The beautiful devotional, "Ave Maria" (Latin, English translated "Hail, Mary") was composed in about 1825 by Franz Schubert (1797-1828) when he was twenty-eight years old and filled with devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was written for voice and piano and first Published in 1826 as Op 52 no 6. The words most commonly used with Schubert's music are not the words that the composer originally set to music. Franz Schubert actually wrote the music for an excerpt from the poem "The Lady of the Lake" by Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), which was translated into German by Adam Storck. Schubert called his piece Ellens dritter Gesang (Ellen's third song). In this particular excerpt from the poem the heroine, Ellen Douglas, is in hiding and prays to the Virgin Mary. A letter from Schubert to his father and step-mother refers to his music to Ave Maria:

"My new songs from Scott's Lady of the Lake especially had much success. They also wondered greatly at my piety, which I expressed in a hymn to the Holy Virgin and which, it appears, grips every soul and turns it to devotion."

The original words by Sir Walter Scott include many references to the Latin "Ave Maria" prayer. This, no doubt, inspired an unknown person to fit the Latin "Ave Maria" prayer text to Schubert's notes, and it almost succeeds with a couple of exceptions. The adapted Latin words of Ave Maria prayer ( Hail Mary ) is now the version most commonly performed with the music of Schubert.

Franz Schubert: Date of Birth: 31 January 1797
Place of Birth : Lichtental, Austria
Date of Death: 19 November 1828 at age ge 31 Place & cause of Death: Vienna, Austria
Cause Of Death: Typhus Epidemic

There were other versions of Ave Maria by other composers in France, Italy and England. Schubert's is Mr. Williams personal favorite and ours here at Carlson International (creators of Xoteria-TV and Oldies Television)

Andy Williams was born Howard Andrew Williams was in Wall Lake, Iowa on December 3, 1927. From the very beginning Andy's parents him, his three brothers, and sister to sing in the choir at the Presbyterian Church. When Andy was 7, the family moved to Des Moines, IA. Andy attended Elmwood Elementary School, where he played in the school band, and later Callanan Junior High. The Williams Brothers quartet, with Dick, Don, Bob and Andy, got its start at the old Shrine Auditorium, singing on WHO radio's Sunset Corners Barn Dance Frolic.

The family moved to Illinois in 1940 when the brothers signed a contract with WLS radio in Chicago. The boys' career took off later when they toured with entertainer Kay Thompson's nightclub act.

Andy's solo TV career began on Steve Allen's Tonight show in 1953. He had his own summer show in 1959. The Andy Williams Show was launched in 1962 and lasted until 1971, earning the singer three Emmy Awards. Andy also turned out hit after hit, starting with "Canadian Sunset" and including his signature song, "Moon River."

Andy's personal life wasn't as successful. He and his first wife, singer Claudine Longet, were divorced after eight years of marriage. They have three grown children together. Andy did later remarry to Debbie Haas in 1991, and they remain together in Branson, MO at their beautiful Country French home that they built on a golf course in a private location community. In May 1992, Andy opened the Moon River Theater in Branson, Missouri

FEEDBACK

COMMENT:
SCREEN NAME (if you wish a reply, add e-mail-kept private):

average viewer rating: ***********
Viewer Comments:
Roni How beautiful. I'm not even Christian and the Ave Maria brought tears to my eyes.

FOR THE OLDIES TV   CHANNEL SELECTOR
The Greatest Shows Of All Time
Good Times, Great Entertainment
oldiestelevision.com




Website (c)2002-2010 Carlson International ECG USA