Dr Von Lyric : St Cecilia

November 22  ,of course,  now denotes  for us a day of catastrophe and anguish but ironically it is  also St Cecilia's Day celebrating the celestial  power and harmony of music (and the birth date of Benjamin Britten - more on that next week)
  "Hail Bright Cecilia...Fill every heart
   With love of thee and thy celestial art"

   Purcell's Ode -  elegant music  accompanied by some of the many paintings of St Cecilia
    PURCELL - ODE ON ST CECILIA'S DAY  HAIL BRIGHT CECILIA]

     from Handel's exuberant and stirring setting of Dryden's Ode   - and  one of his most irresistible works
   HANDEL: THE TRUMPETS LOUD CLANGOR (ODE FOR ST CECILIA'S DAY)]
  HANDEL: AS FROM THE POW'RE OF SACRED LAYS (ODE TO ST CECILIA)]

     from Haydn's St Cecilia Mass - with a beautiful performance by Lucy Crowe
  XII  HAYDN ST CECILIA MASS HOB. 225  MARC MINOWSKI]

    and appropriately enough  a  lovely tribute from the birthday boy himself   - a performance from a Finnish choir
BENJAMIN BRITTEN - HYMN TO ST CECILIA ]