Music for Cecilia
What better than Handel's Ode to St Cecilia for today's commemoration of Cecilia, a Christian martyr who died at Rome about 230 A.D. Handel's music is beautiful. The manner of Cecilia's death was not.
The reason she became the patron saint of music and musicians is based on a romantic legend that she continued to praise God after her incomplete beheading. There are some truly ghastly descriptions of this but the Wikipedia article about Cecilia glosses over some of the more horrendous fantasies about her death. Ignore those and enjoy the music.
Whatever the truth about the poor girl's death, it was sure to have been pretty horrible.
ReplyDeleteThe music, on the other hand is lovely.
Is it Emma Kirkby?
Ray - the soprano is Carolyn Sampson singing with the choir and orchestra of The King's Consort. If you hover over the bottom right of the video you'll see a 'Watch on You Tube' option - click on that and it will take you to the You Tube page with the further information. It is beautiful isn't it?
ReplyDelete