George Frideric Handel set John Dryden’s poem “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” in 1739. Scored for orchestra, chorus, and soprano and tenor soloists, Handel’s twelve-movement ode explores the power of music and instruments through a sequence of recitatives, arias, and choruses following a stately French overture. Marc Minkowski leads his period instrument Les Musiciens du Louvre in this acclaimed recording based on their performance of the work at the 2007 Salzburg Festival.
Marc Minkowski conducts Handel’s Ode for Saint Cecilia’s Day
Marc Minkowski (Photo: William Lentz)
Playlist
George Frideric Handel: Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day, HWV 76
Overture: Larghetto e staccato—allegro—minuet
Recitative accompagnato, “From harmony, from heavenly harmony”
Chorus, “From harmony, from heavenly harmony”
*Aria, “What passion cannot music raise and quell!”
Aria and Chorus, “The trumpet’s loud clangour”
March
†Aria, “The soft complaining flute”
Aria, “Sharp violins proclaim their jealous pangs”
^Aria, “But oh! What art can teach”
Aria, “Orpheus could lead the savage race”
Recitative accompagnato, “But bright Cecilia raised the wonder higher”
Grand Chorus with soprano “As from the power of sacred lays”
Lucy Crowe, soprano
Richard Croft, tenor
*Nils Wieboldt, cello
†Florian Cousin, flute
^Francesco Corti, organ
Chœur des Musiciens du Louvre
Les Musiciens du Louvre
Marc Minkowski, conductor