Ave Maria sung at wedding

  • Thread starter Thread starter CyrilSebastian
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
In all the weddings I have served I think I have only heard the Ave Maria once. I’ve never heard it at any wedding I attended as a guest, but outside of service I haven’t been to many Catholic weddings. :o

It was supposed to be sung at my own nuptial Mass (Bach/Gounod) but the organist skipped right over it so the soloist shrugged and we went on. :mad:
 
pianistclare said:
I think people are probably talking about the Schubert, but the Bach-Gounod is better. Maybe precisely because it’s not so over-used.
Click to expand...
I beg to disagree. The Schubert one is artistically on a higher level and also more demanding to play (and to sing, I guess).
This is not to criticise Bach, of course. Gounod turned that simple C-major prelude into a schmaltzy song. But it is effective.
 
We didn’t have it at my wedding nor at my daughter’s. I don’t like the whole flowers to Mary thing. It is not in the rite, and according to the GIRM we are not to add anything to the rites. Same thing with the wretched unity candle, sand ritual and now I just heard about a tree ritual.

I also don’t particularly like either of those Ave Maria’s. It’s just an opportunity for the soloist to show off. I bet you most of the guests don’t even know it’s the Hail Mary.
 
Yes, often.

It seems to be the norm around here (Northern Illinois) for Catholic weddings, and also for weddings in Mainline Protestant churches (Methodist, Lutheran, etc.)

My daughter has sung it at the weddings of at least two of her friends.
 
LoyalViews said:
Tell me about it. I’ve got a little booklet here, and it’s got Schubert’s in 9 different keys altogether, plus several variations like Lizst’s arrangement.

Not a single wedding goes by that I’ve played for where an Ave Maria was not sung, other than the Anglican ones.
Click to expand...
I’ve been to Anglican weddings where it was sung too.
 
Joannm said:
We didn’t have it at my wedding nor at my daughter’s. I don’t like the whole flowers to Mary thing. It is not in the rite, and according to the GIRM we are not to add anything to the rites. Same thing with the wretched unity candle, sand ritual and now I just heard about a tree ritual.

I also don’t particularly like either of those Ave Maria’s. It’s just an opportunity for the soloist to show off. I bet you most of the guests don’t even know it’s the Hail Mary.
Click to expand...
Good point, and furthermore, aren’t the people supposed to say the Hail Mary?

I’m sure that if some person who’s not even a priest were to go to the front and say the Hail Mary all by themselves, people would be asking questions. Yet when it’s sung its OK?

Maybe there is some canonical explanation that say ist Ok. Because I actually like to listen to it.
 
I am coming late to this conversation but sometimes that can be fun here. I am actually surprised by the responses as I have never been to a Catholic wedding where it was not sung including mine.
 
Cirdan_XII said:
Good point, and furthermore, aren’t the people supposed to say the Hail Mary?

I’m sure that if some person who’s not even a priest were to go to the front and say the Hail Mary all by themselves, people would be asking questions. Yet when it’s sung its OK?

Maybe there is some canonical explanation that say ist Ok. Because I actually like to listen to it.
Click to expand...
You have never heard the Rosary sung?

Of course you can sing the Hail Mary.
 
Almost every Catholic wedding. And both of mine – neither of which was a nuptial Mass, and neither of which included the dedication of a bouquet to Mary.
 
tawny said:
Just about every one I have attended. It is usually sung when the Bride & Groom are presenting flowers to the statue of the Blessed Mother.
Click to expand...
The only time I’ve heard it sung has been during Holy Communion. We don’t have the presenting of the bouquet custom in the UK (as someone said, it’s not in the rubrics) but it sounds sweet. I wonder who introduced it to the US?
 
paperwight66 said:
The only time I’ve heard it sung has been during Holy Communion. We don’t have the presenting of the bouquet custom in the UK (as someone said, it’s not in the rubrics) but it sounds sweet. I wonder who introduced it to the US?
Click to expand...
It came from Latin American cultures where it is customary to ask Our Lady to intercede in the marriage and to help the woman to be a great wife and (hopefuly) mother. It’s not about the flowers, but about a marriage being consecrated to Our Lady. Cultures do vary.
Since it’s always nice to honor Our Lady, the priests do not object.
Likewise, in the US we would not sing it during Holy Communion because we would likely select a Eucharistic hymn. Marian Hymns during communion are kind of a pet peeve among the clergy here. Ave Maria is often the meditation after communion.
I’ve played hundreds of weddings. IT’s tedious fro me, but always fresh a lovely for the family who requests it. 😉
 
pianistclare said:
It came from Latin American cultures where it is customary to ask Our Lady to intercede in the marriage and to help the woman to be a great wife and (hopefuly) mother. It’s not about the flowers, but about a marriage being consecrated to Our Lady. Cultures do vary.
Since it’s always nice to honor Our Lady, the priests do not object.
Likewise, in the US we would not sing it during Holy Communion because we would likely select a Eucharistic hymn. Marian Hymns during communion are kind of a pet peeve among the clergy here. Ave Maria is often the meditation after communion.
I’ve played hundreds of weddings. IT’s tedious fro me, but always fresh a lovely for the family who requests it. 😉
Click to expand...
Well, actually a Marian hymn wouldn’t be sung during Holy Communion at a normal Mass, but during a wedding there are usually a lot of people not receiving, so I suppose something sung stops them talking (a bit) and the Ave Maria is chosen because it’s recognisably ‘holy’ and singers know it. Far from ideal, I agree.
 
I played the Bach version at my cousin’s wedding. I was the only instrumental accompaniment (piano). The woman who sang was very talented. Personally though, I prefer the Schubert version, since I find it more musically interesting. However it is also a bit more challenging to play, plus it wasn’t the version my cousin chose. Incidentally I also played Tifa’s theme from Final Fantasy 7, I think as the closing song, and then a theme from Spirited Away for while people were starting to arrive. I also think we used a rendition of Canon in D for the processional song, since it’s one of my family’s all time favorite pieces. But yes, Ave Maria, Bach version.
 
When I attended my friend Sandra’s wedding the Ave Maria was sung.
This beautiful hymn was sung by a special person as a solo rendition.
The bride’s mother Louise sang the Ave Maria from the choir loft.
Everyone was in awe.
It was a truly beautiful rendition.
 
pianistclare said:
I think people are probably talking about the Schubert, but the Bach-Gounod is better. Maybe precisely because it’s not so over-used.
Click to expand...
I Like Caccini’s…

A woman masquerading as a sibling insisted that this be sung at her wedding. Pastor was a bit confused but thought,“Hey, we don’t honor enough, why not?”
She is a non participating Protestant.
 
Not generally at my parish. Hard to accompany that one with a guitar and tambourine.

I think the last time I heard it was at Dad’s funeral, 10 years ago, in another parish. What I really wanted was a Latin Ordinary of Mass, which I knew the choir was capable of singing if they wanted to but was told “The Church doesn’t do that anymore.” “Say what? You sang a Latin Sanctus two weeks ago at Christmas.” That was the bone they threw me.
 
As an altar server, it was sung at nearly every wedding I served.

It was also sung at my own wedding.
 
Mary_Ellen said:
Nope, haven’t heard it or sung it at a wedding - yet. I can’t think of a more appropriate song, however, the “Hail Mary” in Latin, invoking the Blessed Virgin’s intercession at the start of a marriage.
Click to expand...
I mentioned this to my brother at a recent funeral where it was sung and he told me he had no idea it was the “Hail Mary” or that it was in Latin.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top