Händel's Ode for the Saint Cecilia's Day, 1739
- poetry: John Dryden - Song for the Saint Cecilia's Day 1687 Overture, recitativo accompagnato & chorus
From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony
This universal frame began.
When Nature underneath a heap
Of jarring atoms lay,
And could not heave her head,
The tuneful voice was heard from high,
Arise ye more than dead.
Then cold, and hot, and moist, and dry,
In order to their stations leap,
And music’s pow’r obey.
From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony
This universal frame began:
From harmony to harmony
Through all the compass of the notes it ran,
The
diapason closing full in man.
[...]
whole poem with detailed explanations:
DRYDEN AND HANDEL
Youtube Playlist (~1h 30 min, not embeddable) with excerpts, readings and short commentaries
- Henry Purcell: Hail, bright Cecilia (text based on Dryden)
- G.F. Händel: Ode for the Saint Cecilia's Day (text by Dryden)
- Joseph Haydn: Missa Cellensis (Cäcilienmesse)
SAINT CECILIA - 1618 -
DOMENICHINO (1581-1641)
MUSÉE DU LOUVRE, PARIS
St. Cecilia's Day - 22nd of November
-
Catholic Encyclopedia
-
Wikipedia