A Song Review of Hail Mary, Gentle Woman by Sunday 7pm Choir
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman is a Catholic hymn composed by Carey Landry in 1975 and published by OCP. It is a song of devotion and praise to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and it has been sung by many choirs and artists over the years. One of the most recent versions is by Sunday 7pm Choir, a Catholic choir based in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. Their rendition of the hymn is part of their album Songs to Mary - The Holy Mother of God, which was released in 2021. The song is four minutes and three seconds long, and it features a soloist and a choir accompanied by piano.
LISTEN BELOW!!Artist: Sunday 7pm ChoirSong: Hail Mary, Gentle Woman |
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Sunday 7pm Choir is a Catholic choir that strives to sing beautiful, Christian sacred choral music of all types, from chant, hymns, taize and SATB anthems, to contemporary, gospel and spiritual songs. They normally serve the parish of St. Francis de Sales Church in Ajax every Sunday evening at 7pm (excluding long weekends). They have also released several albums and singles on various online platforms, such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more. Some of their most popular songs include Ave Maria (Schubert), Make Me A Channel of Your Peace (Prayer of St. Francis), One Bread, One Body, and On This Day, O Beautiful Mother.
The music style and genre of Hail Mary, Gentle Woman is contemporary hymn. It has a simple melody and harmony that are easy to sing along. The lyrics are based on the biblical titles and attributes of Mary, such as gentle woman, quiet light, morning star, peaceful dove, gentle mother, and blessed are you among women. The song also expresses the love and gratitude of the faithful to Mary for her role in salvation history and her intercession for us. The song has not changed much over time, except for some variations in the arrangement and instrumentation. The original version by Carey Landry was more folk-like, with guitar and flute accompaniment. The version by Sunday 7pm Choir is more classical, with piano and choir.
One of the aspects of the song that is important is the use of contrast between the soloist and the choir. The soloist sings the verses, which describe the qualities of Mary and how she reflects the glory of God. The choir sings the refrain, which is a prayer to Mary asking for her guidance and protection. The contrast creates a dynamic effect that enhances the meaning and emotion of the song. Another aspect of the song that is important is the use of repetition. The refrain repeats the words "Hail Mary" four times, emphasizing the reverence and honor that we give to Mary as the mother of our Lord. The last verse also repeats the words "gentle woman" three times, highlighting the tenderness and compassion that Mary shows to us as our mother.
One of the defects that I have seen in the song is that it does not mention the name of Jesus explicitly. Although it is implied that Mary is the mother of Jesus in the line "blessed are you among women", it would be more appropriate to acknowledge Jesus as the source and center of our faith. After all, Mary's greatness comes from her relationship with Jesus, who is her son and her savior. Another defect that I have seen in the song is that it does not include any scriptural references or quotations. Although the lyrics are inspired by the Bible, they do not cite any specific passages or verses that support or illustrate the claims made about Mary. It would be more enriching to incorporate some biblical texts that show how Mary fulfilled God's plan and how she cooperated with God's grace.
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman by Sunday 7pm Choir is a beautiful and uplifting song that honors Mary as our mother and model of faith. It has a simple but catchy melody and harmony that convey a sense of peace and joy. It uses contrast and repetition to create a dynamic effect that enhances the meaning and emotion of the song. However, it also has some defects that could be improved by mentioning Jesus explicitly and including some scriptural references or quotations. Overall, I would recommend this song to anyone who wants to express their devotion and praise to Mary in a contemporary way.
