Alexander's Feast Ode

演出简介

Part of the renomated Festival Ljubljana 2009, Alexander’s Feast is based on an ode in praise of St Cecilia.

The works of Georg Friedrich Händel are attracting particular attention this year, as 2009 marks the 250th anniversary of his death. In honour of this jubilee conductor Rolf Beck and his musicians have prepared a programme of festive music. Alexander’s Feast is based on an ode in praise of St Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Odes are vocal‐instrumental works that were composed to be performed on festive occasions, such as birthdays of members of the royal family. In London, where Händel worked from 1710, a special tradition arose at the end of the 17th century of performing such works on St Cecilia Day, 22 November. John Dryden’s text of the ode to St Cecilia was adapted for Händel by Newburg Hamilton, who devised a sequence of recitatives, arias and choruses. In setting Alexander’s Feast to music, Händel also made use of Hamilton’s own ode to St Cecilia, entitled The Power of Music. Thus the memory of Händel will be evoked by the power of his own music, in a work composed for five vocal soloists, choir and large orchestra.