Free Ave Maria Sheet Music
and English version, Father Almighty

I have set it in multiple keys so that most instrumentalists can play it, as well as most vocalists sing it. Look down the page for the free lead sheets, and farther down for downloadable piano music accompaniments (unlike most of the music on my site, those ones are for sale).

Here is Cecilia Bartoli, a soprano, singing Ave Maria:




Now here is the first group of lead sheets, free Ave Maria sheet music:






Download free Ave Maria sheet music in the key of A

Download free wedding music in the key of C

Download free wedding song Ave Maria in the key of D

Download Ave Maria sheet music in the key of Eb

Download wedding ceremony music Ave Maria in the key of F

Download Ave Maria sheet music in the key of G



What is interesting about the history of this wedding ceremony music is that J.S.Bach, who wrote the Prelude in C (which forms the underlying harmonic foundation for this song) was a German Protestant. As most musicians know, he wrote great quantities of sacred music, and dedicated his pieces "in the name of Jesus" and "to the glory of God alone." (The Prelude in C is part of a set of 24 paired preludes and fugues for keyboard instrument called "The Well-Tempered Clavier", written in each major and minor key.)

The following video features free classical guitar sheet music scrolling across the screen as guitarist James Edwards plays a beautiful version of Ave Maria:



Charles Gounod, who composed the lovely soaring melody and set it over Bach's C Prelude, was a French Catholic who for a time considered entering the priesthood. Like many Catholic composers, he wished to make a setting of the Ave Maria (a prayer to Mary). It is a beautiful setting. But for non-Catholic Christians, and particularly for wedding ceremony music, the English words substituted here, "Father Almighty... Lord, we adore Thee...etc." are much more meaningful. The prayer ends with the words "Hear us, oh hear us, and let Thy blessing rest on us." This is how it was sung at my wedding, but I do not know who wrote the English words, as I can't find them anymore!

Here are two fellows calling themselves "Burning Velvet," on piano (Dancho Yordanov) and violin (Daniel Tringov). They are playing in the key of C, the original key of Bach's prelude, but not the key you usually hear this song sung in by vocalists.



And now, here is the lead sheet for Ave Maria/Father Almighty. (If you want a version with piano accompaniment, I have it for sale below.) I've re-set this free wedding song in a number of keys, so that all instrumentalists can play the solo. (If you feel I've left your instrument out, write and tell me! I didn't set it for viola, but I could.)





Download Father Almighty (Ave Maria) sheet music in the key of A

Download free Ave Maria sheet music in the key of C

Download Father Almighty (Ave Maria) sheet music in the key of D

Download Father Almighty (Ave Maria) sheet music in the key of Eb

Download Father Almighty (Ave Maria) sheet music in the key of F

Download Father Almighty (Ave Maria) sheet music in the key of G



And here is Ave Maria with piano accompaniment. Unlike most of my public domain arrangements and music, it is not free, but is for sale. I am charging $2.75 for the piece, and you may print 3 copies.

So far I have it available in the keys of A, C, D, Eb, and G -- but I am also working on the key of F. Hopefully I will be done with it and put it up on the site shortly! (Today is August 16th.)







Get Ave Maria in Latin in the Key of A, 3 Copies for $2.75 USD:


Get Ave Maria in Latin in the Key of C, 3 Copies for $2.75 USD:


Get Ave Maria in Latin in the Key of D, 3 Copies for $2.75 USD:


Get Ave Maria in Latin in the Key of Eb, 3 Copies for $2.75 USD:


Get Ave Maria in Latin in the Key of G, 3 Copies for $2.75 USD:


The version below is in the keys of A, C, D, and G. This is the English version, Father Almighty.









Get Ave Maria/Father Almighty in English Key of A, 3 Copies for $2.75 USD:



Get Ave Maria/Father Almighty in English Key of C, 3 Copies for $2.75 USD:



Get Ave Maria/Father Almighty in English Key of D, 3 Copies for $2.75 USD:



Get Ave Maria/Father Almighty in English Key of G, 3 Copies for $2.75 USD:

Why Buy From Me?

So why should you buy the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria from me, aside from the fact that online stores charge $3.95 or more (not counting postage!) while I am only charging $2.75 for three copies?

* It is available immediately as a digital download onto your computer.

* You don't have to download any new software into your computer in order to download this PDF. I don't know about you, but I detest clogging up my computer with yet another program I didn't know I needed. You just need a version of Adobe Acrobat or another PDF reader, which all computers come with. If you DON'T have Adobe Acrobat or a similar program, then you couldn't download any of my other PDFs either.

* You can print The Ave Maria on any kind of paper you want, and thus avoid the glare of shiny pages (so irritating at recitals, when the adrenaline is already high!). Much of my shiny, store-bought music does reflect my piano light, and I find myself ducking and weaving to play off of it.

*Write and make notes all over these copies, in red and other colors, without feeling you are spoiling your music for posterity. I hate messing up my music books, but learning the piece is always the first priority. These printouts make great working copies.

* I give you permission to make up to three copies legally. Do I speak tongue-in-cheek? Not at all -- as music teachers, as music students, you know there are times when you need music RIGHT NOW and your only recourse is to make a copy of copyrighted music...or do without.

(People do what they have to do, but there are consequences... Cheating...just a little...is hard on one's character. I believe this is one of the keys of political corruption, one little compromise after another. Not only that, but music teachers teach by example. What are your students learning from you about the value of the work of composers, arrangers, and publishers? Of the value of musicians' work in general?)

*Paypal, the payment system I use, is a secure and recognized payment system. You can pay by credit or debit card, or your bank account. E-Junkie delivers the PDF document, working as a partner with PayPal...your purchase is guaranteed.

Tip for Printing

Once you've got the PDF file for The Ave Maria sheet music, feed just one page at a time, unless you know you have high-quality paper which won't grab extra sheets when being pulled through the feeder.

Here are 3 more videos I couldn't resist adding to this page... the first features two sisters on flute and piano, Dominique and Valerie Kim, who seem to turn up on a lot of Youtube videos! I believe it is Valerie playing the flute:




Here is choir boy Alexander Kalbitz singing the Latin words -- I love the energy he puts into the music!



And last is a video of Frank Tenaglia singing (what a fabulous voice):

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