= for unaccompanied chorus Words by W. H. Auden Z2-43-1O BOOSEY (cy HAWKES Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers LimitedHYMN TO ST. CECILIA 1 Ina 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. I I cannot grow; lL have no shadow To run away from, only play. L cannot err; There is no creature Whom I belong to, Whom I could wrong. Lam 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. B. & H. 19495ur O ear whose creatures cannot wish to fall. © 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. 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 ail musicians, appear and inspire: Translated Daughter, come down and startle Composing mortals with immortal fire. W.H.Aupen NOTE ‘This Hymn is intended for a small chorus. The soloists should be taken from the ranks of the chorus and be placed in the middle of the other singers in order to give a suggestion of remoteness. The Hymn can, however, also be performed by five solo voices, in which case copies, with the small necessary adjustments, can be obtained from the Publishers. Duration: BB 12 minutes First published 1942 New edition 1967 B. & H. 19495The right of Benjamin Britten tobe identified as the composer of the musical work entitled Hymn to St Cecilia is hereby asserted. The name of Benjamin Britten as composer must therefore be stated in association with any performance, recording or other use of the Work oF any part of it. Any derogatory treatment of this work is illegal. No arrangement or adaptation of this work may be made Without the prior written permission of the publishers. To Elizabeth Mayer IMPORTANT NOTICE ‘The unauthorised copying this publication is ile Hymn to St. Cecilia Words by Music by W. H. AUDEN BENJAMIN nae 1p. Quietly flowing (Tranquillo e scorrevole)(d- = 58-60) (pp smooth and_very sweetly 1 In a gar - den sha-dy this ho ly la-dy With SOPRANOS: Pp smooth and_very sweetly un ae In a gar - den sha-dy this ho ly la-dy With pp smooth and very sweetly ALTOS ae +a In a gar - den sha-dy this ho > ly la- dy With pp sustained TENORS = = In gar - den sha - dy pp sustained BASSES = This Quietly flowing (Tranquitlo e scorrevole)(4-= 56-60) Piano Fe ——- (for rehearsal 2 er fe onty) # a = a Pp talent All rights reserved Tonsittaiag {Brbjudes © Copyright 1942 by Boosey & Co. Lid. B. & H. 19495 Printed in Englandrent ca-dence and sub-tle__ psalm, —>—— + = "rent ca-dence and subtle —_ psalm, ——— = += - "rent ca-dence and sub-tle psalm, —_— death came on Pour'd forth her song. = > _crese. black swan =— in per - fect —_——_ black swan as death came on Pour'd forth her song. in per - fect — —— eresc. > —— a fos + +e = black swan as death came on Pour'd forth her song. in per - fect B.& H, 19495in - no-cent vir = in - no-cent vir — in ~ no-cent vir eresc. Con-struct-ed an eresc. Con-struct-ed an crese. Con-struct-ed an B.@ H. 19495 ot cean’s mar-gin this — cean's mar-gin this =—— cean's mar-gin thisdin, =—— Pp to en-large her prayer, dim, ————__PP to en-large her prayer, dim. —— pp ae ——— to en-large her prayer, Pp_ Pp prayer, notes tre-men-dous from her great en - gine Thun-der’d out_____ —— — = e = ? notes tre-men-dous from “her great en- gine Thun-der'd out_______ on the Ro - man —— — =, Ss sees ee notes tre-men-dous from her great en- gine Thun-der’d out______ on the Ro - man Tp _orese. en + gine Thun - der’ out, Pie a her cresc. they Thun - der’ out, B.& H.19495.notes tre-men - dous thun - der'd out, timn + der'd saa be be LS notes tre-men -dous thun - der'd, 2p. Movid to de-light by the Sep rose up ex-ci - ted, ep A - phro-di - te rose up ex-ci- ted ————— _ vee rose up ex-ci - ted, sfpp Arphro-di - te rose up ex-ci -ted, B.& H. 19495wv oy - ster shell on - or-chid she — be or-chid she —== or -chid she —= orchid she top of the sea Pp sustained et sounds so en-tran - cing sounds so en-tran - cing PP. At10 pp crese. An + gels—_____ dn == cing crese. a the an - gels dan - cing Came. out of their cresc. —=—— ae the an - gels dan — Came. out of their ss soundsso en- tran - cing - gels dan - cing Came— oresc. en + tran = cing the a i eptgg,_— = Sesressive a Saunb scan And a - time, (foxpressive rT SS trance in - to time a= gain, ________ And a - —==_—s— pitt cresc. = feapressive trance in - to time a+ gain, And a - —=__ pivcrese. —= eir trance in - to time, —____ In pill crese. = Came id ores SF expressive wm B.& H.19495ul —_ — -round the wick-ed ii Hell’s a - bys - ses, 7 = = round the wick-ed i Hell's a+ bys = ses. —— —e -round the wick-ed a huge flame S sustained Hell’s Je Hell’s —— i eS vp # B & H.1949512 = A their pain. — their pain. =——-_ Pn we >=. easd their © pain, and easdtheir pain. es dim. 2 PP and eas their = din. pain. eas'd their pain, easd their pain, pain. [ppp mezza voce, smooth Bless-ed Ce-ci - lia, ap-pear in vi-sions To all -‘mu-si- cians, Ppp mezza voce, smooth — — Bless-ed Ce-ci - lia, ap-pear in vi-sionsTo all _ mu-si- cian Ppp mezza voce, smooth =— — Bless-ed Ce-ci - lia, ap-pear in vi-sionsTo all _mu-si- cians, Ppp mezza voce, smooth => — Blessed Ce-ci - lia, ap-pear in vi-sionsTo all mu-si- cians; Ppp mezza voce, smooth — 222 £2 =~ =— Bless-ed Ce-ci - lia, ap-pear in vi-sionsTo all mu-si- cians, B.& H. 1949513 =>— pS ap-pearand in - spire: Trans-la - ted Daugh-ter, come Eid _—_.. ap-pearand in - spire: Trans-la + = ted Daugh-ter, come = a ep _——_—_ ap-pearand in - spire: Traus-la- = ted Daugh-ter, come = poco ap-pearand in - spire: Trans-la- = ~—_—ited Daugh-ter, come oa Pe x e a ap-pear and ted Daugh-ter, come dying away with im - mor- tal dying away down and star-tle Com-pos - ing mor-tals_——— — — with im - mor- tal dying away down and star-tle Com-pos- ing mor- —— => down and star-tle Com-pos- ing mor-tals. with im - mor - tal — — dying awa: down and startle Com-pos=ing mor-tals——_ with im - mor- tal fire. — dying awa: =e => down and star-tle Com-pos- ing mor-tals, with im- mor-tal fire. dying away aftacca B.& H. 19495MW __ Lively 8] (rvace) (d+ = 152-180) pp lightly I cannot grow; I have no sha-dow To run a -way from, pp lightly 1 can-not grow; (Vivared-: 152-160) mney pp lightly Bp lightly I on- ly play, I on- ly play, —=_— >— I have no sha-dow To run a- way from, I on=ly pl B.& H, 1949515 I on-ly play, I on-ly play, bp I on-ly play, I can-not gro’ pp lightly I can-not grow; I havenoshadowTo run a-way from, I on-ly play, (pp lightly = PP I can-not grow; have no sha-dow To run a-way from, I on- ly _ play, on - ly play, B.& H. 19495,16 I have no sha-dow To run a-way from, I on ly play, I on- ly play, eee PP =. T can-not grow; no sha-dow To I on-ly play, I on-ly play, I on-ly play. PP I can-not grow; P a-way from, I on-ly play, I on-ly play, P B.& H, 1949517 I haye no sha-dow To run a-way from, I on- ly play, can-not grow; I on- ly play. I have no shadow To run a-way from, I only play, SS B.& H, 1949518 cae a There is no crea-ture Whom I be-long to, Whom I could wrong, P = I can-not err; There is 20 crea-ture Whom I be-long to, mp I on- ly play. p= Whom I could wrong Whom I could wrong, Whom I could wrong, Whom I could wrong, can- not r t B.& H. 1949519 — Whom I could Whom I could There is no crea-ture Whom I be-long to, WhomI could wrong, 3] pif I can-not err; pif I can-not err; There is no crea-ture Whom nf ‘Whom I could wrong, Whom I could wrong, ae B.& H. 1949520 =S= There is =— no crea-ture Whom I be-long to, Whom! couldwrong, Whom I could wrong, be-long to, ‘Whom I could wrong, es —— pity, — I can-not err; There is no crea-ture Whom = = Whom I could wrong, — ‘Whom I could wrong. ‘Whom I could wrong. T cannot err, cresc. be-longto, WhomIcouldwrong, © WhomIcould wrong, | WhomI could B.& H. 19495cresc, —=<—=— I can-not err, I can-not err. ——_ — I can-not err, I can-not err. ee T can-not, I can-not err. feat f marked 2 dim te ee ne ey dim Ss ee eee i ee ar knows it Can now do no-thing,now do no-thing By suf-fer - ing dim, =— Se knows it Can now do ao-thing,now do no-thing By suf-fer = ing. a i ae a i sR ae B.g H. 19495feat > ———__ dim, ——— feat ea it knows it Can now dim, Tete. Sereeat When it knows it Can now eo — ec ae je foo he ac > bebe te : do no-thing By — suf-fer - ing. — oo do no-thing By suf -fer - ing.. ed B.& H. 19495 dim. do no-thing, now do no-thing, now————— = pp lightly All you liv’ through, Ep lightly — Allyou liv’ through, Dan-cing be-cause you No lon - ger need it Bp lightly = Dan-cing be-cause you No Dan-cing be-cause you No lon - ger need it For a - ny deed, For a - ay deed, For a - ay deed, B.& H. 1949524 os] = lon - gerneed it For a-nydeed, For a- ny deed, For a-ny deed, P. o. ne 2p For a-nydeed, For a- sydeed, PP. ‘All you liva through, Dan-cing be-cause you No lon - ger need it ee ee25 PP All you livd through, Dan-cing be-cause you No lon - ger need it a- ny deed, For a- ny deed. dying away es en er, dying away "rent. i ee e z = + dying eway a-ny deed, For a= ay deed, All you liv through, Dan-cing be-cause you No lon - ger need it = B.& H. 19495ne-ver be Diff - —— newer be Diff Ppp —— For a-ny deed. 2 attacea subitoAs before 27 ‘Come sopra) (d+) vi-sions To Bless-ed Ce - ci fA 5 = a Bless-ed Ce - ef =——>——- = - lia = Sina > = dim, oe Stee : Blessed Ce - ci - lia, ap - pear in visions To = Bless-ed Ce - ci = = As before (Come sopra) (d-) , ra t fe + t BP = spire: Zp spire: BP o- ee —— mu - si - cians; ——— ap-pear and in - spire: in - spire: = EEE SCOTT B.& H. 19495dim. Trans-1a + ted Daugh-ter, come down and star-tle Com - anes eos dim. Trans-la- ted Daugh St. Sees be eee Frans-la ted “Daugh = ° ener = ter, come ome f ee ee dim, a Trans-la ted Daughter, come down and star-tle Com - dim. feos ———— Trans-la-ted Daugh - - ter, come —ing mor- tals _———— ———— © — <= pos > ing mor- tals S attacca pe eae29 18] With movement (Andante con moto) (d = 42-48) UNIS, _pp sustained pp sustained pp rather marked cet eee © ear whose crea-tures can - not wish to fall, With movement (Andante con moto)(d = 42-46) SSS ememmme re camoeteemamenrEPETEGaSrREEEN Bp rather marked SS SS a Where = Sor > pp sustained ———. pp sempre sim, © calm of spa-ces + fraid of weight, | Where Sor-row is her - Pp tempre sim. erase, B.& H. 1949530 - get ———— ‘Thegauchness of her --ad'- 0 -_Jes - contstatey sself for - get-ting all ee Hope from pp crese, Hope—— pp crese. Where ‘pp eres. TI. to « geth-er strange From ev'ry out-worn Where Hopewith-in the 2 erese. B.& H. 1949531 im - age is re - leased, And Dreadbornwholeard nor - mal like a 2 dim. of truths that ne-ver change: dim. beast, of truths that ne-ver change: pocof een beast, pocof > dim. of truths: In- to a worldof — truths that ne - ver change: Re-store our fall-en din B.& H. 19495re-ar-range,O re - 5 =—-S> = = OF oe re- ar-range,O re - S a ar range, p—= —«- im => ar> ranga—— re-ar-range,O re - - - day, Ore - ar-range, © re - ar- range,O => = 21] SOPRANO SOLO p always simply and smooth, dear white child-ren ca - su- al as birds, (SOPRANOS UNIS.) ——— ppp always very quiet and sustained © dearwhite child-ren ca - always very quiet and sustained tae = oT se = © dear white child-ren ca - = su - range. rae always very quiet and sustained birds, P alinaye simply and emoath : es = lalways very quiet and sustained Sail Vl a - ( - sor sosen33 —— ——— ee Play-ing a-mong the ru - ined lan- gua-ges, So small be-side their (PRP) == a+ mong the gua- ges, So small be-side their 2) = = ‘a-mong the gua- ges, So small be-side their — Play- ing a-mong the lan gua- ges, large con- fus - ing words, a-gainst the great-er si - len- ces. SGV7" So gay, so gay a-gainst the =— — = + oO ——————_ So gay, so gay against the great _- con-fus- ing words, a - gainst the si len - ces: B.&H, 19495,34 meno p of dreadful things you © hang thehead, — — si- len ces of child ° ~~ —_ Of thingsyou did>—— © child meno p += ee si- len - cos Be ° hang the head, Ppp —— reno p Of things you did: © hang the head, In- tim. - pet-uous child with the tre - men- dous brain, O weep, child, weep, ° ere ———— >| > aS with the tre - men-dous brain, © weep,childweep, weep, ———= —— > > + + + with the tre- mel a ¥ dous brain, & weep, child, weep, weep, —= tre- men-dous brain, © weep, child, — = pet- uous child, © child, ° weep, © weep,child, B.&H.1949535 P. Lost in = no- cence who # = = Lost in - n0- cence who wishd your wished = wished F dead, Wer 4 ® Se who wishd your lov - a + cence B.&H, 194954 36 = the lives your EP => Weep, weep the lives your wi nev = er =— weep for the lives your wish - p dying away © doar white chil-dren cas-u- al av. birds, Play-ing so small so PPP. DIV. © dear white child-ren... led. PPP a led. ° dear white child-ren so small so PPP dim. 6 so small so dim. © dear white child - | ren—_— play -_ing,.,rather animated 37 (poco animato) (Soro) = I TUTTI marked. ———$— way. Is drawn a- cross our trem-bling utumr f —— Is drawn a- cross our a - crossour vi - - - ——$—. S> ate — 0 cry cre-a-ted Is drawn a - cross our rather animated (poco animator marked —_—_—_— >_> > =— PEP vis o- lim, > > > = PPP vi-o- lin SOLO p (quasi Violino) > > > =P weep, child weep, - o- lin, Siew Soa PEP vi-o- lin, B.& H. 1949538 rurt fs A - gainst the law drumm’é ont by - gainst the still _____ —=_ pep. \ — the in - tel - lec-tual ‘will, Nes — ee oS of our will. erence ——=_f ppp of our in- tl leo- tal wil —_=£=— A vf aA ————————————— — Long win-ter of our will. cleart} = SOLO Psy 1 = (quasi Timpani) Thatwhathasbeen may ne-ver be a-gain, —=== eee ?p clearly “With Tenors «il lib, for three bars B.& H, 1949539 may ne-ver be w fate, f. ee — © flute that throbs with thanks- giv - ing breath, Ss tur Js > > > with the thanks - giv - ing breath OF I ¥ * With Sopranos I ad Lid. for five bars. B.& H. 1949540 — with breath on — shores of with breath Of the shores of —==— of —=T_ con- va - les - cents On, Sf PRP. death, (quasiSOLO calmly Flauto) | P So PP ele © bless the free-dom that you ne - ver chose, yf sf Ppp death. sf PPP. death. BP cally, B&H 194954t trum - = pets that un-guard-ed ee a ~ pete that un-guard@ed 7 ° trum - : - = pets that “un-guard-ed u> b bays .kestrineg 2— trum pets, © trum - pets that child - ren verese. child -'ren child - ren = ‘*With Basses ad Lib for five bars. BH 19495vippp foe. lively, with force dim.e ralt SOLO( neat hon # f 3 ¥ O wearyourtri-bu-la - tion like arose, like a rose, v y £ a Uf Hioelywith force Zine val As before (come prima) (4) am_2A "ppp very smooth and sweetly ss | a Ppp very smooth and sweetly Bless-ed Ce - ci - lia. vi-sions To pp very smooth and sweetly Be Bless-ed Ce - ci - lia, > dying away TUTTI PP sustained Ce - ei As before | (come prima) (-) Ppp very smooth and smecily PPPS PPP sustainedap- pear and i spire: —_— ap- pear and ppp sustained To Pp Trans-la = - - ted Daughter, come down and star-tle Com- 2p —=poco— - : - ted Daugh- ter, come down and star-tle Com - —= poco T se - + ted Daugh- ter, come dowa—and star-t! —= poco - ted = B&H 19495= pos = ing mor-t = dim. 7 = + por > Com-pos= ing mor- tal— = dim. = z= Cs -pos=ing mor- tal Com-pos-> ing din dawn aeaeeenenesanins Com-pos = ing dying away Ppp i with ayia awa: Ppp paca with fire, dying away lap with fire. — cco = _ppp dying awayey S: o Tisai fire. —= poco = ppp dying Tw a a a Pres by At sea, M.S. Axel Jobnsoa Hatnan 8 Co Ut, Ameranam. Bue. Engrs BaH 19495 ‘April 22d 1942