Ave Maria

[Caribeing]

Why does the song Ave Maria evoke such emotion watched a Birmingham girl sing it last night on Britains got Talent and it was brilliant. Do you like this song who is your favourite that sings it I have heard it performed by many different artists professional and amateur one of my favourites is the Mario Lanza version

[tiggerblue10]

Here you go Mary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLn8kXhFOIg

She has a beautiful voice and I do like the song. Its very emotional.

[puddicat]

sorry ave maria is a classic and i did not like her version it went from mature woman to little girl who dint know what range her voice should be in, yep mario lanza is fantastic sadly alot of people dont know who he is, she has potential but it frightened me a tiny 12year old with this voice could be another lena zavaroni!

[missprim]

Can't believe Piers was saying he had never heard a voice like this in one so young, didn't they say that about Charlotte Church?

[Therema]

The Mario Lanza version is great but then again he sings everything beautifully but i loved the little boys in the choir in the *i think* James Cagney film yrs ago *black and white*

[Caribeing]

Therema the James Cagney Movie was Yankee Doodle Dandy.

[saxy_jag]

That's the Bach/Gounod 'Ave Maria'. It's lovely, I agree, but lovelier still is Schubert's composition of the same title, as used in the film 'Alive'. I've heard many versions, but Aaron Neville's is the one used in the film and is still the best:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4oloJ8D9c0

[puddicat]

sorry saxy that was pitiful but each to there own he should stick to the soul ballads, not the classics

[bigmamma]

Hi Mary , I love that song but didn't like her version of it at all , and that vioce ...no ....wobbly ...plus she kept going from one type of voice to another , not ready for that song in soprano or contralto at 12 .

[saxy_jag]

Well, Puddicat, I don't usually like soul singers of Aaron Neville's ilk, but was taken with this from the moment I heard it in the film.

This version is a 'classic', as are many contemporary ballads (I Will Always Love You is a debatable classic), but what I think you mean is that soul balladeers like Neville should stay away from 'classical' songs (ie. 'art' music, generally speaking). I guess what you also mean is that you prefer classical songs to be sung 'properly'. Bit boring, that. Music is there to be explored.

The girl on BGT sings very well, certainly better than I can, but there's no 'spark' in her performance. She doesn't seem to be exploring the piece or putting her own 'take' on it.

[Disco Fever]

I have the Julie Rogers version absolute classic...