by John Dryden (1631 - 1700)
Translation by Miguel Antonio Caro (1845 - 1909)
From harmony, from heav'nly harmony
Language: English
Available translation(s): FRE
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] FRE GER SPA ; composed by Norman Dello Joio.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) , "Ode auf St. Caecilia", written 1790 ENG FRE SPA ; 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
Canto en honor de Santa Cecilia
Language: Spanish (Español)  after the English
De armonía, de célica armonía, La fábrica brotó del universo. Cuando en revuelto caos De discordantes átomos yacía Atónita Natura Y alzar el ciego rostro aun no podía, Plácido acento resonó en la altura: "¡Los que nunca habéis sido, levantaos! " Cada elemento al punto, antes disperso, Húmedo ú seco, frígido ó ardiente, Salió en orden luciente A tomar puesto en la extensión vacía, Al poder de la música obediente. De armonía, de célica armonía, Brotó el mundo, y cesó la noche densa; De una en otra armonía Recorrió la creación escala inmensa Hasta llegar al sér que siente y piensa. La Música divina ¿Qué pasión no despierta y no domina? Cuando Jubal glorioso El arpa de canoras cuerdas hizo, En torno sus hermanos le escucharon, Y hasta el polvo las frentes inclinaron Reverenciando el soberano hechizo. Que no menos que un dios imaginaron Guardase aquel portento Que les hablaba con tan dulce aliento. La Música divina ¿Qué pasión no despierta y no domina? Manda bélica trompa Que ya la lid se rompa, Y la cólera aviva, y la batalla Cual tempestad estalla. El redoblar, el redoblar tremendo De roncos atambores Anima á los porfiados lidiadores, ¡Adelante! ¡adelante! repitiendo. Dulcísima consuena La flauta gemidora Con la amorosa pena Del que tímido adora, Del que esperanzas llora. Violin sonoro expresa Impetus del que ama A desdeñosa dama; Los celos de que es presa, La rabia que le inflama. ¿Mas dónde está la ciencia Que enseñe, ó dónde humano digno acento Que del órgano diga la excelencia? Notas graves que santo amor infunden, Notas que se difunden En las alas del viento Y á afinar van el celestial concento. Con su cítara Orfeo Las fieras amansó que el bosque cría, Y el roble giganteo Descuajado y absorto le seguía. Mas Cecilia alcanzó mayor victoria: Cuando aliento vocal se dió al teclado, Un ángel escuchábala, y pasmado Tomó la tierra por mansión de gloria. CORO. Como á impulso de cantos celestiales Nacieron las esferas, Y en movimiento acorde placenteras De la Fuerza Creadora Cantaron alabanzas inmortales; Así cuando la hora De final destrucción llegue tremenda, Y la trompeta clamorosa hienda Los ámbitos desiertos, Despertarán los muertos, Caerán los vivos yertos, Y con trueno la Música profundo Conmoverá las bóvedas del mundo.
Authorship:
- by Miguel Antonio Caro (1845 - 1909), "Canto en honor de Santa Cecilia", appears in Traducciones poéticas, first published 1889 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by John Dryden (1631 - 1700), written 1687
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-05-04
Line count: 77
Word count: 378