Ave Maria Chimes was originally composed by Franz Schubert as a prayer of safety for Ellen Douglas and it was originally called “Ellens dritter Gesang” or Ellen’s Third Song which was inspired by the Sir Walter Scott epic poem "The Lady of the Lake." In the poem, in the rebellion between the Scottish clan and King James, Ellen with her exiled father hides in a cave and sings a prayer calling upon the Virgin Mary for help and comfort. The first words of the prayer are ‘Ave Maria,’ which means ‘Hail Mary’. The Roman Catholic church adapted the song to the prayer Ave Maria. However, it’s a misconception that Schubert originally wrote the melody as the setting for the Catholic prayer. The composition came into usage as clock chimes in the 1940s.
Listen to Ave Maria Chime
IMPORTANT: This audio file is for reference only. Do not expect that your clock will sound exactly the same. All clocks differ in tone and have their unique voices and even when the same melody is played there may be significant variations. Contact us if you have questions.