Jessye Norman - Ave Maria (Schubert)

[amanda92079988]

Pardon me. I haven't heard of her before and thought she looked weird at the start. The piano sounded crappy and she must be amateur since she was holding the book. But WOW. When she just..opened her mouth, all I felt was Heaven. Wow wow and wow. It's creamy, and yes @colland77, it's like butter. She's absolutely WONDERFUL!!

[tonganfoilole69]

Oh my she is just awesome....what an amazing voice...love it..

[beatlemaniac1978]

Superb, awesome, a present for our senses.

[ramacharaca45]

Sublime!!!!!

[scproehoeman]

Simply beautiful singing! What a voice!

[jeekilla1]

wow

[MerseySky]

Jessye a la voix d'un ange. Je vous remercie pour la comptabilisation.

[iwillliftupmyeyes]

This is Jessey Norman at her best this is why she was so popular germany .And of course hear in england where she lived for a while .Brian

[ZinaMoraru]

WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!

[frankbateau1]

She is an angel. Thank you for posting this, & ty YT!

[ViolaClarinetti158]

So incredible! And with impeccable German!

[juzzieg]

Wonderful!♥♥

[BEPOLITEFORLIVING]

AVE MARIA

[UNMsmith]

Absolutely beautiful!

[butterflyscrappers]

fantastic singing, love her voice

[996irving]

Yes.. He is right abt the German, some do forget .. Latin is my favorite but Norman did excellent work.,And I love it

[erwartung1]

How true, not in vain people called her: "La Magnifique"

[Sarevok2001]

That's the most perfect german I've ever heard from a not german person...

[kshitigarbhadasa]

@Sarevok2001 True.

[maisqpoesia9999lcg]

Wow!!! Absolute amazing!!!

[narcisorn]

@maisqpoesia9999lcg fAÇO MINHAS VOSSAS PALAVRAS QUERIDO

[TheGrubi123]

Sehr sehr gut .........

[turneri09]

Listening to Ms Nornan, I couldn't feel myself breathing. She is just wonderful.

[kcanded]

Yes, Ms Norman sings divinely.  Unfortunately, this recording has sucky sound quality. Alas.

[DAYRIA7]

Божественно!

[malineck]

This is the best Voice ever to sing this song.

[isabelasantoscantora]

Supreme!

[worth031]

Jesse Norman is the GREATEST of all !!!!!! NO ONE will ever equal her. I love this woman.

[colland77]

@worth031 yep, i totally agree. i've never liked sopranos. but, this woman's voice is so

her voice is so syrruppy. it's like butter, you want to eat it and eat it and eat it. she's so relaxing as you drink in her voice. just an amazing voice, food for the soul. she's made a believer out of me. i could listen to her forever and not tire of her performances. what an artist. now this is music at its best

[lucianohortencio]

SALVE REGINA COELLI!

[CristaoCatolico07]

Grande mãe Maria, unindo todos os povos!

Paz e Bem!!!

[gdl0748]

Ms. Norman sings this song as it was intended. One of the few renditions of this song where the voice doesn't overpower the beautiful music and the music doesn't overpower the singer. Schubert would absolutely have loved to hear her sing this song. Absolutely beautiful!!!!!!

[jewelmarkess]

I love Jessye Norman. Personally I prefer a lighter lyric soprano voice in this e.g. Bonney because to me it better shows that the character who sings it, Ellen Douglas, is young. But Jessye Norman is fantastic - one of the most beautiful if not the most beautiful voice of the 2nd half of the 20th century and a great artist.

[Carminha1945]

MA RA VI LHO SA SOU MULHER MAIS TE AMO

MADO

[musicantares]

Ave María!!! Qué maravilla! Jessye Norman

[Wallpompermayer]

divino !

[tool404]

Who the hell dislikes this? You seriously have to be deaf to do that.

[guyotjeanclaude]

La Divine Jessye Norman

[meecrobhead]

I LOVE THIS WOMAN <3

[ZUSAXful]

que hermoso!!!! very nice!!!

[tonio97120]

the voice power !!!! waow

[Lattinny]

Perfect!

[DIVADALI]

Divina Jessie

[leoniemikele]

The divine Ms. Norman... always.

[jewelmarkess]

He phrasing and expression are just perfect. Such a great artist. Gorgeous.

[arteuniversal]

Danke.Gottlich!

[witchwild]

Magnificent. The piano and vocals. Sends shivers up my spine. Beautiful.

[chellita1001]

Great!!!!!!!!!!!

[69055591]

really wonderful, hearing this, the angels descend...

[cesarsantosmp1]

diva,  perfeita.

[SoleLove85]

I have never heard the Ave Maria in German

[fromUrals]

Аж мурашки по коже...

[Frances6889]

Jessye Norman's German is perfect...... clear. Of course, her voice is rich and full; very beautiful.

[meecrobhead]

6 people disliked it ? The hell awaits you :-)

[Pw2174]

They gods haven't sent us another like this! With Jessye Norman you always know you're going to get 200% professional work on stage. She truly is one of very few singers who I know in my heart put everything into practicing her music because the delivery is ALWAYS unmatched. I don't know how anyone can focus so intensely in all her live work. It is an amazing experience one that we may never see in our time. Always great credit to those who accompany the singer- great work!

[ConfidentBelle]

I feel like I have died and gone to heaven when I listen to this!

[MrMinkajajany]

ja the native tongue of this song is german not latin and to me its better in german beautiful franz sschubert studied in vienna at st stephens danke wien du bist mein hertz. ich verefehle meine osterreicher mutter. tears. this was what was sung at her funeral

[RyanistDeutsch]

@MrMinkajajany so ein shönes Lied auf Deutsch.

[RyanistDeutsch]

Respond to this video...  really it is

[schymbros]

Beautiful singing

[MTondeleo]

Enlighten me, someone, please. Was Schubert's Ave Maria originally in German? Of course the prayer is universal, but I've always heard it in Latin. Academic question, Jessye Norman could sing it in Pig Latin and it would be indescribably divine.

[PakoChile]

@MTondeleo It is in German. The Lieder is an arrangement from the novel "The Lady of The Lake" by Walter Scott. It is part of a Cycle of lieder composed by Schubert wich tales the Story of the novel. 3 of them are sung by the character of Ellen Douglas (Ellens Gesanf I, II and III) The last one is what we know now as "Ave Maria".

In the "Ave Maria" the character has fled into a cave and there she sings this prayer to the Virgin.

[MTondeleo]

@PakoChile Many thanks, I am enlightened! Did not expect such prompt response to a video posted 2 years ago. Quite a few years since I read "Lady of the Lake" in school, one of the more enjoyable assignments, but no idea the connection of the best-known "Ave Maria" to it. The story behind the song adds rich new color to its interpretation.

[Bruce99100]

@PakoChile thank you for this information

[fishstory]

@PakoChile Thanks for enlightening MTondeleo about why Schubert's Ave Maria in sung in German. What's up with his "Pig Latin" remark? Not funny at all.We thank you for uploading this marvelous sound track. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[MariposaGirl1981]

@MTondeleo no it was in latin

[jewelmarkess]

@MariposaGirl1981 The original language of this song is German. Schubert didn't write an Ave Maria prayer for church he wrote a cycle of songs to words of Walter Scott poem Lady of the Lake translated into German.

[Joey17ization]

@MTondeleo I'm not too sure but I prefer it in Latin. Pavarotti sang it beautifully in Latin

[MTondeleo]

@Joey17ization Me too! As I mentioned in first comment, Norman could sing it in Pig Latin and it would be beautiful beyond words. However, given a choice, Latin, perhaps because it's so accustomed over decades of hearing it that way, but also because, silly me, I seem to prefer the "Latin" languages (Ital., Span., etc.) over the Germanics, some Russian okay. Cheers!

[jewelmarkess]

@MTondeleo I wonder if you may change your mind if you read the lyrics. Look on wiki for "Ellens dritter Gesang" this is how this song is really called, there'll be both German words as well as the original English words from the Walter Scott's poem. The Latin version is just a Hail Mary prayer. The German words tell a story: a young lady is praying for her and her father's safety. Read how beautiful and poetic the words of the poem are.

[MTondeleo]

@jewelmarkess Not so much a matter of changing my mind as adding to a wealth of knowledge about the so-called Ave Maria, and I'm grateful. It's primarily Jessye Norman's singing that enchants me. On your recommendation I read the poem on Wiki, must agree, a lovely story, one I'd read (and forgotten) as "Lady of the Lake" long ago. Astounded at the literary aura surrounding a beautiful song that so long I've taken for granted as just an essentially Catholic prayer. Thanks again.

[jewelmarkess]

@MTondeleo You are welcome. Jessye Norman is indeed enchanting, not just her voice which is amazing in both its beauty and its power but also in her interpretations. Did you listen to her singing of Erlkönig? The way she does the different characters in that song is astonishing.

[Whaleshark69]

@jewelmarkess I agree 100%. Her Erlkönig ist the best interpretation I´ve ever heard in my live, and the pronauciation is so perfect - no tative germen singer ever sung it better.

[jewelmarkess]

@Whaleshark69 Yes, I've been listening to it over and over again. I heard other great interpretations of Erlkönig e.g. Fisher-Deskau which is great, but her interpretation is the best. IMHO. I only speak a little German although I do know Erlkönig, and I can hear every single word.

[jewelmarkess]

@Joey17ization One doesn't argue about preferences, but I think we should respect the composer's wishes. The composer meant it to be in German. German lyrics tell a story.

[MrAndredekock]

@MTondeleo In Catholicism the Ave Maria was always said or sung in Latin and has been put to music by Bach/Gounod and is sung in Latin. Many singers have bastardized the Schubert version and put the Latin words to his tune, but Schubert composed it in a song cycle and it is always sung in German.

[CanadaPisces]

Wonderful expression and beautifully sung by one the truly great singers! Thank you PakoChile for the uploading.

[arisani2011]

Yo soy una persona que tubo la suerte de conoser a gran cantante de Opera, en San Francisco, y su voz es tan profunda que me hiso llorar y el solo verla se me antojaba llenarla de besos,,,,es alguien que quedara en la Historia de la Opera por siempre,,,,,gracias Dios miio por dejarnos apreciar a este Angel tuyo.....

[anihiliste]

Grande dame au talent incontesté ! Majestueuse interprétation , sans aucun doute la meilleur! Merci Jessye!

[saciji]

La grande dame de opera y lieder. She has a fantastic voice, intelligence in interpretation -real SOUL. Do listen to her ! last songs - Richard Strauss - infinite legatos - just take your breath away!! I was lucky to listen to her stuff before they went public! What a blessing!!

[MALENITASSS]

BELLIZIMA

[SUZEBRIGHTSTAR]

excellent interpretation. Bravo!!!

[IveeNia]

elle est vraiment "ma" chanteuse la plus aimée - :) sa voix pour moi est comme du caramel :) Merci Madame :) 

[vinnygillan30]

her nose is blinding me

[rebrebekah]

Thank you for this posting. Both voice and piano are beautiful and moving.

[marcialbial]

belo!

[danielebondue]

A ringumdenring merci a vous , qu'elle grand honneur pour vous de pouvoir accompagner cette grande et merveilleuse artiste, encore merci.

[ringumdenring]

@danielebondue

J'ai commencé grâce à elle ma carrière.. Elle est la première chanteuse que j'ai accompagné.. A présent,je dirige les orchestres dans le Monde entier....

[don1carter]

Superb!

[Barytendo]

delicious

[sandrapalupi]

the best i ever heard

[cowboy770404]

I wish she would sing, "Like a Virgin" by Madonna....it's a much better song for her voice.

[jarochoen]

Dominus Tecum ! El Señor es contigo ! " Desde hoy me llamarán bienaventurada todas las generaciones " " Cómo es que la Madre de Mi Señor venga a mi "

[wilpardue2785]

oh.... my.... god...........

[MrPacojoe]

sublime, Ave Jessye.......

[BarbaraGayle222]

@ringumdenring- You may be a pianist, but here you are an accompanist and you are being videotaped, so why are you acting like a soloist and drawing the eye away from the soloist? Rude, distasteful, annoying and unprofessional.

[ringumdenring]

@BarbaraGayle222

This is the most stupid comment i never read il my life... You must be a very frustrated women.. Anyway,i have a great carriere,public and Jessye LOVE me!.. Sorry..

[ninosimone]

amazing

[hubhubble]

This is by far the best version ever.I should know i have heard them all.

[MsCooperse]

every minute of this performance transforms and ennobles the spirit!

[adelgado75]

Why is she holding the book?

[PatateRoussoiste]

@adelgado75 To have the score under her eyes perhaps ? ...

[cat67149]

Diese Frau hat vom Gesamtbild her eine gute Ausstrahlung. Ihre Stimme ist der Hammer! Sie ist eine der besten Sängerinnen, die ich gehört habe.

[244825]

Poor Jessye, they should have put some pianist up to her... Even the worse recording her voice exceeds it!!!

[manggerry]

the singing voice is the greatest musical instrument. It's divine, so it was designed perfectly.

[gentleonmymind1966]

Bellísimo!

[DinaDare]

I've heard seemingly hundreds of versions of Ave Maria but very few singers convey the emotions of the song. Most seemd more concerned with technique and hitting those high notes. Being able to translate emotion is what sets Ms. Norman apart from the rest. Brava!!

[1trivine]

oh my god, this has a place in my heart. i love this

[MajorChordz]

Love it!!!!!

[danielebondue]

dansoph74 Quel ENCHANTEMENT merci mille fois.

[ringumdenring]

@danielebondue

Merci mille fois pour votre merveilleux commentaire! On lit tellement de stupidités et de méchancetés parfois que cela réchauffe le coeur!merci,merci,merci (Je suis la pianiste)

[Alexberryscarylovee]

Her voice is the best I've ever heard!

[allisgood1205]

Nice!!!!!

[UNbowed62]

Bravo! Thanks for posting~Jessye is one of my faves!

[ringumdenring]

Le manque de respect envers les artistes confirmés sont le reflet de la bêtise humaine... Merci à ceux et celles qui soutiennent cette grande artiste incomparable!

[BongSau83]

Listening to this I am at peace with the world.

[nusael]

SUBLIME



[MrRafaelamadeumilani]

QUANTO SENTIMENTO!!

[jeweladdict72]

I love you Jessye Norman!!!!!!!!!

[babs22hh]

Ave Maria! Jungfrau mild,

Erhöre einer Jungfrau Flehen,

Aus diesem Felsen starr und wild

Soll mein Gebet zu dir hinwehen.

Wir schlafen sicher bis zum Morgen,

Ob Menschen noch so grausam sind.

O Jungfrau, sieh der Jungfrau Sorgen,

O Mutter, hör ein bittend Kind!

Ave Maria!

[babs22hh]

Ave Maria! Unbefleckt! Wenn wir auf diesen Fels hinsinken Zum Schlaf, und uns dein Schutz bedeckt Wird weich der harte Fels uns dünken. Du lächelst, Rosendüfte wehen In dieser dumpfen Felsenkluft, O Mutter, höre Kindes Flehen, O Jungfrau, eine Jungfrau ruft! Ave Maria!

[babs22hh]

Ave Maria! Reine Magd! Der Erde und der Luft Dämonen, Von deines Auges Huld verjagt, Sie können hier nicht bei uns wohnen, Wir woll'n uns still dem Schicksal beugen, Da uns dein heil'ger Trost anweht; Der Jungfrau wolle hold dich neigen, Dem Kind, das für den Vater fleht. Ave Maria!

[faymas32]

Magnifique voix, une grande Dame. Lyli

[danmcglaun1]

This is a better world, that the sublime Ms. Norman has walked it with us. thanks be to God that such a voice has been given to us to marvel at. Thank you Jessye...

[ConfidentBelle]

Sublime, beautiful!

[brandonh72]

I can't believe that anyone would dislike this transformational performance. Do you not have ears with which to listen? A heart to be warmed? A soul to be touched?

[sakurangie1]

wow!!!!! impresionanteeee

[musiqboy3989]

I love Ms. Norman! YES!!!

[missearth2003]

For a big dramatic soprano voice, this is very tender. Excellent rendition.

[MmeDavid]

how regal you are. i simply adore you.

[ilbibliotacario]

Sublime...

[tinatinaballerina]

It is not often that this piece is heard in the original german!

[ChupeeNoun]

C'est normal d'avoir des frissons partout? =)

[davidpenfold]

Adieu Mona. Bisous.

[davidpenfold]

We played this at my daughter's funeral. It's been eight painful years.

Thank you Jessye

[TGS556]

@davidpenfold

Sorry for your loss; peace.

[ctweebee]

I love this in the German. She's so great.

[antongranik]

Unbelievable voice!

[Babs22h]

her legato is so lovely!

[BBEros]

Excelente :) TTU :)



[blessOTMA]

I never heard it better and that's saying a whole lot. Miss Norman, I bow.

[MidniteHasStruck]

the  pianist needed to do a better job of keeping her triplets even, but other than that...AMAZING

[ringumdenring]

@MidniteHasStruck

I AM THE PIANIST.... AND NOT DOING A "JOB",BUT I AM A ARTIST.. YOUR COMMENT IS JUST STUPID..

[MidniteHasStruck]

@ringumdenring well you might be an artist but sometimes listening to it is annoying. It would be beautiful if you were playing a solo but you are accompanying her. let her do the interpreting.

[bonnies1234567]

@MidniteHasStruck -- I am a singer and I am aware how we rely on our accompanist to keep the tempo for sometimes we get caught up in the interpretation and it drags. An accompanist is a pianist who is much appreciated but sometimes overlooked.

[babs22hh]

@ringumdenring I love the movement you have when you play the piano! How can one not be moved when playing a piece as gorgeous as this! Thank you for not only interpreting the piece beautifully for Ms. Norman (as Ms. Norman herself is obviously pleased with your performance at its conclusion) but for also allowing yourself to be moved by your own artistry! BRAVA!

[DARKmirror70]

BRAVI BRAVI ...

[IngridBergmanRocked]

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L:D 

[Sylvebarbes]

Merci PakoChile

[bachgod]

God Bless You JESSEY..SUBLIME....

[jpblagoeva]

Un pur re-gale!

Brava!

[misterjm2176]

She does Ave Maria in German! fab! fab! fab!!!!!

[tontoniting]

her voice is majestic and pure. It is just like standing before something very holy and noble. the music and her voice were made for each other.

[varky11]

I would say this is probley the best redition of this song, an unbilievable singer & Im not into opera but this is Brilliant. Does anybody know if Montserrat Caballe has ever sung it or not?

[nursetursham]

The hairs on the back of my neck stand out at the merest hint of this wonderful voice, a gift from Heaven, hope the world appreciates it's beauty and the majesty. Thankyou so much Miss Norman . . . you are in every way a shining light and star. I thank HIMSELF for sending you to us x

[luis85698]

@nursetursham 100% agree

[reviewsvoiceontube]

Jessye Norman-grand- superb- out of words-just watch and listen-she is an extraordinary gift to the world of music.

[BiancaBio1]

BRAVO!

[Glldas]

Such a conservative use of the voice! However, the sound is all encompassing and voluptuous. It appears that singers who occupy a particular niche may fall prey to the particular vocal demands of a composer. One must remain always remain conservatively cosmopolitan in attitude and approach within any repertoire. There is such a wide Varity of music… it would be simply awful if some were left out or felt excluded. Kind and sincere regards,

[Debinha6427]

que benção.............

[RJWojo]

sublime...

[robertodell270]

Espetacular!

[vinifisicofilosofo]

She is a fabulous black queen! God bless her!

[davidpenfold]

We played this at my daughter's funeral. God bless.

[Mowido27]

her voice is sooo gorg

[varky11]

Somehow it sounds better sung in German.

[rockingbeethoven]

@Schamschi: Ms. Norman is very selective when it comes to choosing a work for her to be sung. I know this from one of her interview video available here. Therefore, I believe she had her own reason of transposing (if it was indeed transposed) the key.

[TheCatcherkid]

I can die now

[ubertocruz]

the best version of Ave Maria

[mjacira]

Coincidência ou Providência?! Casualmente, eu estava com seu LP (audiófilo), GREAT DAY IN THE MORNING, separado para tocar, quando a encontrei na minha pesquisa de "Ave Maria."

Não é atoa que eu me encantei quando a ouvi pela primeira vez. Jessye Norman é, sem dúvida, excelente. Cantando Ave Maria não deixou a desejar.

Linda voz, linda música/oração.