Ave Maria

When we look for a Marian piece that brings a sense of quiet reverence to the choir loft, Simon Lindley’s "Ave Maria" is a wonderful choice. Subtitled as a "Litany to Mary," this setting is written specifically for treble voices and organ. The melody unfolds gently over a walking, andante cantabile organ accompaniment, giving the familiar Latin prayer a feeling of pure, floating devotion.

The arrangement uses a lovely call-and-response structure, beginning with a solo voice that the full treble section then repeats. Later, two soloists weave together on the "Sancta Maria" before the rest of the singers rejoin to ask for Our Lady's prayers. Because it sits so naturally in the higher register, it is an excellent piece for your sopranos to offer during Communion, at the Offertory, or for special Marian devotions in May and October.