Holst (arr. Johnston) - Ave Maria, Op. 9b for Eight B-flat Clarinets

Gustav Holst (1874–1934) composed this Ave Maria (Op. 9b) in 1900 for an eight-part female choir (SSAA.SSAA). His setting of the Ave Maria prayer stands out as a deeply beautiful, rich, and harmonically innovative choral piece, showcasing his sensitivity to text and mastery of vocal writing. He wrote this piece during his early years as a composer, while he was still developing his musical voice. It reflects his admiration for Renaissance choral music, particularly composers like Palestrina.

Instrumentation:

• 8 B-flat Clarinets