Franz Schubert composed his “Ave Maria” in 1825.
This music, better known as “Hail Mary” in Latin or “Ellens Gesang III” in German, is not to be confused with “Ave Maria” by Gounod and Bach.
The text itself is a derivation from Sir Walter Scott’s famous poem, “The Lady of the Lake”. The song’s words have inspired its usage with the Roman Catholic prayer, which bears the same name.
Schubert’s Ave Maria is a part of his “Liederzyklus vom Fräulein vom See”. Scott’s original poem was set in the Scottish Highlands and written in English and adapted the legendary romance, with regard to the Arthurian legend. Schubert published his piece in 1826 in the form of D839 Op 52 no 6, and it is depicted as a prayer to the Virgin Mary, although never intended as a real-life usage for a prayer.
Listen now to Ms. Renee Fleming, and you will quickly understand how this became a masterpiece in music:
