“Ave Maria” by Charles Gounod is one of the most famous sacred vocal works of the 19th century. The piece is uniquely constructed as a lyrical vocal melody composed over the harmonic framework of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Prelude No. 1 in C major from The Well-Tempered Clavier. Gounod’s flowing, serene melody transforms Bach’s arpeggiated keyboard prelude into a meditative prayer, blending Baroque harmony with Romantic expressiveness. Originally written as a wordless vocalise, the work was later adapted to the Latin Ave Maria text and became immensely popular in church services, concerts, weddings, and recordings. Its simplicity, spiritual calm, and emotional purity have made it one of the most enduring sacred compositions in Western music.