Ave Maria

Today, August 15th, is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Assumption of Mary into Heaven, often shortened to the Assumption and also known as the Feast of Saint Mary the Virgin, or the the Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the Dormition), according to the beliefs of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of Anglicanism, was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her earthly life.

Harry Rowe Shelley (June 8, 1858 – September 12, 1947) was an American composer, organist (church and concert), and professor of music. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Shelley studied at Yale College, and with Dudley Buck and Antonín Dvorák in New York, and completed his musical education in London and Paris. According to his New York Times obituary, Shelley "penned church music that won him wide popularity. For sixty years a host of English-speaking peoples throughout the world sang his hymns."

While still a boy, Shelley played the organ at Center Church on the Green in New Haven. Although he entered Yale, he did not complete his freshman year. He was organist at the Church of the Pilgrims in Brooklyn and died at age 89 in Short Beach, Connecticut.

In his day, Shelley was as major figure in the American organ world. His music is very much "of his time," and well some of his works are very sentimental, there are some solid and even brilliant works, particularly the "Fanfare" and the "Marche Militaire", both of which were composed while Shelley was organist of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in New York City.

This wonderful "Ave Maria" was published in 1909 by G. Schirmer. It's easy to call these "little melodic pieces" as "nice" or "pretty," however this one is a true gem!

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of Harry Rowe Shelley, a photo of an autographed copy of his "Fanfare," and several photos of churches at which he played.