Ode for St. Cecilia's Day (Handel)

The Ode for St. Cecilia 's Day (From Harmony, from Heav'nly Harmony, HWV 76) is an ode by George Frideric Handel.

Formation

Handel composed this ode in September 1739, based on a poem by the Englishman John Dryden ( 1631-1700 ). It was premiered on 22 November together with a performance of " Alexander 's Feast " in Lincoln 's Inn Fields Theatre in London. In 1742 the work was first played outside of England in Dublin, 1769 in Berlin.

The title refers to St. Cecilia, a martyr who is said to have lived in the 3rd century after Christ. She is the patron saint of music. Your name day was celebrated in the 17th and 18th centuries as a " Celebration of Music " with concerts and worship services, each on 22 November, and with specially composed works.

Handel was not the only composer of this patron saint devoted one 's own work. Compositions on the same topic are the Members of Henry Purcell: Laudate Ceciliam (1683 ) and Hail, bright Cecilia (1692 ), Daniel Purcell ( 1693 and 1698 ), Charles Burney (1759 ) and Benjamin Britten: Hymn to St. Cecilia ( 1942).

The main theme of the seven -part work is a eulogy to the power of music.