Hail! Bright Cecilia (Z.328), also known as Ode to St. Cecilia, was composed by Henry Purcell to a text by the Irishman Nicholas Brady in 1692 in honour of the feast day of Saint Cecilia, patron saint of musicians.
Annual celebrations of this saint's feast day (22 November) began in 1683, organised by the Musical Society of London, a group of musicians and music lovers. Welcome to all the pleasures (Z.339) was written by Purcell in 1683 and he went on to write other Cecilian pieces of which Hail! Bright Cecilia remains the best known. The first performance on 22 September 1692 at Stationers' Hall was a great success, and received an encore.[1] It has been suggested that Purcell himself was the countertenor soloist, but this appears to be a misunderstanding of a contemporary account.
Brady's poem was derived from John Dryden's "A Song for St Cecilia's Day" of 1687. With a text full of references to musical instruments (it is suggested that Cecilia invented the organ), the work requires a wide variety of vocal soloists and obbligato instruments.[2] Brady extols the birth and personality of musical instruments and voices, and Purcell treats these personalities as if they were dramatic characters. The airs employ a variety of dance forms.[3] "Hark, each tree" is a sarabande on a ground.[2] It is a duet on a ground-bass between, vocally, soprano and bass, and instrumentally, between recorders and violins ("box and fir" are the woods used in the making of these instruments). "With that sublime celestial lay" and "Wond'rous machine" are in praise of the organ.[4] "Thou tun'st this world" is set as a minuet. "In vain the am'rous flute" is set to a passacaglia bass.[2] In spite of Brady's conceit of the speaking forest (it should be remembered that English organs of the period typically had wooden pipes), Purcell scored the warlike music for two brass trumpets and copper kettle drums instead of fife and (field) drum. The orchestra also includes two recorders (called flutes) with a bass flute, two oboes (called hautboys), strings and basso continuo.
Purcell is one of several composers who have written music in honour of Cecilia.
Movementsedit
Orazio Gentileschi and Giovanni Lanfranco, Saint Cecilia and an Angel, c. 1617-1618 and c. 1621-1627, National Gallery of Art
Air (soprano) and chorus: "Thou tun'st this world"
Trio (alto, tenor and bass): "With that sublime celestial lay"
Air (bass): "Wondrous machine!"
Air (countertenor): "The airy violin"
Duet (countertenor and tenor): "In vain the am'rous flute"
Air (countertenor): "The fife and all the harmony of war"
Duet (two basses): "Let these among themselves contest"
Chorus: "Hail! Bright Cecilia, hail to thee"
Textedit
2. Hail! Bright Cecilia, Hail! fill ev'ry Heart With Love of thee and thy Celestial Art; That thine and Musick's Sacred Love May make the British Forest prove As Famous as Dodona's Vocal Grove.
3. Hark! hark! each Tree its silence breaks, The Box and Fir to talk begin! This in the sprightly Violin That in the Flute distinctly speaks! 'Twas Sympathy their list'ning Brethren drew, When to the Thracian Lyre with leafy Wings they flew.
4. 'Tis Natures's Voice; thro' all the moving Wood Of Creatures understood: The Universal Tongue to none Of all her num'rous Race unknown! From her it learnt the mighty Art To court the Ear or strike the Heart: At once the Passions to express and move; We hear, and straight we grieve or hate, rejoice or love: In unseen Chains it does the Fancy bind; At once it charms the Sense and captivates the Mind
5. Soul of the World! Inspir'd by thee, The jarring Seeds of Matter did agree, Thou didst the scatter'd Atoms bind, Which, by thy Laws of true proportion join'd, Made up of various Parts one perfect Harmony.
6. Thou tun'st this World below, the Spheres above, Who in the Heavenly Round to their own Music move.
7. With that sublime Celestial Lay Can any Earthly Sounds compare? If any Earthly Music dare, The noble Organ may. From Heav'n its wondrous Notes were giv'n, (Cecilia oft convers'd with Heaven,) Some Angel of the Sacred Choire Did with his Breath the Pipes inspire; And of their Notes above the just Resemblance gave, Brisk without Lightness, without Dulness Grave.
8. Wondrous Machine! To thee the Warbling Lute, Though us'd to Conquest, must be forc'd to yield: With thee unable to dispute.
9. The Airy Violin And lofty Viol quit the Field; In vain they tune their speaking Strings To court the cruel Fair, or praise Victorious Kings. Whilst all thy consecrated Lays Are to more noble Uses bent; And every grateful Note to Heav'n repays The Melody it lent.
10. In vain the Am'rous Flute and soft Guitarr, Jointly labour to inspire Wanton Heat and loose Desire; Whilst thy chaste Airs do gentle move Seraphic Flames and Heav'nly Love.
11. The Fife and all the Harmony of War, In vain attempt the Passions to alarm, Which thy commanding Sounds compose and charm.
12. Let these amongst themselves contest, Which can discharge its single Duty best. Thou summ'st their diff'ring Graces up in One, And art a Consort of them All within thy Self alone.
13. Hail! Bright Cecilia, Hail to thee! Great Patroness of Us and Harmony! Who, whilst among the Choir above Thou dost thy former Skill improve, With Rapture of Delight dost see Thy Favourite Art Make up a Part Of infinite Felicity. Hail! Bright Cecilia, Hail to thee! Great Patroness of Us and Harmony!
^The Gentleman's Journal, or Monthly Miscellany, November 1692, cited in Rimbault's edition, London: Musical Antiquarian Society Publications, 1848, p. 2.
hail, bright, cecilia, also, known, cecilia, composed, henry, purcell, text, irishman, nicholas, brady, 1692, honour, feast, saint, cecilia, patron, saint, musicians, annual, celebrations, this, saint, feast, november, began, 1683, organised, musical, society,. Hail Bright Cecilia Z 328 also known as Ode to St Cecilia was composed by Henry Purcell to a text by the Irishman Nicholas Brady in 1692 in honour of the feast day of Saint Cecilia patron saint of musicians Annual celebrations of this saint s feast day 22 November began in 1683 organised by the Musical Society of London a group of musicians and music lovers Welcome to all the pleasures Z 339 was written by Purcell in 1683 and he went on to write other Cecilian pieces of which Hail Bright Cecilia remains the best known The first performance on 22 September 1692 at Stationers Hall was a great success and received an encore 1 It has been suggested that Purcell himself was the countertenor soloist but this appears to be a misunderstanding of a contemporary account Contents 1 Composition 2 Movements 3 Text 4 Publication 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksComposition editBrady s poem was derived from John Dryden s A Song for St Cecilia s Day of 1687 With a text full of references to musical instruments it is suggested that Cecilia invented the organ the work requires a wide variety of vocal soloists and obbligato instruments 2 Brady extols the birth and personality of musical instruments and voices and Purcell treats these personalities as if they were dramatic characters The airs employ a variety of dance forms 3 Hark each tree is a sarabande on a ground 2 It is a duet on a ground bass between vocally soprano and bass and instrumentally between recorders and violins box and fir are the woods used in the making of these instruments With that sublime celestial lay and Wond rous machine are in praise of the organ 4 Thou tun st this world is set as a minuet In vain the am rous flute is set to a passacaglia bass 2 In spite of Brady s conceit of the speaking forest it should be remembered that English organs of the period typically had wooden pipes Purcell scored the warlike music for two brass trumpets and copper kettle drums instead of fife and field drum The orchestra also includes two recorders called flutes with a bass flute two oboes called hautboys strings and basso continuo Purcell is one of several composers who have written music in honour of Cecilia Movements edit nbsp Orazio Gentileschi and Giovanni Lanfranco Saint Cecilia and an Angel c 1617 1618 and c 1621 1627 National Gallery of Art The work consists of 13 movements Symphony overture Introduction Canzona Adagio Allegro Grave Allegro repeat Recitative bass and chorus Hail Bright Cecilia Duet treble though range would suggest alto and bass Hark hark each tree Air countertenor Tis nature s voice Chorus Soul of the world Air soprano and chorus Thou tun st this world Trio alto tenor and bass With that sublime celestial lay Air bass Wondrous machine Air countertenor The airy violin Duet countertenor and tenor In vain the am rous flute Air countertenor The fife and all the harmony of war Duet two basses Let these among themselves contest Chorus Hail Bright Cecilia hail to thee Text edit2 Hail Bright Cecilia Hail fill ev ry Heart With Love of thee and thy Celestial Art That thine and Musick s Sacred Love May make the British Forest prove As Famous as Dodona s Vocal Grove 3 Hark hark each Tree its silence breaks The Box and Fir to talk begin This in the sprightly Violin That in the Flute distinctly speaks Twas Sympathy their list ning Brethren drew When to the Thracian Lyre with leafy Wings they flew 4 Tis Natures s Voice thro all the moving Wood Of Creatures understood The Universal Tongue to none Of all her num rous Race unknown From her it learnt the mighty Art To court the Ear or strike the Heart At once the Passions to express and move We hear and straight we grieve or hate rejoice or love In unseen Chains it does the Fancy bind At once it charms the Sense and captivates the Mind 5 Soul of the World Inspir d by thee The jarring Seeds of Matter did agree Thou didst the scatter d Atoms bind Which by thy Laws of true proportion join d Made up of various Parts one perfect Harmony 6 Thou tun st this World below the Spheres above Who in the Heavenly Round to their own Music move 7 With that sublime Celestial Lay Can any Earthly Sounds compare If any Earthly Music dare The noble Organ may From Heav n its wondrous Notes were giv n Cecilia oft convers d with Heaven Some Angel of the Sacred Choire Did with his Breath the Pipes inspire And of their Notes above the just Resemblance gave Brisk without Lightness without Dulness Grave 8 Wondrous Machine To thee the Warbling Lute Though us d to Conquest must be forc d to yield With thee unable to dispute 9 The Airy Violin And lofty Viol quit the Field In vain they tune their speaking Strings To court the cruel Fair or praise Victorious Kings Whilst all thy consecrated Lays Are to more noble Uses bent And every grateful Note to Heav n repays The Melody it lent 10 In vain the Am rous Flute and soft Guitarr Jointly labour to inspire Wanton Heat and loose Desire Whilst thy chaste Airs do gentle move Seraphic Flames and Heav nly Love 11 The Fife and all the Harmony of War In vain attempt the Passions to alarm Which thy commanding Sounds compose and charm 12 Let these amongst themselves contest Which can discharge its single Duty best Thou summ st their diff ring Graces up in One And art a Consort of them All within thy Self alone 13 Hail Bright Cecilia Hail to thee Great Patroness of Us and Harmony Who whilst among the Choir above Thou dost thy former Skill improve With Rapture of Delight dost see Thy Favourite Art Make up a Part Of infinite Felicity Hail Bright Cecilia Hail to thee Great Patroness of Us and Harmony Publication editThe work was edited for publication by Edward Francis Rimbault See also editWelcome to all the pleasures Ode for St Cecilia s Day Handel References edit The Gentleman s Journal or Monthly Miscellany November 1692 cited in Rimbault s edition London Musical Antiquarian Society Publications 1848 p 2 a b c Hail bright Cecilia and Who can from joy refrain Introduction by Robert King Hyperion Records 2010 CD liner notes Purcell Odes amp Funeral Music CD Virgin Classics Ltd 7243 5 61582 2 1 http www musicalconcepts net legacy deller 2 4 texts html dead link External links editHail Bright Cecilia Z 328 Scores at the International Music Score Library Project including Rimbault s introduction A Song for St Cecilia s Day 1687 by John Dryden Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hail Bright Cecilia amp oldid 1216224268, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
