"Ave Maria" is a song by American singer

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

from her third studio album '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008).

Amanda Ghost Amanda Louisa Gosein-Cameron (born 10 July 1974), known professionally as Amanda Ghost, is a British music executive, songwriter, singer, and former president of Epic Records (2009–10). Career Born in North London to a Gibraltarian mother a ...

, Ian Dench and

Makeba Riddick Makeba Riddick-Woods (also known as "Girl Wonder") is an American singer-songwriter who has been active since 2005. She is originally from West Baltimore, Maryland, US. Currently she is managed by Jay-Z's record label and production house, Roc ...

wrote the song in collaboration with its producers Knowles and production duo

Stargate ''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien Einstein–Rosen ...

. As stated by Ghost, "Ave Maria" was inspired by Knowles and her own respective marriages. The song is a re-write of

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wo ...

's "

Ave Maria The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's ...

". It is instrumentally complete with a

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

and strings. Throughout the

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...

- R&B

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

, Knowles sings in a lower

register Register or registration may refer to: Arts entertainment, and media Music * Register (music), the relative "height" or range of a note, melody, part, instrument, etc. * ''Register'', a 2017 album by Travis Miller * Registration (organ), th ...

with an

operatic soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

. Lyrically, it speaks about being surrounded by friends but still feeling alone. Critical reception towards the song was mixed. Many contemporary critics praised its balladry and Knowles vocals while others dubbed it as merely a normal take on the original. Following the release of ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'', "Ave Maria" debuted on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

at number 150 on November 29, 2008, based on downloads alone. The song was a part Knowles'

set list A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...

during her I Am... World Tour (2009–10) where she sang it dressed in a wedding dress and veil. "Ave Maria" was subsequently included on her live album, '' I Am... World Tour'' (2010). Knowles also performed the song as a tribute to

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...

during the 2009 BET Awards.

Writing and inspiration

Mikkel Storleer Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen, together under the stage name

, wrote and produced the song with additional writing by

, Ian Dench and

. The song was written in Bangladesh, Patchwerk and Silent Sound Studios in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

in 2008. Knowles worked with Amanda Ghost to re-write

's "

" after having co-written "Disappear" in London. She stated that the song was one of the most personal on the album. Ghost told ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

'' that Knowles' references to rapper

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...

are usually unclear and open to interpretation, yet her music, including "Ave Maria", "is the one place she can be incredibly expressive". Knowles and Ghost both liked Schubert's song and walked down the aisle to the song during their respective weddings. The marriages of the artists inspired them to write their own version of the recording. She further discussed the lyrics and inspiration:

e lyric is very much about her. She talks about being surrounded by friends but she's alone: 'How can the silence seem so loud?' and then 'There's only us when the lights go down'. I think that's probably the most personal line on the whole album about her and Jay, because they are very real, and they're very much in love, and it must be pretty tough to have that love when you're incredibly famous.

"Ave Maria" is present on the ''I Am...'' disc of the

double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...

'' I Am... Sasha Fierce'', as it is a

- R&B

that shows Knowles' insecurities about love, and the person she is "underneath all the makeup, underneath the lights and underneath all the exciting star drama". Knowles has said that she loves singing ballads because, "the music and the emotion in the story is told so much better. It's a better connection because you can hear it and it's not all these other distractions. I really wanted people to hear my voice and hear what I had to say." During an interview, Knowles revealed that "Ave Maria" was the most personal song to her on the whole album.

Composition

"Ave Maria" is a

that runs for 3 minutes and 42 seconds. ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...

''s Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond described the song as being "opera-tinted". According to the sheet music published by

EMI Music Publishing EMI Music Publishing Ltd. is a British multinational music publishing company headquartered in London, owned by parent company Sony Corporation of America. In May 2018, Sony Music Publishing agreed to increase its stake in EMI to 90%, pendi ...

, it is written in the key of

C Major C major (or the key of C) is a major scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. C major is one of the most common keys used in music. Its key signature has no flats or sharps. Its relative minor is A minor and ...

with a slow

tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...

of 75

beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ...

and it is set in

common time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note val ...

.. The song samples Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria", however as noted by Leah Greenblatt of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...

'', even though it "does riff on the classic aria, it's not an actual cover". The main instruments in "Ave Maria" include a

and strings. Throughout the song, Knowles' voice shows restraint as she sings in a lower

with an

that gives her more vocal power, as commented by Jennifer Vineyard of

MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...

. Her

vocal range Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of st ...

spans from the music note of B₃ to E₅. Lyrically, "Ave Maria" is about being surrounded by friends but still feeling alone, as conveyed by the lines, "How can the silence seem so loud?" and "There's only us when the lights go down". This view was echoed by Joey Guerra of the ''

Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With i ...

'', who wrote that the song weaves "a vivid tale of a desperate woman".

Critical reception

Contemporary music critics received the "Ave Maria" with mixed reception. While some praised Knowles' emotion-filled vocals, others stated that her version was merely a normal take on the original. Joey Guerra of the ''Houston Chronicle'' commended the open-hearted emotion and the soft vocals that Knowles adopts on "Ave Maria", before adding that it is "a clever riff on the classic aria" and "a unique risk that pays off". Likewise, the ''

Hartford Courant The ''Hartford Courant'' is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is considered to be the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States. A morning newspaper serving most of the state north of New Haven ...

''s Eric R. Danton, praised the rework of the classic aria, adding that Knowles' lyrics were an "elegant take on the timeless melody". Ryan Dombal of ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'' commented that Knowles twist on the song is "vocally impeccable, but it reads more like recital fodder rather than a true confessional." Leah Greenblatt from ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote that on the ''I Am'' disc there were some "lovely ballads" including "Disappear", the "soaring 'Halo' and 'Ave Maria'".Greenblatt, Leah. (November 5, 2008
Review: ''I Am... Sasha Fierce''
. ''

''.

Time Inc Time Inc. was an American worldwide mass media corporation founded on November 28, 1922, by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden and based in New York City. It owned and published over 100 magazine brands, including its namesake ''Time'', ''Sports Il ...

. Retrieved on February 26, 2011. Matos Michaelangelo of '' The A.V. Club'' wrote that "Beyoncé has a real flair for grandeur" and the "big, wide melodies of 'Halo' and 'Ave Maria' give her enough to work with that."

Greg Kot Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the '' Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busine ...

of the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' commented that "Ave Maria" offers a "rare moment of comfort" and added that it "come off as delicate as nowles'emotions." Jim Farber of ''

New York Daily News The New York ''Daily News'', officially titled the ''Daily News'', is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, NJ. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in ...

'' praised the song with its "operatic flourishes... ndheavenly élan". In another review, he noted that the song was "by far her most melodically sure, and musically diverse, work". ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

''s Elysa Gardner chose "Ave Maria" as one of the songs to download from the album. While reviewing ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'', a critic from ''

People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...

'' magazine noted that "the classically tinged 'Ave Maria,'... shows even more range han_'

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praised "Ave Maria", writing that it shows Knowles in "crystal clear form" due to the mellow accompaniment that highlighted her "often captivating" voice. Darryl Sterdan, writing for the Canadian website Jam!, noted that Knowles "draws on the classic composition for this sweeping number" and echoes a similar line to John Lennon's quote: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." Talia Kraines of

BBC Online BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, the childr ...

called the song "very strange, but wonderful". In his consumer guide,

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

wrote, "But me, I'm a hater, and thus I'm something like outraged, by not just those two pimp-outs but an 'Ave Maria' lacking even the dumbstruck literalism of Pink's rendition or the grotesque conversion of '

Umbrella An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally use ...

' into '

Halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...

.'"Christgau, Robert
"Consumer Guide: ''I Am... Sasha Fierce''"
.

: January 2009. Archived fro
the original
on November 11, 2009. Bernard Zuel of ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' wrote that the song was "pompous and frankly embarrassing". Colin McGuire of ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...

'' commented that "Ave Maria" is a "pretty normal take, a piece that has simply been done too many times before to think nowleswould even have a shot at putting her stamp on it."McGuire, Colin. (February 9, 2009
Review: ''I Am... Sasha Fierce''
.

. Retrieved on December 19, 2011.

Alexis Petridis Alexis Petridis ( el, Αλέξης Πετρίδης; born 13 September 1971) is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for the UK newspaper ''The Guardian'', as well as a regular contributor to the magazine '' GQ''. In addition to his mus ...

of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...

'' described the song as "dreary". According to James Reed of ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'', the song is "an intriguing proposition torpedoed by a soggy arrangement". Adam Mazmanian of ''

The Washington Times ''The Washington Times'' is an American conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., that covers general interest topics with a particular emphasis on national politics. Its broadsheet daily edition is distributed throughou ...

'' gave a negative review for the song, writing that the high notes included on "Ave Maria", "should have remained a secret between Beyonce and her producers". In 2013, John Boone and Jennifer Cady of

E! Online E! (an initialism for Entertainment Television) is an American basic cable channel which primarily focuses on pop culture, celebrity focused reality shows, and movies, owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of NBCUniver ...

placed the song at number ten on their list of ten best Knowles' songs. They further added, "The new classic kicks off with the plucking off some light strings and you ''know'' by the end you'll be singing through tears."

Live performances

"Ave Maria" was a part of the

during Knowles I Am... World Tour (2009-2010), where she performed the song dressed in a wedding dress and blended it into

Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan OC OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is '' Surfacing'', for which she won two Grammy Awards (ou ...

's "

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles ...

" (1998). The wedding dress Knowles wore during the tour, was originally designed as a black dress and was designed by

Thierry Mugler Manfred Thierry Mugler (; 21 December 1948 – 23 January 2022) was a French fashion designer, creative director and creative adviser of Mugler. In the 1970s, Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house; and quickly rose to prominence in the fo ...

. Her mother and designer,

Tina Knowles Tina may refer to: People * Tina (given name), people and fictional characters with the given name ''Tina'' Places *Tina, Iran, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran *Tina, Tunisia, a town in Sfax Governorate, Tunisia *Tina, Guadalcanal, Solomon ...

, made the dress stage-appropriate so Knowles could dance in it. When Knowles performed the song in Sunrise, Florida on June 29, 2009, animated graphics of turntables, faders, and other club gear throbbed behind her and her musicians. Knowles was accompanied by her two drummers, two keyboardists, a percussionist, a horn section, three backup vocalists called the Mamas and a lead guitarist, Bibi McGill. According to Parke Puterbaugh from ''

News & Record The ''News & Record'' is an American, English language newspaper with the largest circulation serving Guilford County, North Carolina, and the surrounding region. It is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, and produces local sections for Greensbo ...

'', the strangest moment of the concert was Knowles "unironic delivery" of "Ave Maria", for which she was attired in a wedding dress and veil. Following Knowles' performance of the ballad at

The O2 Arena The O2 Arena, commonly known as the O2 (stylised as The O2 arena), is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of the O2 entertainment complex on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, a writer for the newspaper ''Irish Independent'' commented that "an Irish audience surely cannot sit through the old convent staple 'Ave Maria' ... without feeling something cold squeeze the heart." Alice Jones of ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'' felt that the performance was an "exceedingly odd segment" during the tour. While reviewing Knowles' performance at the

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylv ...

, a writer of ''People'' magazine compared her look with

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

's. While reviewing another concert by Knowles,

Ann Powers Ann K. Powers (born February 4, 1964) is an American writer and pop music critic. She is a music critic for NPR and a contributor at the ''Los Angeles Times'', where she was previously chief pop critic. She has also served as pop critic at ''The ...

of ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

'' also compared the performance with "pop's ultimate alpha female" Madonna at the

1984 MTV Video Music Awards The 1984 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 14, 1984. The inaugural ceremony honored the best music videos released between May 2, 1983 and May 2, 1984, and was hosted by Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler at the Radio City Music Hall in New ...

. She also compared "Ave Maria" with the singer's 1989 song " Like a Prayer" because they both used religious imagery to elevate a romantic connection. A writer of ''

Evening Chronicle The ''Evening Chronicle'', now referred to as ''The Comical'', is a daily newspaper produced in Newcastle upon Tyne covering North regional news, but primarily focused on Newcastle upon Tyne and surrounding area. The ''Comical'' is published by ...

'' praised the performance of the song during the tour, saying that it showed off Knowles' "incredible" vocals. MTV News' Jayson Rodriguez commented that Knowles uses her softer side while performing the ballad. Jim Farber of the ''Daily News'' praised the performance of the song, saying that "Beyoncé hit notes with a new delicacy, then moved seamlessly into the final operatic crescendo". Barbara Ellen of ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'' was negative about the performance of "Ave Maria" during the I Am... World Tour, comparing it with '' Challenge Anneka'' and

bridezilla A bridezilla is a bride whose behavior is seen as demanding or unreasonable. The word comes from bride + -zilla. * ''Bridezillas ''Bridezillas'' is an American reality television series that airs on WE tv and debuted on June 1, 2004. It chronicl ...

. She described it as "nonsense... thas no place in a Beyoncé show". Knowles performed "Ave Maria" in

Burswood Entertainment Complex Crown Perth (formerly Burswood Island Casino, Burswood Island Complex and Burswood Entertainment Complex) is a resort and casino located in Burswood, Western Australia, near the Swan River. The resort consists of a casino, a convention centre w ...

Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

, on September 25, 2009. Jay Hanna, writing for ''

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...

'', described the performance as "stunning". Jay Lustig of New Jersey On-Line described the same performance as "operatic". Holly Byrnes of ''The Daily Telegraph'' while reviewing another stop during the concert tour of Knowles in Australia wrote that her performance of the ballad "guaranteed to have raised the sails of the Sydney Opera House", while Patrick Emery of ''

The Australian ''The Australian'', with its Saturday edition, ''The Weekend Australian'', is a broadsheet newspaper published by News Corp Australia since 14 July 1964.Bruns, Axel. "3.1. The active audience: Transforming journalism from gatekeeping to gatew ...

'' described her performance during another stop in the same country as "soaring". A live performance of "Ave Maria" is featured on Knowles 2010 live album, '' I Am... World Tour''. Andy Gill of ''The Independent'', while reviewing the DVD, gave a negative review for the performance of the song, writing that "if her grotesque over-emoting on 'Ave Maria' is anything to go by, legibility could make things a lot worse." On December 3, 2008, Knowles' performance of "Ave Maria" at the

Rockefeller Center Rockefeller Center is a large complex consisting of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th Street and 51st Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The 14 original Art Deco buildings, commissioned by the Rockefeller family, span th ...

, in New York, was broadcast on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

. A writer from ''People'' magazine described her performance as "rousing". Knowles sang the song as a tribute to

at the 2008 Essence Music Festival. She later performed the song during the 2009

BET Awards The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...

, where she blended it with Sarah McLachlan's song "Angel" in honor to Michael Jackson, following his death. Knowles appeared in an angelic Balmain mini white dress, and according to a writer from ''The Daily Telegraph'', she performed a "moving version" of "Ave Maria". A writer for the newspaper ''

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...

'' commented that the performance of the song was "simultaneously sexy and angelic".

Cover versions

On May 12, 2012,

Molly Rainford Molly Anne Rainford (born 22 November 2000) is an English singer, actress and television presenter. She was a finalist on the sixth series of ''Britain's Got Talent'' in 2012 and was one of the presenters on '' Friday Download'' between 2014 a ...

, a contestant of the '' sixth season'' of ''

Britain's Got Talent ''Britain's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated to ''BGT'') is a televised British talent show competition, and part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. Presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloqui ...

'', sang "Ave Maria" during the show's final. Digital Spy's Daniel Sperling noted that Rainford sang a "pimped-up version" of the song which he called "incredible". A writer of BBC Online described her rendition as "moving". On May 28, 2012, Fatai Veamatahau sang "Ave Maria" on ''The Voice'' (Australia). Simon Holt of ''

'' noted that "she has a voice which brought tears to many eyes", including coach and mentor

Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...

's. Coach

Joel Madden Joel Rueben Madden (né Combs; March 11, 1979) is an American singer best known as the lead vocalist for the pop punk band Good Charlotte. He is also part of the pop rock collaboration the Madden Brothers with his identical twin brother Benj ...

said: "I have to be respectful. That was a very spiritual performance. I'm not sure what it was like for people at home, but that felt electric in here". A reviewer for

Take 40 Australia ''Take 40 Australia'' was Australia's first and longest-running music countdown. It counted down the official top 40 singles on the ARIA chart on a weekly basis. It was broadcast nationally each week to over 1.2 million listeners. Starting i ...

called it a "rousing version". Veamatahau's version peaked at number 25 on the

Australian Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

for the week of June 10, 2012.

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'' liner notes. *

Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

–

songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

– songwriter * Ian Dench – songwriter,

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

*Makeba Riddick – songwriter * Mikkel S.Eriksen – songwriter, producer, recorder, other instrumentation *

Tor Erik Hermansen Tor, TOR or ToR may refer to: Places * Tor, Pallars, a village in Spain * Tor, former name of Sloviansk, Ukraine, a city * Mount Tor, Tasmania, Australia, an extinct volcano * Tor Bay, Devon, England * Tor River, Western New Guinea, Indonesia S ...

– songwriter, production, other instrumentation *

Mark "Spike" Stent Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Sheeran ...

–

audio mixing Audio mixing is the process by which multiple sounds are combined into one or more channels. In the process, a source's volume level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated or enhanced. This practical, aesthetic ...

*Matt Green – audio mixing assistant **Recorded at Roc the Mic Studios, New York City, New York **Mixed at

Record Plant The Record Plant is a recording studio established in New York City in 1968 and currently operating in Los Angeles, California. Known for innovations in the recording artists' workspace, it has produced highly influential albums, including Blo ...

, Los Angeles, California

Charts

Following the album's digital release, "Ave Maria" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 150 on November 29, 2008. It also charted on the Portuguese Ringtone Chart in 2010 at number 16.

Certifications and sales

References

External links

Beyoncé Knowles' Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ave Maria (Beyonce Knowles song) 2000s ballads 2008 songs Beyoncé songs Popular songs based on classical music Song recordings produced by Beyoncé Songs written by Beyoncé Songs written by Amanda Ghost Song recordings produced by Stargate (record producers) Songs written by Makeba Riddick Songs written by Ian Dench Songs written by Tor Erik Hermansen Songs written by Mikkel Storleer Eriksen Pop ballads