When it comes to music for the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom usually point to famous pieces that have been heard many times and also widely played during the wedding ceremony. Some of these are considered almost standard, becoming true wedding songs of excellence however they often hide controversial lyrics and stories.
Be that as it may, however, this does not stop millions of newlyweds around the world from loving them and including them in the context of their own wedding rites.
Yet certain songs are really inappropriate for a religious rite, so much so that not all priests are willing to accept them.
Below are the 4 most famous, most beloved and most controversial pieces associated with marriage.
Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” 1.
It is one of the most beloved pieces of music to accompany thebride and groom as they leave the church, yet its origins are anything but sacred. This piece is part of the composition
A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
, which was created to accompany the play of the same namethat King Frederick William IV of Prussia commissioned from Mendelssohn about Greek mythology. His commissions included music inspired by Shakespeare’s play.A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a story set in ancient Greece, full of magic, fairies and pagan gods. For all these reasons, some priests consider Mendelssohn’s Wedding March unsuitable for a religious ceremony.
“Wedding Chorus” by Richard Wagner 2.
Wagner’s Wedding Chorus is among the most frequently used wedding songs to accompany the bride’s entrance. Although the most common version is instrumental so as not to distract the attention of those present from the entrance of the bride, the song has German lyrics for chorus.This piece originated for theopera
Lohengrin
, in which it accompanies the wedding between Elsa and the eponymous protagonist. The union between the two will be brief, based on lies, and will end long before its time.Not exactly the best of omens.
“Gabriel’s Oboe” by Ennio Morricone 3.
It is one of the great master’s most famous pieces of music, written for the film
The Mission
(1986)e, nominated for an Oscar for best soundtrack. In the film, the piece introduces the wilderness journey of missionary Father Gabriel, who has just arrived in South America.Morricone’s music succeeds in conveying a sense of heavenly peace while using very few instruments. Also for this reason, it is to this day used as a soundtrack for many commercials.Despite the undoubted beauty of
Gabriel’s Oboe
, according to many it would not be the most suitable piece for a wedding. Indeed, the piece evokes not only the beauty of nature, but also the tragedy of the colonization of the Americas.
4. “Ave Maria” by Franz Schubert
Along with Wagner’s piece, Schubert’s Ave Maria is one of the most famous wedding songs in the common imagination, and is the song that accompanies the bride to church and invokes a sense of peace and harmony. Nevertheless, the song has a meaning that is far from sacred.
The original title is
EllensGesang III
and is part of the poem
The Woman of the Lake
. The story is about a young woman who has gone into exile with her father, forced to live in Scottish caves. At one point, the girl sings a prayer to Our Lady, asking her for help. It is not uncommon for some to sing the Latin text of the Ave Maria prayer to Schubert’s music. There is also an English version by Rachel Field, who adapted the original text to the marriage context.
That said.
I hope you have found what you have written about this article helpful, and before we conclude, we remind you to have the wedding lineup approved by the priest before the wedding so that there are no surprises during the wedding ceremony.
I am Paolo Furlan founder of the music agencies Wedding Symphony specializing in ceremony music and Wedding Music Fun specializing in wedding music and entertainment. Follow our social channels to stay up to date with the latest news and get helpful tips on how to best plan your wedding!
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