Ave Maria

music: Franz Schubert, First Published in 1826 as Op 52 no 6. 
lyrics: Adam Storck's translation (Spring 1825) of Sir Walter Scott's "Lady of the Lake"
original title: Ellens Gesang III (Ellen's Song III)

Суперхит Шуберта давно был переработан по двум параметрам:
немецкий текст заменен на латынь (это Джоан Баэз отвергла),
скромное фортепиано заменено на арфы и проч. (это Петер Шикель сохранил)
Еще Джоан Баэз пропустила второй куплет.


Storck's translation                            Walter Scott's Original
as set by Schubert                              from "The Lady of the Lake"
 
Ave Maria! Jungfrau mild,                       Ave Maria! maiden mild!
Erhöre einer Jungfrau Flehen,                   Listen to a maiden's prayer!
Aus diesem Felsen starr und wild                Thou canst hear though from the wild,
Soll mein Gebet zu dir hinwehen.                Thou canst save amid despair.
Wir schlafen sicher bis zum Morgen,             Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,
Ob Menschen noch so grausam sind.               Though banish'd, outcast and reviled -  
O Jungfrau, sieh der Jungfrau Sorgen,           Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;   
O Mutter, hör ein bittend Kind!                 Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!                                      Ave Maria!

Ave Maria! Unbefleckt!                          Ave Maria! undefiled!
Wenn wir auf diesen Fels hinsinken              The flinty couch we now must share
Zum Schlaf, und uns dein Schutz bedeckt         Shall seem this down of eider piled,  
Wird weich der harte Fels uns dünken.           If thy protection hover there.     
Du lächelst, Rosendüfte wehen                   The murky cavern's heavy air   
In dieser dumpfen Felsenkluft,                  Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled; 
O Mutter, höre Kindes Flehen,                   Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
O Jungfrau, eine Jungfrau ruft!                 Mother, list a suppliant child!       
Ave Maria!                                      Ave Maria!
  
Ave Maria! Reine Magd!                          Ave Maria! stainless styled!
Der Erde und der Luft Dämonen,                  Foul demons of the earth and air, 
Von deines Auges Huld verjagt,                  From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Sie können hier nicht bei uns wohnen,           Shall flee before thy presence fair.
Wir woll'n uns still dem Schicksal beugen,      We bow us to our lot of care,
Da uns dein heil'ger Trost anweht;              Beneath thy guidence reconciled;
Der Jungfrau wolle hold dich neigen,            Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer
Dem Kind, das für den Vater fleht.              And for a father hear a child!
Ave Maria!                                      Ave Maria!



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I regularly get confused requests from people for details about Schubert's Ave Maria.
The subject is complicated by the fact that what is often presented as "Schubert's Ave Maria",
and sung by the likes of Perry Como or Val Doonigan,
or fat overpaid Tenors with hankies in their top pockets,
is an arrangement,
usually sentimentalised and miles over the top with weeping strings and harps, etc.
The singer tries to make the tune fit the Ave Maria Latin words
(which, co-incidentally, it nearly does). 

What Schubert actually wrote, he called Ellens dritter Gesang ("Ellen's third song").
The words are from a German translation of a work by Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832),
who was very popular all over Europe at the time.
The work is "The Lady of the Lake", and Schubert set 6 or 7 songs from this work,
and others by Scott.
In this particular scene Ellen Douglas, in hiding, prays to the Virgin Mary.