Song for St Cecilia's Day, HWV.76 (Violin 2, Violin 3)

Description

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 première 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.