Ave Maria (On the Enigmatic Scale): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$45.00 USD

Ave Maria (On the Enigmatic Scale): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Ave Maria (On the Enigmatic Scale): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-10100222
Price: 45.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Giuseppe Verdi, ed./arr. by Barbara Buehlman

Item: 36-10100222

$45.00

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The "Four Sacred Pieces" for chorus are Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) last compositions and were first performed in April, 1898. Ave Maria, the first of the "Four Sacred Pieces" was composed for four-part unaccompanied chorus. It is based on a scale that Verdi called "Scala enigmatica." Unlike any of the scales we recognize, it is composed of an unusual series of steps and half steps: C, D-flat, E, F-sharp, G-sharp, A-sharp, B, C. The F is natural when the scale descends. This forms the basis of the composition. In the choral version, it is a setting of the Hail Mary prayer, and that text states best the mood of this beautiful and unusual composition. This arrangement for developing band has been completed by Barbara Buehlman.

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Series: LudwigMasters Developing Band

Publisher: LUDWIGMASTERS

ISBN10: 1-57134-727-5

ISBN13: 978-1-57134-727-5

SKU: 36-10100222

Instrumentation: Concert Band

More about this title

About the Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) spent nearly six decades shaping the operatic canon before turning to sacred music in his final years. His late compositional period produced works of remarkable spiritual depth, including the Four Sacred Pieces, which showcase a master composer distilling decades of dramatic craft into moments of profound introspection.

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Why we love this

Verdi's use of the enigmatic scale creates an immediate sonic distinctiveness that captures students' attention while teaching them that tradition and innovation coexist. Barbara Buehlman's arrangement opens this late masterwork to developing bands, making a piece originally written for unaccompanied chorus accessible without sacrificing its harmonic sophistication or spiritual character.

What to expect

The enigmatic scale creates an otherworldly shimmer, never quite settling into familiar major or minor tonality. The piece unfolds with the quiet dignity of prayer, intimate despite the full concert band sonority, drawing listeners into reflection rather than spectacle.

Who it's for

Developing concert bands ready for music that prioritizes harmonic color and textural exploration over technical display. This arrangement works equally well for bands seeking sacred repertoire or exploring early twentieth century compositional thinking with younger musicians.

How to get the most out of it

Let the enigmatic scale's unusual intervallic shape drive your rehearsal discussion. Have students sing or play the scale on their instruments to internalize its peculiar contours before tackling their individual parts.
Shape phrases according to the text of the Ave Maria rather than traditional harmonic cadences. This prayer-like setting asks for sustained attention to the words, not architectural harmonic resolutions.
Balance brightness against restraint in the upper registers. The scale's higher pitches can sound stark; control tone production to maintain the meditative quality Verdi intended.

How to use it

Position this as the centerpiece of a sacred music program, or pair it with other late Romantic and early modern works exploring modal and non-traditional harmonic systems. Its brevity and focused character make it ideal as a concert opener that establishes an introspective tone for the remainder of your program.