Anonymous

The Ave Maria (Latin) (or Angelic Salutation or Hail Mary) is a traditional Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Hail Mary is used within the Catholic Church, and it forms the basis of the Rosary. The prayer is also used by some Anglicans and by many other groups within the Western Catholic tradition of Christianity. A somewhat different form of the prayer is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches and other groups of Eastern Christianity. Some Protestant denominations, such as Lutherans, also make use of a form of the prayer. Most of the text of the Hail Mary can be found within the Gospel of Luke.

This choral worh has been attributed to D. J. Benz (ca. 17th century) and although originally created for Chorus (SATB), I created this arrangement for String Quartet (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).