George Frederich Handel’s cantata, Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day, was composed to honor St. Cecilia and was first performed on her feast on November 22, 1739, at London's Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. The main theme of the text is the Pythagorean theory of harmonia mundi, which links the movement and origin of the celestial bodies to music.
The cantata’s opening chorus, "From harmony, from heavenly harmony," joyfully celebrates the power of music. The opening words, “From harmony…” are wrapped in the most majestic harmonic voicing imaginable.
From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony
This universal frame began.
When Nature underneath a heap
Of jarring atoms lay,
And could not heave her head,
The tuneful voice was heard from high,
Arise ye more than dead.
Today, we are celebrating the memorial of St. Caecilia, the patron saint of music and musicians. The tradition says that as the musicians played at her wedding, Cecilia "sang in her heart to the Lord." As we celebrate the memorial of St. Cecilia, let's try to follow the example of St. Cecelia. Let us sing our hearts to the Lord so that we can make the House of God really a House of Prayer.