Among the many works for which Brahms is celebrated his Choral oeuvre is significant. This first Choral work Ave Maria originally written for SSAA and Organ is not mere juvenilia. The flowing 6/8 piece is structured like ashort sonata movement with the two pairs of Voices trading contrapuntal entrances until the parts join their Voices in the pleading ‘Ora pro nobis’ all with Brahmsian harmonies in the accompaniment.Brahms later arranged the workfor SSAA and Orchestra followed by this setting for Chorus and Piano.
