Ave Maria

Vocal score

Forces or Category: Unison voices (S), solo violin & organ/piano

for unison upper voices, solo violin and organ or piano
Bednall's beautiful setting of this much-loved prayer is warm, simple, and immediate. ...

Ave Maria

Vocal score

Description

for unison upper voices, solo violin, and organ or piano
Bednall's beautiful setting of this much-loved prayer is warm, simple, and immediate. The vocal line is expertly lyrical and the accompaniment suitably supporting, with a serene line for solo violin that soars above the texture.
Ave Maria was recorded by Benenden Chapel Choir, conducted by Edward Whiting, Jennifer Pike (violin), and David Bednall (organ) on the CD 'Stabat Mater' (Regent, REGCD481).

Ave Maria

Vocal score

David Bednall

Composer Information

David Bednall (b.1979)

David Bednall is one of the leading choral composers of his generation. He has an extensive freelance playing and conducting career, and is Organist of The University of Bristol, Sub-organist at Bristol Cathedral, and conducts The University Singers. He won prizes in Improvisation and Performance at the examination for FRCO, and has improvised on live radio, and performed extensively in the UK and abroad. He appeared as stunt-organist on 'Dr Who. He is most prominent as a composer, and recordings of his works have been extremely well received. A number of his works have been broadcast on radio, and he has been commissioned by St Paul's Cathedral, and The Queen's College, Oxford. His 40-part motet Lux orta est iusto closed the Bristol Proms 2015 and December 2018 saw the premiere of Make We Merry for upper voices, brass, and organ, commissioned by Benenden and the recording of this has been released on Regent Records.

David Bednall's website

Ave Maria

Vocal score

David Bednall

Reviews and Awards

"The stable 4/4 meter has a graceful momentum, with the keyboard (either organ or piano) moving steadily in quarter-note motion to accompany the more flowing violin line. The unison vocal line is mostly syllabic in motion, and its striking tune maximizes the expressive possibilities of its diatonic structure . . . The obbligato violin line adds a good deal of lyricism without overshadowing the voices. This attractive setting of a ubiquitous Advent text will fit many treble choirs of all levels of accomplishment." - Jason Overall, Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, October 2019

Ave Maria

Vocal score

David Bednall

From Our Blog

A Q&A with composer David Bednall ' part 2

We like to get an insight into the musical lives of Oxford composers by asking them questions about their artistic likes and dislikes, influences, and challenges.. In part 1 we spoke to composer David Bednall in August 2017 about what motivates him, and how he approaches a new commission. Here he tells us why he wanted to be a composer, the challenges he faces, and his musical guilty pleasures.

Posted on February 16, 2018

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A composer's Christmas: David Bednall

"I think that Christmas carols are deeply embedded in our psyche (even if many are not actually that old) and provide a reminder of our childhood, which is why we are drawn to them so powerfully." We recently caught up with composer David Bednall to find out how he celebrates Christmas traditions, why music is important to people at Christmas time, and the sense of hope that Christmas brings.

Posted on December 19, 2017

Read the blog post