Song for St Cecilia?s Day HWV 76 Ode to St Cecilia ()

Composer: Handel George Frideric
Instrument: Soloists, Mixed choir (SATB), Orchestra
Publisher: Bärenreiter ()
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Following upon “Alexander’s Feast” (1736), in 1739 Handel produced a second setting of the “Ode to St Cecilia” (“Song for St Cecilia’s Day”). At its premičre it was combined with “Alexander’s Feast”. Rather than a dramatic plot presentable in the theatre, the Ode, in its seven sections, offers a general hymn of praise to music and its impact. Accordingly, it largely consists of emotion-laden arias and festive orchestration.

This edition, based on the Urtext from the “Halle Handel Edition”, offers the version heard at the first performance – the version preferred in today’s concert life. The foreword (Ger/Eng) provides many detailed notes on performance practice with regard to orchestration.