Ave Maria is a traditional prayer dedicated to the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, asking for her intercession. It has been set to music in over 4000 songs, some of which kept the original prayer as words while others used a different text than the traditional one.

 

Tarja Turunen breathes life into some of the most loved and rare songs of Paolo Tosti, David Popper, Astor Piazzolla, and of course Johann Sebastian Bach/Charles Gounod, among others. The closing track of the album presents a magnificent composition by Tarja Turunen herself.

 

Recorded in the stunning Lakeuden Risti Church in Seinäjoki, Finland – a snow-white landmark, both national heritage and significant example of modern Finnish architecture designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto – the Lutheran church offers the perfect soundscape for Tarja Turunen’s crisp clear voice. Combined with a piercing organ, cello and harp, the music blends into a rich sound universe.