Ave Maria Chant in English

WJA

I've adapted the English text to the Latin chant. PDF attached. GABC below.

Please suggest any improvements that come to mind.

If someone has already done this and done it better, please post a link.

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(c4) Hail(d) Ma(ixdh'i)ry,(h.) (,) full(g) of(f) grace,(gh_) (,)
the(h) Lord(g) is(f) with(g) thee.(d.) (;)
Bless(g)ed(g) art(g) thou(h) a(g)mong(fe) wo(cd)men,(d.) (;)
and(e) bless(ec)ed(d) is(f) the(f) fruit(g) of(e) thy(g) womb,(fe) Je(cd)sus.(df..) (::)
Ho(h)ly(gh) Ma(ji)ry,(g.) Mo(g)ther(f) of(g) God,(gh..) (;)
pray(hvGF) for(gvF) us(d_) sin(ed)ners,(c.) (;)
now(dd) and(d) at(c) the(d) hour(fgf___) of(g) our(h) death.(fe) (,) Am(d.)en.(d.) (::)

Musicteacher56

Thank you for doing this. I can help, however, to feel that some of these chants should remain in Latin and have no place being translated. But, it's my opinion. God bless in your ministry.

bkenney27

Oh! I chanted this for the Assumption and would have loved to follow it up with the English translation. Thanks!

Heath

WJA, the PDF is gone, at least, on my computer . . . re-post?

WJA

Odd, it's still there on my computer, but this gives me an excuse to post a second draft (along with the first) herewith.

Second Draft

(c4)Hail(c) Ma(ixdh'!i)ry,(h.) (,) full(g) of(f) grace,(gh_) (,) the(h) Lord(g) is(f) with(g) thee.(d.) (;) Bless(g)ed(g) art(g) thou(hh) a(g)mong(fe) wo(cd)men,(d.) (;) and(e) bless(e)ed(c) is(d) the(f) fruit(g) of(e) thy(g) womb,(fe) Je(cd)sus.(df..) (::)
Ho(h)ly(gh) Ma(ji)ry,(g.) Mo(g)ther(f) of(g) God,(gh..) (;) pray(hv_GF) for(gvF) us(d) sin(ed)ners,(c.) (;) now(dd) and(d) at(c) the(d) hour(fgf) of(g) our(h) death.(fe__) (,) Am(d.)en.(d.) (::)

ronkrisman

I appreciate your efforts, WJA, but I wonder if this is not a drop-dead gorgeous chant which should remain in Latin and should be known by all Catholics.

If there is to be an English version, it should stick closely to the melody of the Latin. In particular, the opening "Ave Maria" melody needs to be kept, IMO. I've sketched out a possibility. Perhaps others could lend their thoughts about refining it, if they think such a setting is desirable.

Since I did not think the opening Fa-Do-Re worked for the English "Hail," I retained the Latin "Ave Maria." So, it's not entirely an English version.

And apologies for the fact that I only know Finale.

Adam Wood

I wonder if this is not a drop-dead gorgeous chant which should remain in Latin and should be known by all Catholics.

YES.

I retained the Latin "Ave Maria." So, it's not entirely an English version.

It's ever so slightly weird, but I don't dislike it.
I could imagine a sung rosary in which a cantor intoned "Ave Maria" and then the people sang the entire prayer in English.

WJA

A further revised draft is attached, the only change being matching the opening hook of the Latin chant a bit better.

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(c4)Hail(fc) Ma(ixdh'!i)ry,(h.) (,)

full(g) of(f) grace,(gh_) (,)

the(h) Lord(g) is(f) with(g) thee.(d.) (;)

Bless(g)ed(g) art(g) thou(hh) a(g)mong(fe) wo(cd)men,(d.) (;)

and(e) bless(e)ed(c) is(d) the(f) fruit(g) of(e) thy(g) womb,(fe) Je(cd)sus.(df..) (::)

Ho(h)ly(gh) Ma(ji)ry,(g.) Mo(g)ther(f) of(g) God,(gh..) (;)

pray(hv_GF) for(gvF) us(d) sin(ed)ners,(c.) (;)

now(dd) and(d) at(c) the(d) hour(fgf) of(g) our(h) death.(fe__) (,) Am(d.)en.(d.) (::)

WJA

I appreciate your efforts, WJA, but I wonder if this is not a drop-dead gorgeous chant which should remain in Latin and should be known by all Catholics.

It is gorgeous, it will remain in Latin, and it should be known by all Catholics. But there's nothing wrong with chanting it beautifully in English, either. Both/and, and all of that.

If there is to be an English version, it should stick closely to the melody of the Latin. In particular, the opening "Ave Maria" melody needs to be kept, IMO. I've sketched out a possibility. Perhaps others could lend their thoughts about refining it, if they think such a setting is desirable.

That's always the debate in adapting Latin chants to English texts. Given the differences in the way accents fall in Latin and English, if you stick too closely to the original melody, you produce something not very singable. In contrast, see By Flowing Waters, which generally does a nice job adapting the original chant melody to the rhythm of the English text. In this case, I don't think the English text is very singable if forced to follow the original chant note-for-note.

Aristotle Esguerra

Here's another attempt for discussion. The melodies in both files are the same; one includes liquescents. I included the fa-do-re in the incipit just because. (I prefer omitting the fa altogether.)

The phrase "pray for us sinners" was treated with a "dynamically equivalent" melody.

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(c4)H{Ail}(fcd) Mar(ixdhiv){y},(h) (,) full(gf) of(gh) {grace},(h_) the(h) Lord(hg) is(f) with(g) {thee}.(d) (;) Bless(g)èd(g) art(hg) thou(fef) a(g)mong(fe) wo(dcd){men},(d) (;) and(cd) bless(f)èd(f) is(e) the(f) fruit(g) of(e) thy(g) {womb},(fe) Je(cd){sus}.(df) (::) Ho(hg)ly(h) Mar(ji){y},(g_) Moth(g)er(f) of(gh) {God},(h) (;) pray(hg) for(fd) us(fe) sin(ded)ners,(c) (;) now(d) and(c) at(d) the(f) hour(ffgf) of(ef) our(gh) {death}.(fe) (,) A(d_){men}.(d_) (::)

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(c4)H{Ail}(fcd~) Mar(ixdhiv){y},(h) (,) full(gf~) of(gh~) {grace},(h_) the(h) Lord(hg) is(f) with(g) {thee}.(d) (;) Bless(g)èd(g) art(hg~) thou(fef) a(g)mong(fe~) wo(dcd){men},(d) (;) and(cd~) bless(f)èd(f) is(e) the(f) fruit(g) of(e) thy(g) {womb},(fe~) Je(cd){sus}.(df) (::) Ho(hg)ly(h) Mar(ji){y},(g_) Moth(g)er(f) of(gh~) {God},(h) (;) pray(hg~) for(fd) us(fe) sin(ded~)ners,(c) (;) now(d) and(c) at(d) the(f) hour(ffgf~) of(ef~) our(gh~) {death}.(fe) (,) A(d_){men}.(d_) (::)

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