VOCES8: Hymn to St Cecilia - Benjamin Britten

"Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions
To all musicians, appear and inspire"
W.H. Auden
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[@MarjorieShalita]

Hymn to St. Cecilia (English) I. In a garden shady this holy lady With reverent cadence and subtle psalm, Like a black swan as death came on Poured forth her song in perfect calm: And by ocean's margin this innocent virgin Constructed an organ to enlarge her prayer, And notes tremendous from her great engine Thundered out on the Roman air. Blonde Aphrodite rose up excited, Moved to delight by the melody, White as an orchid she rode quite naked In an oyster shell on top of the sea; At sounds so entrancing the angels dancing Came out of their trance into time again, And around the wicked in Hell's abysses The huge flame flickered and eased their pain. Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions To all musicians, appear and inspire: Translated Daughter, come down and startle Composing mortals with immortal fire. II. I cannot grow; I have no shadow To run away from, I only play. I cannot err; There is no creature Whom I belong to, Whom I could wrong. I am defeat When it knows it Can now do nothing By suffering. All you lived through, Dancing because you No longer need it For any deed. I shall never be Different. Love me. Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions To all musicians, appear and inspire: Translated Daughter, come down and startle Composing mortals with immortal fire. III. O ear whose creatures cannot wish to fall, O calm of spaces unafraid of weight, Where Sorrow is herself, forgetting all The gaucheness of her adolescent state, Where Hope within the altogether strange From every outworn image is released, And Dread born whole and normal like a beast Into a world of truths that never change: Restore our fallen day; O re-arrange. O dear white children casual as birds, Playing among the ruined languages, So small beside their large confusing words, So gay against the greater silences Of dreadful things you did: O hang the head, Impetuous child with the tremendous brain, O weep, child, weep, O weep away the stain, Lost innocence who wished your lover dead, Weep for the lives your wishes never led. O cry created as the bow of sin Is drawn across our trembling violin. O weep, child, weep, O weep away the stain. O law drummed out by hearts against the still Long winter of our intellectual will. That what has been may never be again. O flute that throbs with the thanksgiving breath Of convalescents on the shores of death. O bless the freedom that you never chose. O trumpets that unguarded children blow About the fortress of their inner foe. O wear your tribulation like a rose. Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions To all musicians, appear and inspire: Translated Daughter, come down and startle Composing mortals with immortal fire.

[@huwedwards839]

The similarity between these words and a Carry On filmscript (all double entendres) is strong.

[@sheilastrachan]

Poor Benjamin Britten! He died too soon to hear this absolutely wonderful performance of his work. Thank you so much Voces 8.

[@thesecretorganist]

"Weep for the lives your wishes never led" That line gets me every time.

[@danielpincus221]

Me, too.

[@TheMissingLink1]

I SO wish Britten was able to hear this - the way it was meant to be heard.

[@melanieohara6941]

He is.😉

[@michaelchristian5963]

I'm pretty sure the lady with the brown hair in the speckled dress has the best voice I've ever heard in my life. Very gifted.

[@michaelchristian5963]

@@hansschonfelder735 *divinely gifted. That's as high as I could think of 😀

[@nickgreen1556]

I agree, Michael. Andrea - as are Katy and Eleonore - is a sublimely talented and refined singer.

[@barrymusic27]

One of my favorite pieces, by one of my favorite composers, sung by my favorite group. I have heard many performances of this piece, live and on recordings. This reading is far and away the greatest I have heard - both in the interpretation of the music, the clarity of the words and true feeling for the text, and the flawless vocal sound - tuning, blend and balance. This is paradise. Thank you, VOCES8. You make this world a more beautiful place.

[@peterhaselden5784]

The 1960s King’s version under Willcock’s is right up there

[@Hochstapler999]

Was für eine grossartige Aufführung!!! Vorgetragen mit kristallener Reinheit, Präzision und Leichtigkeit. Alles unglaublich natürlich und fliessend. Man hat den Eindruck, die singen das täglich zum Zeitvertreib. Grossartig.

[@martinvanheusden9832]

clarity, warmth, flawless intonation, lyrically intelligent: my god, is this possible? Yip.

[@Mukundanghri]

Yes.

[@nickgreen1556]

I know what you mean, Martin. It stretches credulity in its quality.

[@dissilymordentroge5818]

In this performance we can see VOCES8 are enjoying Britten’s work like few others.

[@cynthiat6505]

The immaculate intonation of Voces8 is demonstrated in this piece! Bravo!

[@actsfittolead]

I echo your reply. I marvel at the beauty of the movement of voices with such fluidity.

[@DigitalCasm]

Do choir groups like this switch to a sort of "just" intonation? There's a clarity in their singing that seems better than perfect.

[@christopherraymont4358]

The most beautiful thing I ever heard (and I have been listening to music for 60 years

[@saetmusic]

I am SO glad to finally be able to SEE a performance of this spectacular Britten work by VOCES8! I have listened to the audio of their performance before and been astonished by the flawless intonation and the impeccable precision and clarity of the virtuosic technical and musical challenges Britten wrote. To have this done by only EIGHT voices is one of the foremost accomplishments of any small acappella group. All parts were outstanding, but special kudos to sopranos, Eleonore and especially Andrea, for brilliant work on the high solos!

[@actsfittolead]

Britten's work is incredible. How difficult it must be to sing it. I believe that I feel changed after listening to this piece. Grateful to have just experienced it and to have got lost in it.

[@Pecosinger]

Thank you. My sentiments exactly!

[@UndeadFan122396]

It’s not really virtuoso singing… It’s relatively hard music, but it’s not technically hard.

[@calvinclark4285]

So, my friends and I(The A.Y.U. Quartet) sang this song some 20 odd years ago with Eastern Michigan University’s “Chamber Choir”. We were good, but these guys CRUSHED IT!!! They looked good doing it , too. Cutie Pies😊

[@ryandrummond9995]

I remember seeing that! You guys were awesome!! 😉

[@rafungafunga]

Saint Cecilia, who was brutally killed because of her love for Our Lord, pray for us!

[@ritaruggerone4434]

Amen!

[@mekotsonis]

Amen! Lord have mercy on us all.

[@lumpielump3576]

how blessed are we to live amongst such superb and gifted musicians - what a marvelous and moving performance!

[@yongjunpyj]

In addition to the superb singing I would just like to acknowledge and appreciate the camerawork of this video! I love the closeups of the individual members and how well their expressions are captured as they sing

[@torkelborelius974]

True!

[@mairiamdebron1084]

Eleven minutes and eight seconds of Heaven

[@justinwaldman3716]

Wonderful to see conductor Barnaby Smith subtly directing from the extreme left - they are watching him very closely. Add to that his solo at 08:36 and this becomes a wonderful example of unity of purpose. Christopher Moore is stunning - as always.

[@paradiddleday]

Does it get any better than this! First class poem by one of the major English poets of the 20th century, superb setting by equally skillful composer, and some of the best ensemble singing I have ever heard!

[@stephenshipley1068]

Beautifully sung - and so appropriate on the day after the Feast of St Cecilia and Britten's birthday. Also in remembrance of Stephen Cleobury who conducted many wonderful performances of this hymn and who died a year ago, again on St Cecilia's Day. Thank you.

[@a1ar127]

As a recent discoverer of VOCES8, after enjoying many the magnificent KZbin performances, I am especially grateful for whomever is arranging the sound recording. They’re not individually miked, I don’t believe, but somewhere hidden in the staging there must be some really good sound systems.

[@josephtoltz1497]

Absolutely magnificent - particularly the balance, timbre and colour of the voices. One of the best renditions I have heard. Thank you so much!

[@annharlo5941]

This is so impressive! I sang this under the direction of John Rutter in 1981. It was heady stuff for a bunch of 17 year olds. Intonation here is 100%.

[@pianickname8514]

that is so cool, I sing his music every year around christmas

[@drewby613]

A performance of this precision of a piece this complex would take mortals a heck of a long time to achieve. I don't know how long this group spent, but from whatever realm they have come, I thank them for their efforts which have brought delight to many.

[@annikkegrimmig4950]

My goodness, how great. Thank you so much for putting this on (a little belatedly) for Ben's 107th birthday on St. Cecilia's day. Though I know it by heart, I have never actually SEEN it performed, and it seems to be pure joy the way you sing it. Congratulations to EVERY ONE of you. The master would be thrilled, I am sure.

[@robertfraser485]

I said it already over on The Book of Faces: I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS. I lead a wonderful dual life as a professional orchestral musician and a chorister, and this piece is very special to me (not the least of which because my wife of 29 years and I met 30 years ago on St Cecilia's Day - the patroness saint of music and musicians).

[@mikegallegos7]

Absolute MASTERS of their craft

[@chesteralwes7142]

I have said it before and I’ll say it again: the balance, intonation, blend, etc. of this group of 8 spectacular singers is beyond belief! And they make Britten’s formidable Hymn seem like child’s play. I must confess (and I’m reasonably sure I’m not alone) that I am absolutely smitten by Andrea’s singing and beauty!

[@hellogoodbye637]

I still don't understand how one soprano can sound so resonant and powerful over 7 other voices. Andrea makes her one voice sound like a whole unified soprano section

[@Grifftwins-qe3jd]

She stops my heart every time she sings! She’s amazing

[@louisnewsome46]

She's so powerful because of he clarity and resonance. Fab accuracy as well.

[@alisalavine1052]

I've mentioned this before on another of their performances. Andrea's placement is so far forward it fills the space. She has so much resonance it's ridiculous. She's just magical. Elenore with that hint of darkness and Andrea who has the feel of a soprano mixed with the warmth of a strong alto. They really are perfection.

[@Grifftwins-qe3jd]

@@alisalavine1052 couldn’t agree more!

[@margaretkuwata6794]

@@alisalavine1052 What do you mean by "the feel of a soprano" ?

[@369blueyes]

The brilliancy and purity of this recording is truly astounding. I was introduced to Britten as a child performing in Noye's Fludde, almost half a century ago, which was, at the time, an absolute revelation to me. As a mature adult, decades later, this performance really feels like an encounter with what I imagined as a child would be the voice of the composer. I can't find the words to commend this performance highly enough... I'm listening to it on a loop. Keep doing what you do and spread the word!!!!!!!! The declamation of the tenor "like a rose" at around 9:45 is absolute perfection. But then, so is the entire performance of the ensemble. Wow!! The epitome of beauty.

[@geraldharvey8979]

Ravishingly beautiful! It can’t ever have been sung better. As a composer, I’m humbled when remembering that Britten composed chiefly at his desk, and only went to the piano at the end of each work period to check himself. Now, I can do this more or less with diatonic harmony, but CHROMATIC harmony such as this would take me much, much longer to realize, thus making it inefficient for me. Just...WOW!

[@nickgreen1556]

Voces8 are simply peerless; and in this uncharacteristic piece, the genius of Britten is showcased magnificently.

[@calebruziska5975]

I would be so grateful if they blessed us with a rendition of Britten’s ‘Advance Democracy’ as beautiful as this

[@MrThistleFlower]

So spectacular this performance. Clear and crisp senza vibrato!

[@kapitaine4104]

The interpretation of the music is obviously exceptional but what really sets this recording apart for me is the absolutely crystal-clear diction.

[@fernandolehmann2113]

Yesterday was the celebration of St Caecilia and also the birthday of one of the choir that I have the experience and wonderful memory to be a part of their family of St. Caecilia Jakarta. The Choir is now 155 years old and still going strong with their weekly mass services and annual concerts... Happy Birthday St. Caecilia !!

[@etiennedebaecker1753]

Extraordinaire interprétation. Les voix sont parfaitement équilibrées, les timbres harmonieux... Merci ! thanks for that incredible singing. Your are at the level of Brittent and Sainte Cécile !

[@jillbarker1976]

Thank you. Just - thank you.

[@jacobmccain8794]

My college choir sang this two years ago. I love this piece!!!! This rendition is absolutely fantastic!

[@karentravis2357]

I studied this work for my A level Music exam many years ago and it remains a firm favourite. This performance is perfection. Britten must be smiling and very happy.

[@BaritoneIrishman]

Stunning. Pristine. Transcendent. Thank you, VOCES8!

[@irmgardbittar7732]

VOCES8 Beautiful Vocal Ensemble. Never tired of listening to them.

[@theaengelson748]

Weeping for the beauty of this performance. Exquisite.

[@anacristinamiguel5113]

Thank you so much. May st. Cecily bless you 8!

[@bachopinbee5991]

These voices are just a living Symphony Orchestra! An Ivy League, elite Symphony Orchestra

[@nathalieoconnor5330]

I thought I knew this piece by heart... but I rediscover it today!!😊 Such perfection!! You guys are soOOo amazing! Great great work on that challenging beautiful music! Incredible dynamic effects, and 8 of you all together!!!... Really you have all the perfect voices (and most beautiful ones ever) to sing Britten, thank you so much! You Voces8 are the bests ever!🥰

[@gabrielkopare]

Oh My God!!! these are the most beautiful voices I have heard my entire life...I just love this group!!!!😍

[@WigbertTraxler]

Wow, this is such a beautiful experience to listen to!! Britten at his very best - and Voces8 again in world class condition!!!

[@danielclooney6248]

Always amazes me. I wonder what kind of education/training these musical people had growing up. Always such perfection in their singing.

[@dschonnie]

This is perfection. Also in terms of video recording. What a joy. Congrats, dear colleagues! ❤️↕️🎩

[@Karlito1118]

It's clear how passionately you all love the music, your profession, and above all, each other. May you love forever.

[@DuarteDomingues_Official]

You make sounding una voce look so easy. Great great great blending.

[@faithcircus14]

No place to hide in this work with this few voices! I’d be petrified! Absolutely stunning!

[@paulharter7276]

Fabulous! I've loved this piece for 30 years. This is the best performance I've heard.

[@vincentb4943]

Then I am silent, listening only to pure beauty, touching beauty, soul-touching beauty. Thanks ...

[@jimboyd9699]

Appear and inspire, indeed.

[@mrnnhnz]

My choir did this and I thought, 'This is a pretty cool piece,' but never fully appreciated just how amazing it is until now. It's so great. And it's thanks to this amazing performance that I finally got that. Totally cool.

[@alisonalcock5218]

Magical music, magnificent singing - but of course, it's VOCES8, the very very best; perfection. Love you all; thank you

[@gerrywinslow]

Superlative. Easily the best recording I have heard (and seen!) of this. I am a big fan of Britten's and feel everything he wrote is a masterpiece (currently his setting of A New Year Carol / "Sing levy-dew" is floating around my head), but his Hymn to St Cecilia surely must be "it". Many thanks.

[@FiremanDuval]

This composition is beyond magnificent.

[@donkeychan491]

I never thought I could love an "a cappella" piece but - as others have mentioned - the part starting at 6:32 is sheer genius

[@TheresaNelson]

Absolutely astonishing performance of a piece I have sung and love, without a conductor, singing as if they were one person with many voices. Thank you.

[@kurtsiecolferites2160]

Voces 8 is one of the best. Just incredible!

[@waltsmith9583]

Another work of perfection from VOCES8. Works of perfection in musicality and spirituality that have chased away the COVID gloom when needed. And Oh those new cameras! Thank you.

[@shoshi04]

beautiful beautiful beautiful devine angel voices

[@SigMaQuint]

Hymn to St. Cecilia Benjamin Britten Words by W. H. Auden I In a garden shady this holy lady With reverent cadence and subtle psalm, Like a black swan as death came on Poured forth her song in perfect calm: And by ocean's margin this innocent virgin Constructed an organ to enlarge her prayer, And notes tremendous from her great engine Thundered out on the Roman air. Blonde Aphrodite rose up excited, Moved to delight by the melody, White as an orchid she rode quite naked In an oyster shell on top of the sea; At sounds so entrancing the angels dancing Came out of their trance into time again, And around the wicked in Hell's abysses The huge flame flickered and eased their pain. Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions To all musicians, appear and inspire: Translated Daughter, come down and startle Composing mortals with immortal fire. II I cannot grow; I have no shadow To run away from, I only play. I cannot err; There is no creature Whom I belong to, Whom I could wrong. I am defeat When it knows it Can now do nothing By suffering. All you lived through, Dancing because you No longer need it For any deed. I shall never be Different. Love me. Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions To all musicians, appear and inspire: Translated Daughter, come down and startle Composing mortals with immortal fire. III O ear whose creatures cannot wish to fall, O calm of spaces unafraid of weight, Where Sorrow is herself, forgetting all The gaucheness of her adolescent state, Where Hope within the altogether strange From every outworn image is released, And Dread born whole and normal like a beast Into a world of truths that never change: Restore our fallen day; O re-arrange. O dear white children casual as birds, Playing among the ruined languages, So small beside their large confusing words, So gay against the greater silences Of dreadful things you did: O hang the head, Impetuous child with the tremendous brain, O weep, child, weep, O weep away the stain, Lost innocence who wished your lover dead, Weep for the lives your wishes never led. O cry created as the bow of sin Is drawn across our trembling violin. O weep, child, weep, O weep away the stain. O law drummed out by hearts against the still Long winter of our intellectual will. That what has been may never be again. O flute that throbs with the thanksgiving breath Of convalescents on the shores of death. O bless the freedom that you never chose. O trumpets that unguarded children blow About the fortress of their inner foe. O wear your tribulation like a rose. Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions To all musicians, appear and inspire: Translated Daughter, come down and startle Composing mortals with immortal fire.

[@LurkingMarsupial]

Thank you again, VOCES8!! And hello, everyone else appreciating this recording on KZbin. This piece has been special for me, ever since I was fortunate enough to participate in a performance, when I sung as a treble, long ago - it was educational, in lots of good ways. I love that so many people know this piece, and so many choirs have been able to perform it. I love the clarity of VOCES8's performance, and the audio and video of this recording, which I feel enhance my appreciation of the music. We are blessed :-)

[@johnmarraffa5079]

Absolutely sublime! Hadn't heard this work for quite some time, and, not surprising, Voces8 comes through with a sensitive and glorious rendition. If I'm not mistaken, St. Cecelia's Day was November 22. Thanks to all who oversaw this production. Lovely! Going into my favorites.

[@sem1055]

Wow! Thank you so much Voces8. An absolutely beautiful performance. Sarah M

[@Schlorff]

This is the most musical recording of this piece I’ve ever encountered, and I’m grouchy as f*** when I hear unmusical recordings of my guy Benjamin Britten. Bravo to each member of Voices8 for squeezing every ounce of meaning out of this often misinterpreted (or uninterpreted?) piece!

[@carlbrowning2497]

I have sung and conducted this piece many times but never have I heard such a masterpiece done so brilliantly well. Congratulations! The finest piece sung by the finest group I’ve ever encountered worldwide.

[@altame2918]

Une partition extraordinaire et une interprétation fabuleuse ; on touche à la perfection, avec la chaleur des voix de Voces 8. On atteint des sommets ! Bravo et Merci !

[@UkeOne]

Stunning perfection!

[@johndyer8111]

This is musicianship at its best.

[@TheRobertcrow]

I thought I always knew this piece ever since it was on my 'A-level music' list nearly fifty years ago. Now I feel I hear it for the first time.

[@donaldjacobson4184]

Fantastic... I am absolutely in love with this piece, not to mention the choir as well! Bravo all!

[@finstrand]

Sublime, just sublime. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@christinebarnes1029]

Wonderful! Covered in goosebumps listening to this!

[@davidjared3402]

So grateful for singers like this who care about preserving this older music for us. They remind me of the American quartet Anonymous 4, but sans male voices. I'm checking into the CD's!

[@joaneva53]

My university Chamber Choir attempted this in my 3rd year. We never got it good enough to perform, though. It was wonderful to hear it the way it was supposed to be sung.

[@cathcort1]

Gorgeous and perfect!

[@jonathanberner5501]

Sang this in college. Thank you for bringing back such fond memories

[@beldengi]

Kudos to Britten too. I recently purchased an album of his work that had been gathering dust on the shelves of Winchester Cathedral and I love it.

[@hoffy63]

The best St Cecilia Day present! A stunningly glorious performance of absolute clarity. Thank you Voces 8 (and Mssrs Britten and Auden too of course!)

[@suellensimons-peters1597]

Perfect! Thank you!

[@alecneate76]

Absolutely amazing, you just can't look away

[@KEMessier]

Beautiful - thank you!

[@straightarrow372]

I LOVE THIS!!!!!

[@lashpa28]

My favourite Britten piece! Sublime performance!

[@jimlawton4184]

Very beautiful, incredibly well sung and performed!

[@TheOpusChristi]

Feliz día de Sta. Cecilia, día del músico y los cantantes.

[@magnificatanimamea2353]

fantastic as usual

[@danielpincus221]

People who don't sing have no idea how hard it is to sing words clearly. They also don't realize that singers vary in their ability to do it.

[@michaelhimes8778]

This is just stunning on every level. Bravo!

[@rolandjohannes]

Yes!!!! Well done once again!

[@melanieohara6941]

Such a joy and enormous spirital boost, during our Second Lockdown in Wyoming. God bless you all, Voces8!🌹

[@kategrizz7]

Simply exquisite!

[@mariana08morais]

How come no one is mentioning Barnaby's AMAZING solo bit at 8:34?

[@369blueyes]

OMG - you are so right! I was so astounded that I didn't get there first time around.That's a reflection on me, not on the performance....but the ensemble is so perfectly multifaceted that it is difficult to appreciate each individual contribution in one go. That's the beauty of recording though....you can listen to it over and over again and pick out some other perfect nuance at the next listening!

[@mekotsonis]

Yes! All the solos are spot on!

[@sophiaschlenoff523]

The diction though!

[@carolnike4316]

Thos is so amazing!

[@salzwell25]

Stunning!

[@tnticesp]

Brilliant. I sang this as a teenager and it is very difficult-----