Hail! Bright Cecilia, Z.328 (Purcell)

"Hail! Bright Cecilia" (Z.328), ook bekend as Ode to St. Cecilia, is in 1692 deur Henry Purcell gekomponeer op 'n teks deur die Ierse digter Nicholas Brady ter ere van die feesdag van Sint Cecilia, beskermdame van musici en kunstenaars.

Die jaarlikse viering van hierdie heilige se feesdag (22 November) is in 1683 georganiseer deur die Musical Society of London, 'n groep musici en musiekliefhebbers. Purcell het die werk vir daardie eerste fees gekomponeer: Welcome to all the pleasures (Z.339); hy het ook verskeie ander Ceciliaanse werke vir dié feesdag gekomponeer, waarvan Hail! Bright Cecilia die bekendste is. Die eerste uitvoering op 22 September 1692 by Stationers' Hall was só 'n groot sukses dat die gehoor op 'n tweede uitvoering aangedring het.The Gentleman's Journal, or Monthly Miscellany, November 1692, aangehaal in Rimbault's Edition, Londen: Musical Antiquarian Society Publications, 1848, bl. 2. 

Daar is al voorgestel dat Purcell self die kontratenoorparty by die eerste uitvoering gesing het. Hoewel hy 'n opgeleide sanger was, blyk die idee dat hy by hierdie première gesing het 'n misverstand van 'n kontemporêre resensie te wees.

 Teks 
Brady se gedig is gebaseer op John Dryden se "A song for St. Cecilia's Day" van 1687. Na aanleiding van Dryden besing Brady die ontstaan en persoonlikheid van 'n reeks musiekinstrumente. Hy sinspeel ook op die idee dat Cecilia die orrel uitgevind het. Purcell se musiek ondersteun die teks deur klem te lê op die kleure en dramatiese moontlikhede van die barokorkes.

 Musiek 

 Orkestrasie 
Die teks is vol verwysings na musiekinstrumente, en dit word weerspieël in die verskeidenheid vokale soliste en obligaatinstrumente, strykers en basso continuo.Hail! bright Cecilia and Who can from joy refrain? – Introduction, deur Robert King, Hyperion Records, 2010 "Hark, each tree" is byvoorbeeld 'n duet tussen aan die een kant sopraan- en bassolis, en aan die ander kant tussen blokfluite en viole. Dié instrumente word in die teks genoem: "box and fir" (Afrikaans: buks- en denne- of sparhout) verwys na die hout waarvan die instrumente gemaak is. Purcell het egter nie altyd getrou aan die teks gebly nie: Hy het byvoorbeeld die oorlogagtige musiek in "The fife and all the harmony of war" vir twee kopertrompette en koperketeltromme gekompneer, pleks van die dwarsfluit wat deur Brady genoem word.

 Musikale strukture 
Die onderskeie arias is op 'n verskeidenheid van dansvorme geskoei.Purcell: Odes & Funeral Music [CD]. Inligting in notas. Virgin Classics Ltd, 7243 5 61582 2 1 "Hark, each tree" is 'n sarabande en "Thou tun'st this world" 'n menuet.

Die komposisietegnieke wat deur Purcell gebruik word, sluit kontrapunt en die grondbas in. "Hark, each tree" is byvoorbeeld 'n duet op 'n grondbas, terwyl "In vain the am'rous flute" op 'n passacaglia-bas gebaseer is.

 Struktuur, instrumentasie en teks 
duimnael|Orazio Gentileschi en Giovanni Lanfranco, Saint Cecilia and an Angel, c. 1617–1618 en c. 1621–1627, National Gallery of Art
Die werk bestaan uit 13 bewegings:

 Simfonie (ouverture): Inleiding—Canzona—Adagio—Allegro—Grave—Allegro (herhaling)
 Resitatief (bas) en koor: "Hail! Bright Cecilia"
 Duet (alt en bas): "Hark! Hark! each tree"
 Aira (kontratenor): "'Tis nature' voice"
 Koor: "Soul of the world"
 Aria (sopraan) en koor: "Thou tun'st this world"
 Trio (alt, tenoor en bas): "What that sub,ime celestial lay"
 Aria (bas): "Wondrous machine!"
 Aria (kontratenoor): "The airy violin"
 Duet (kontratenoor en tenoor): "In vain the am'rous flute"
 Aria (kontratenor): "The fife and all the harmony"
 Duet (twee basse): "Let these amongst themselves contest"
 Koor: "Hail! Bright Cecilia, hail to thee"

NommerTeksInstrumenteVokale kragte1Ouverture  2 blokfluite (tenoor, ook in die diskant gespeel)
 1 basblokfluit
 2 hobo's
 1 fagot
 2 trompette (in D)
 Keteltromme (in D en A)
 Viole (eerste en tweede)
 Altviole
 Continuo Geen2Hail! 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. 2 hobo's
 Fagot
 Viole (eerste en tweede)
 Altviole
 Continuo Resitatief: bas (solo)
 SATB-koor3Hark! 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. 2 blokfluite
 Basblokfluit
 Fagot
 Viole (eerste en tweede)
 Continuo Duet: alt en  bas 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. Continuo Aria: kontratenoor5Soul 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. 2 hobo's
 Fagot
 Viole (eerste en tweede)
 Altviole
 Continuo SATB-koor6Thou tun'st this World below, the Spheres above,
Who in the Heavenly Round to their own Music move. 2 hobo's
 Fagot
 Viole (eerste en tweede)
 Altviole
 Continuo Aria: sopraan
 SATB-koor7With 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. Continuo Trio: alt, tenoor en bas8Wondrous Machine! 
To thee the Warbling Lute, 

Though us'd to Conquest, must be forc'd to yield: 

With thee unable to dispute. 2 hobo's
 Fagot
 Continuo Aria: Bas9The 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. Solo viole (eerste en tweede)
 Continuo  Aria: Kontratenoor10In 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. 2 blokfluite (in diskant)
 Basblokfluit
 Viole (eerste en tweede)
 Continuo Duet: kontratenoor en tenoor11The Fife and all the Harmony of War, 
In vain attempt the Passions to alarm,

Which thy commanding Sounds compose and charm. 2 trompette (in D)
 Keteltromme (in D en A)
 Continuo Aria: kontratenoor12Let 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. Continuo Duet: Bas en bas13Hail! 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! 2 blokfluite (tenoor, ook in die diskant gespeel)
 1 basblokfluit
 2 hobo's
 1 fagot
 2 trompette (in D)
 Keteltromme (in D en A)
 Viole (eerste en tweede)
 Altviole
 ContinuoSSAATB-koor

 Publikasies 
Die werk is verskeie kere gepubliseer, waarvan die bekendstes insluit:

 Manuskrip (1765), gekopieer deur Robert Pindar
 Musical Antiquarian Society, Londen (1848), geredigeer deur Edward F. Rimbault
 Novello, Ewer & Co., Londen (1897), geredigeer deur John A. Fuller-Maitland
 Michael A. Seaton (redigeerder) (2024)

 Verwysings 

Kategorie:Klassieke musiek