Music the fiercest grief can charm,
And Fate's severest rage disarm:
Music can soften pain to ease,
And make despair and madness please:
Our joys below it can improve,
And antedate the bliss above.
This the divine Cecilia found,
And to her Maker's praise confin'd the sound.
When the full organ joins the tuneful choir,
Th'immortal pow'rs incline their ear;
Borne on the swelling notes our souls aspire,
While solemn airs improve the sacred fire;
And angels lean from heav'n to hear.
Of Orpheus now no more let poets tell,
To bright Cecilia greater pow'r is giv'n;
His numbers raised a shade from hell,
Hers lift the soul to heav'n.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Alexander Pope (1688 - 1744), no title, appears in Ode on St. Cecilia's Day, no. 7, first published 1708 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Roxanna Panufnik (b. 1968), "Wild Musick", 2020, first performed 2021 [ 2 chorus and organ ad libitum ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, Sir (1848 - 1918), "Music the fiercest grief can charm", 1889 [ baritone, chorus, and orchestra ], from Ode to St. Cecelia's Day, no. 9 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Luca Antonio Pagnini) , no title, written 1800, appears in Ode di Alessandro Pope in onore di Santa Cecilia, no. 7, first published 1806
Researcher for this page: John Fowler
This text was added to the website: 2009-09-04
Line count: 17
Word count: 111
Dunque Armonia le dure smanie allenta,
E le atroci del Fato ire disarma;
I dolor calma; e riconforta e molce
I furor disperati. Ella condisce
Il gioir nostro in terra, ed anzi tempo
I superni diletti in sen ci versa.
Ben questa a pieno intese arte divina
La Vergin saggia, cui sù l’Ara incensi
Fuman oggi votivi, e al suo Fattore
Tutta sacrolla. Quando il pien concento
D’argentee canne alle vocali orchestre
Ella attemprava, in sacro foco asterse
Levava al Ciel su le solenni note
Le umane menti, e da’ balcon supremi
S’affacciavano a udir gli eterei spirti.
Non più subbietto ai ragionar de’ vati
Sieno i vanti d’Orfeo. Ben altra possa
Cecilia ottenne in don. Quei musicando
Dal finto Averno un’Ombra trasse, e questa
Fea l’alme sorvolare oltra le stelle.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Collezione d'opuscoli scientifici e letterarj ed estratti d'opere interessanti, Volume IV, Firenze, Stamperia di Borgo Ognissanti, 1807.
Text Authorship:
- by Luca Antonio Pagnini (1737 - 1814), no title, written 1800, appears in Ode di Alessandro Pope in onore di Santa Cecilia, no. 7, first published 1806 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Alexander Pope (1688 - 1744), no title, appears in Ode on St. Cecilia's Day, no. 7, first published 1708
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: 2019-05-31
Line count: 20
Word count: 131