despair and wish for safety in Schubert’s lyrics are echoed by the Riddler in his description of his childhood, explaining why this melody was chosen to soundtrack his character.
“Ave Maria” is not only a known and beloved piece of Christian Religious music but is also widely sung at Masses in the Catholic church. Picked initially from the New Testament book of Luke, where Archangel Gabriel is sent to deliver a message to the Virgin Mary and his greetings included “Hail Mary” and that she has been blessed to carry the Lord Jesus within her womb. It’s simply a glorious tribute to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and she is venerated in the Roman Catholic church. It is full of awe and wonders about how its composition came about.
This song proved to be one of Schubert’s most successful works, which spread his name across the literary works, though his short time on earth passed away at the age of thirty-one. Unlike his other work, “Ave Maria” was published before his death, and this gave him a platform for being seen as inspirational, especially by Catholics. Although religious practices were not considered when Schubert’s “Ave Maria” was written, it is accepted as a prayer.
