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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 Thro' all the compass of the notes it ran, The diapason closing full in Man. What passion cannot Music raise and quell! When Jubal struck the corded shell, His list'ning brethren stood around, And, wond'ring, on their faces fell To worship that celestial sound. Less than a god they thought there could not dwell Within the hollow of that shell That spoke so sweetly and so well. What passion cannot Music raise and quell! The Trumpet's loud clangor Excites us to arms, With shrill notes of anger, And mortal alarms. The double double double beat Of the thund'ring Drum Cries: "Hark! the foes come; Charge, charge, 't is too late to retreat." The soft complaining Flute In dying notes discovers The woes of hopeless lovers, Whose dirge is whisper'd by the warbling Lute. Sharp Violins proclaim Their jealous pangs, and desperation, Fury, frantic indignation, Depth of pains, and height of passion, For the fair, disdainful dame. But O! what art can teach, What human voice can reach, The sacred Organ's praise? Notes inspiring holy love, Notes that wing their heav'nly ways To mend the choirs above. Orpheus could lead the savage race; And trees unrooted left their place, Sequacious of the lyre; But bright Cecilia rais'd the wonder high'r: When to her Organ vocal breath was giv'n, An angel heard, and straight appear'd, Mistaking earth for heav'n. GRAND CHORUS As from the pow'r of sacred lays The spheres began to move, And sung the great Creator's praise To all the blest above, So, when the last and dreadful hour This crumbling pageant shall devour, The Trumpet shall be heard on high, The dead shall live, the living die, And Music shall untune the sky.
About the headline (FAQ)
In Händel's setting, each stanza is a separate movement:
1. Overture: Larghetto e staccato—allegro—minuet 2. Recitative (tenor): "From harmony, from heavenly harmony" 3. Chorus: "From harmony, from heavenly harmony" 4. Aria (soprano): "What passion cannot music raise and quell!" 5. Aria (tenor) and Chorus: "The trumpet's loud clangour" 6. March 7. Aria (soprano): "The soft complaining flute" 8. Aria (tenor): "Sharp violins proclaim their jealous pangs" 9. Aria (soprano): "But oh! What art can teach" 10. Aria (soprano): "Orpheus could lead the savage race" 11. Recitative (soprano): "But bright Cecilia raised the wonder higher" 12. Grand Chorus with (soprano): "As from the power of sacred lays"
Authorship:
- by John Dryden (1631 - 1700), written 1687 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Georg Friedrich Händel (1685 - 1759), "Ode for St. Cecilia's Day", HWV 76, first performed 1739 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by David Evan Thomas (b. 1958), "A Song for Saint Cecilia's Day", 1991/2005 [ 3 sopranos, string quartet and harpsichord ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, adapted by Norman Dello Joio (1913 - 2008) [an adaptation] ; composed by Norman Dello Joio.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation possibly by Karl Wilhelm Ramler (1725 - 1798); composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Miguel Antonio Caro) , "Canto en honor de Santa Cecilia", appears in Traducciones poéticas, first published 1889
Research team for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor] , Dave Evan Thomas
This text was added to the website: 2006-06-12
Line count: 64
Word count: 351
De l'harmonie, de la céleste harmonie Cet universel cadre a commencé : Quand la nature sous un tas D'atomes désordonnés gisait, Et ne pouvait pas lever la tête, La voix mélodieuse s'entendait d'en haut : « Debout, toi qui es plus que mort. » Alors le froid, le chaud, l'humide et le sec En ordre sautèrent à leur place, Et obéirent au pouvoir de la Musique. De l'harmonie, de la céleste harmonie Cet universel cadre a commencé : D'harmonie en harmonie À travers toute la portée des notes, ils coururent, Le diapason fermant la marche. Quelle passion la musique ne peut-elle élever et apaiser ! Quand Jubal frappa les cordes de la coque, Ses frères qui l'écoutaient s'arrêtèrent Et, émerveillés, sur leur visage tombèrent Pour adorer ce son céleste. Seul un dieu, pensèrent-ils, pouvait loger À l'intérieur du trou de cette coque Qui parlait si doucement et si bien. Quelle passion la musique ne peut-elle élever et apaiser ! Le son de la trompette Nous appelle aux armes, Avec les notes aiguës de la colère Et des alarmes mortelles. Le double battement Du tambour tonnant Crie : « Écoutez ! l'ennemi arrive; Chargez, chargez, il est trop tard pour faire retraite. » La plainte douce de la flûte Découvre en notes funèbres Le malheur d'amants sans espoir, Dont le luth mélodieux murmure le chant funèbre. Les violons brutaux proclament Leurs douleurs jalouses et leur désespoir, Leur fureur, leur indignation frénétique, Leur souffrance profonde et leur grande passion Pour la belle dame pleine de dédain. Mais Oh ! quel art peut apprendre, Quelle voix humaine peut atteindre La louange de l'orgue sacré ? Des notes inspirant un amour saint, Des notes qui volent sur des chemins célestes Pour s'accorder avec les chœurs de là-haut. Orphée pouvait mener les animaux sauvages ; Et les arbres déracinés quittèrent leur place, Suivant la lyre ; Mais la brillante Cécile éleva la merveille plus haut : Quand à l'orgue de ta voix le souffle fut donné, On entendit un ange et il apparut aussitôt, Prenant la terre pour le ciel. GRAND CHŒUR Comme par le pouvoir de chants sacrés Les sphères commencèrent à bouger, et chantèrent la louange du grand Créateur À tous les bienheureux ici-bas. Ainsi quand la dernière et terrible heure Dévorera ce spectacle en ruine, La trompette retentira en haut, Les morts vivront, les vivants mourront, Et la Musique désaccordera le ciel .
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Ode for St. Cecilia's Day" = "Ode pour sainte Cécile"
"A Song for Saint Cecilia's Day" = "Un chant pour sainte Cécile"
Authorship:
- Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2018 by Guy Laffaille, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in English by John Dryden (1631 - 1700), written 1687
This text was added to the website: 2018-12-20
Line count: 64
Word count: 401