{"product_id":"hymn-to-st-cecilia-ssatb-with-solos-a-cappella-boosey-hawkes","title":"Hymn To St Cecilia Ssatb With Solos A Cappella (Boosey \u0026 Hawkes)","description":"\u003cp\u003efor unaccompanied SSATB with SSATB solos\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ealso version for solo voices\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eText: W.H.Auden\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Boosey \u0026amp; Hawkes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDifficulty level: 4\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis work had a long gestation as Britten had problems finding a suitable text. Auden was eventually asked and produced the poem in 1940. Britten's setting was immediately recognised as a major addition to the choral repertory and has since become one of his most enduringly popular choral works. It is a nice coincidence that Britten was born on St. Cecilia's day (22 November). Cecilia is, of course, the Patron Saint of musicians who is supposed to have sung praises to God as she was being martyred. The story of her manner of death makes gruesome reading and the act of singing in extremis something of a miracle!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBritten responds to Auden's extraordinary imagery with relish. The poem's division into three 'movements' gives Britten his musical structure,and the provision of a refrain ('Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions to  all musicians, appear and inspire...') gives a point of reference marking the end of each section, and of the work. The three 'movements' are completely different from each other.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a challenging work which should not be undertaken lightly. It needs sympathetic and careful preparation, understanding of the words, a readiness to accept the issuesraised by the speed of the 'scherzo' movement and an ability to maintai n pitch over this time-scale so that the very low notes at t\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boosey \u0026 Hawkes","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52858462699805,"sku":"48021230","price":35.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0998\/2092\/9309\/files\/48021230.jpg?v=1788572415","url":"https:\/\/scarlettmusic.com.au\/products\/hymn-to-st-cecilia-ssatb-with-solos-a-cappella-boosey-hawkes","provider":"Scarlett Music","version":"1.0","type":"link"}