“Ave Maria” has been set to music many times by many different composers. Two of the most commonly performed ones are by Franz Schubert and Charles Gounod; both were composed in the nineteenth century. I like both (you can find them on YouTube), but my favorite was composed in 1959 by Franz Biebl. I recently heard it performed by the Notre Dame University Glee Club at Trinity Catholic Church. This motivated me to find out more about it, and I’d like to tell you a little of the interesting story.

Born in 1906, Biebl was an organist/choir director until he was drafted into the German army in 1943. He was captured by the Americans in Italy and spent 1944-1946 in a POW camp near Battle Creek, Michigan. While there, he was introduced to American folk music, African-American spirituals and gospel music, all of which he liked. After the war he became the organist/choir director in the FrürstenfeldBruck parish, which was near Munich, and he later was employed by Bavarian State Radio. Over the years he composed many choral pieces, many of which could be performed by amateur or even children’s choirs. In 1959 he was approached by a fireman, a member of the parish, who asked him to recommend a piece of choral music that his fire department’s choir could perform in a regional competition. Biebl gave him his “Ave Maria”.

In 1970 the Cornell University Glee Club toured Europe, and one their performances was on Bavarian State Radio. Biebl gave them copies of several of his works, and when they returned to the U.S. they began including his “Ave Maria” in some of their concerts. Over the years other glee clubs performed it, but it remained relatively unknown until 1990. In that year the group Chanticleer recorded it, and it became one of their signature pieces. I was very fortunate to have heard them sing it in person, but on YouTube you can hear a marvelous version of them singing it jointly with the Naval Academy Glee Club. Today it is widely performed.

Some Protestant churches do not allow the “Ave Maria” to be sung, since it is the Latin version of the Catholic “Hail Mary” prayer. I understand their objection, since the last part calls for Mary’s intercession, but, nevertheless, whenever I hear the “Ave Maria”, especially Biebl’s version, I feel drawn closer to God. Biebl’s “Amen” ending to the piece is perfect.

“Ave Maria” is based on the Annunciation, which you can read in Luke 1:26-38.

Remember, our God loves YOU unconditionally.

Jim