Franz Biebl's Ave Maria

It really is by far the most precious gem in music.

It is a great! If not, the greatest choral piece yet written.

Biebl seems to have been a real one-hit wonder... he wrote this when he was 18, and never wrote anything that drew nearly as much attention for the rest of his life.

Yes, indeed. I gather he's been a fairly successful composer, but nothing has been quite as striking since.

It's a beautiful piece, surely, Javileru, and a joy to sing. But the greatest choral piece ever written? That's giving it a bit more than its due.

Yes, indeed. I gather he's been a fairly successful composer, but nothing has been quite as striking since.

It's a beautiful piece, surely, Javileru, and a joy to sing. But the greatest choral piece ever written? That's giving it a bit more than its due.

:( Haha, I fell in love with it even before I started taking classical music seriously.

As a matter of fact, I am going to play it again right now.

Might I suggest Rimsky-Nikolai Koraskov's Symphony No. 2 'Antar'? I believe you will find its movements very compelling, and its story entrancing.

Might I suggest Rimsky-Nikolai Koraskov's Symphony No. 2 'Antar'? I believe you will find its movements very compelling, and its story entrancing.

How do you pronouce his last name?

I pronounce it this way :

"bee""ball"

It really is quite a beautiful piece. I sang it during an state-wide choral festival in highschool.

Its beauty is its simplicity. Kind of like saying what it is you have to say without too much fuss.

But, I'm sure there are those who would be turned off by the simple repetitive structure of the piece.

It is one of my favorite pieces though.

But, I'm sure there are those who would be turned off by the simple repetitive structure of the piece.

Why, do you suppose?

Why, do you suppose?

I say this because I know of other musicians that really don't appreciate simplicity no matter

how a piece is crafted by the composer. And, I also know of those who believe that every

piece should have some merit of complexity.

I would say thought that the complexity in this

piece belongs to the vocal writing. This piece requires excellent intonation between parts as well

as sound vocal technique or the piece just will not come across as it should.

I was not knocking the simplicity. Just merely stating that I know of other who just simply

wouldn't appreciate it as much, or may even be turned off.

No, I know you weren't knocking the piece's simplicity. I was just curious as to why you thought as you did. That there are people who would automatically dismiss a beautiful piece like this because of its antiphonal nature bewilders me.

No, I know you weren't knocking the piece's simplicity. I was just curious as to why you thought as you did. That there are people who would automatically dismiss a beautiful piece like this because of its antiphonal nature bewilders me.

I agree with J. Lee Grahm I think we should all have to open our minds to simpliciy , complexity or mixed.