Learning the Ave Maria

Well it does to the people who post here... dispassionate and reasoned debate, with a good deal of humour thrown in for good measure.

Moderators: Dom Perignon, Casimir

Post Reply
JW
Posts: 852
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:46 am
Location: Kent

Learning the Ave Maria

Post by JW »

A conversation with my 5 year old granddaughter (SM)

SM: Grandpa, I bet you don't know the Hail Mary in Latin.

JW: Strangely enough I do. Do you know it?

SM: Yes we're going to sing it at school for our Mother's Day Mass. If you know it, can you say it for me?

JW: Ave Maria, gratia plena, dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus et..

SM (Interrupting): We don't do all that. We stop at benedicta tu.

JW: Well, that's not really the whole of the prayer. What tune are you learning? Can you sing it to me?

SM: I've forgotten.

Two weeks later, I'm emptying the dishwasher while said granddaughter is colouring in the conservatory. Suddenly she belts out the chorus of 'As I kneel before you'...
JW
User avatar
VML
Posts: 727
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2004 12:57 am
Parish / Diocese: Clifton Diocese
Location: Glos

Re: Learning the Ave Maria

Post by VML »

:( :? :-@
Howard Baker
Posts: 34
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 7:21 pm
Parish / Diocese: Hexham and Newcastle

Re: Learning the Ave Maria

Post by Howard Baker »

Lovely!
alan29
Posts: 1239
Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 8:04 pm
Location: Wirral

Re: Learning the Ave Maria

Post by alan29 »

Grandchildren .... the blessing of our advancing years.
Peter
Posts: 264
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:05 pm

Re: Learning the Ave Maria

Post by Peter »

JW wrote:... Suddenly she belts out the chorus of 'As I kneel before you'...
Could have been worse. If the hymn concerned was "Holy Virgin, by God's decree" she'd have learned even fewer of the Latin words of the "Ave Maria"! :wink:
User avatar
SOP
Posts: 261
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2004 10:31 am
Parish / Diocese: Salford

Re: Learning the Ave Maria

Post by SOP »

Reminds me of being asked to sing at a wedding and the only information I got was that the bride wanted Ave Maria. Duly phoned her to find out more and which Ave Maria she had in mind. Eventually she sang it to me. Still, it was fun telling the person who thought they were doing a solo she was not required and taking the rest of the singing group through As I Kneel Before You!
alan29
Posts: 1239
Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 8:04 pm
Location: Wirral

Re: Learning the Ave Maria

Post by alan29 »

My absolute favourite wedding story is of the bride who requested the song from "Robin Hood" meaning the Bryan Adams "Everything I do....."
What she got was the theme tune from the ancient TV series "Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen."
I'm not sure if its apocryphal, but I really hope its true.
User avatar
musicus
Moderator
Posts: 1605
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2003 8:47 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: Learning the Ave Maria

Post by musicus »

An oldie, but a goody.
musicus - moderator, Liturgy Matters
blog
quaeritor
Posts: 350
Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: oxfordshire

Re: Learning the Ave Maria

Post by quaeritor »

I was once asked for "Ave Maria" where "Ave" rhymed with "brave" :roll:

Q
Biodiode
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 8:19 am
Parish / Diocese: Lancaster Diocese
Location: Nr Blackpool - UK
Contact:

Re: Learning the Ave Maria

Post by Biodiode »

alan29 wrote:My absolute favourite wedding story is of the bride who requested the song from "Robin Hood" meaning the Bryan Adams "Everything I do....."
What she got was the theme tune from the ancient TV series "Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen."
I'm not sure if its apocryphal, but I really hope its true.



This did actually happen at an Anglican church in my town, even made the local papers. It did teach me a very valuable lesson when the Bride and Groom ask for a specific piece of music, as I always ask who it's by. You should see the look on some of their faces when they ask for Ave Maria and I inquire which one.
“A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence.”
Post Reply