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Ave Maria sheet music

Ave Maria is a title shared by several unrelated pieces, and the scores collected here come from more than one of them. This page currently lists a four-part setting attributed to Jacques Arcadelt alongside versions of the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria for violin and piano and for cello. Because the same name covers different works, the composer credit and the intended instruments matter more than the title when you are choosing Ave Maria sheet music.

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Sheet music

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One title, several different works

A score called Ave Maria is not necessarily the same piece as another with the same name. The listings here fall into two groups: a four-voice setting credited to Jacques Arcadelt, and versions credited to J.S. Bach and Charles Gounod. Before you play or rehearse, check the composer line and the forces named in the listing. If a listing gives no composer, as with the cello version here, treat the title as a clue rather than proof of which piece the score contains.

Matching a version to your forces

Choirs looking for a vocal Ave Maria have the Arcadelt setting, scored for soprano, alto, tenor and bass. A violinist working with a pianist has the Bach/Gounod arrangement by Jaime A. Sánchez, which names both instruments. The cello listing carries a single part only, so players should open the score to see whether an accompaniment is included or expected before committing to a performance. Choosing by instrumentation is more reliable than choosing by title alone.

What the opening indications show

The Arcadelt score opens with a one-flat key signature in 4/4 at a marked 70 BPM; the Bach/Gounod violin and piano arrangement opens with no sharps or flats, also in 4/4. The cello version is listed with no sharps or flats but without a time signature. These describe only the opening of each score and do not establish its key name, its difficulty or any later changes. Players should confirm all markings against the score itself.

Scores to open first

Related collections

Common questions

Why are there Ave Maria settings by different composers?

Ave Maria is a name used for many separate compositions rather than one single work, so two scores with that title can be entirely unrelated. The scores on this page include a four-voice setting attributed to Jacques Arcadelt and a version credited to J.S. Bach and Charles Gounod. Comparing the composer credit and the instrumentation is the quickest way to tell which piece a given score contains.

What voices does the Arcadelt Ave Maria require?

The Arcadelt Ave Maria score listed here is set for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, making it a four-part choral piece rather than a solo song. Its opening carries a one-flat key signature, a 4/4 time signature and a marked tempo of 70 BPM. Choirs should check the voicing and edition against the score before rehearsing.

Which versions of the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria are available?

Two instrumental versions of the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria appear here: one for violin and piano, arranged by Jaime A. Sánchez, and one for solo cello. Both listings show an opening key signature of no sharps or flats, and the violin and piano score is in 4/4. The cello listing contains a single cello part only, so players should check whether a keyboard accompaniment is included.

Which composer is credited for each Ave Maria score?

Credits differ across the page: the four-part setting is attributed to Jacques Arcadelt, while the violin and piano and cello versions are credited to J.S. Bach and Charles Gounod. The violin and piano score also names Jaime A. Sánchez as arranger, which makes it an arrangement for those forces rather than a composer's own version for them. The cello listing has no composer in its credit field, although its title names Bach and Gounod.

Can the cello Ave Maria be played without accompaniment?

The cello version of the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria is listed with one part only, cello, so the score as described contains no separate piano part. Whether the version is meant as an unaccompanied solo or as a part to be played with accompaniment is not stated in the listing. Cellists should examine the score before planning a performance or rehearsal.