Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Ellens dritter Gesang
Ellens dritter Gesang (D839, Op 52 no 6, 1825), Ellens third song in English, composed by Franz Schubert in 1825, is one of Schubert's most popular works for over a century after the composer's death, although some misconceptions exist around it.
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Not a setting of the "Hail Mary"
The piece is often referred to as Schubert's Ave Maria, much due to the opening words of the song being the same of the classical Christian prayer Hail Mary (in latin, Ave Maria), while Schubert originally set the piece to a poem taken from Walter Scott's popular work Lady of the Lake.
The text by Scott is however unmistakably his rendering of a prayer, addressed at Saint Mary, who is called upon in distress. None of this is contrary to using Schubert's song in a religious context.
The poem was translated into German by Adam Storck , whose translation was then used by Schubert as the lyrics of the piece. To further the misconception that Schubert wrote the song as a setting for the Ave Maria, the words of the prayer are frequently forced onto Schuberts original melody with moderate success, some parts are arguably strained a bit too much to fit the music, but still it has perhaps become the most frequently heard version of the song today.
The piece is said to have first been performed at the home of a Countess Sophie Weissenwolff , which led to her subsequently becoming known as the lady of the lake herself.
The words of Ellens dritter Gesang
Ave Maria! Jungfrau mild, Ave Maria! Unbefleckt! Ave Maria! Reine Magd! |
Ave Maria! maiden mild! Ave Maria! undefiled! Ave Maria! stainless styled! |
Disney
Walt Disney used Schubert's song in the final part of Fantasia, where he chained it to Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain, in one of his most famous pastiches
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