A Complete Timeline Of Works For The Feast Of Saint Cecilia

c. 1560 – Palestrina: *Cantantibus Organis*

Polyphonic motet celebrating the legend of Cecilia singing inwardly to God.

Late 1500s – Orlando di Lasso: *Sancta Caecilia*

Motet composed for liturgical use on her feast.

1600 (approx.) – Jacob Handl (Gallus): *Cantantibus Organis*

Renaissance motet widely used in Central Europe on St. Cecilia’s Day.

1619–1670 – Various Italian Liturgical Works

By Cavalli, Carissimi, and Roman composers (many unnamed) for the 22 November feast.

1677 – Marc-Antoine Charpentier: *Caecilia, Virgo et Martyr* (H.397)

Large French Baroque motet for her day.

1683 – First documented “Feast of St. Cecilia” celebrations in London

This created commissions for odes and ceremonial works by many English composers.

1683 – Giovanni Paolo Colonna: *Missa pro Sancta Caecilia*

A mass written for Bologna’s Cecilian celebrations.

1683 – John Blow: *Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day*

One of the earliest English odes written for the guild of musicians.

1684 – Henry Purcell: *Welcome to All the Pleasures*

Purcell’s first St. Cecilia Day ode.

1692 – Purcell: *Hail! Bright Cecilia*

The most famous Cecilian ode of the Baroque era.

1708 – Alessandro Scarlatti: *Cecilia, vergine e martire*

An important Roman oratorio for her feast.

1720s–1730s – Antonio Caldara

Motets and masses in Vienna celebrating her day.

1739 – Handel: *Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day*

The greatest 18th-century work dedicated to her; a monumental English ode.

1739 – Handel: *Alexander’s Feast* (revival versions for St. Cecilia’s Day)

Although originally about Alexander the Great, it was frequently performed on 22 November.

1855 – Charles Gounod: *Messe solennelle de Sainte-Cécile*

One of the most enduring St. Cecilia masses, blending operatic lyricism with sacred grandeur.

1865 – Franz Liszt: *Cantantibus Organis*

A mystical Cecilian work from Liszt’s late sacred period.

1874 – Hubert Parry: *Song of St. Cecilia’s Day*

Part of the English revival of Cecilian music.

1933 – Heitor Villa-Lobos: *Hymno a Santa Cecília*

Brazilian choral homage, vibrant and modal.

1942 – Benjamin Britten: *Hymn to St. Cecilia*

One of Britten’s masterpieces, written in exile with text by W.H. Auden.

1947 – Gerald Finzi: *For St. Cecilia*

A grand choral/orchestral ode commissioned for the London celebrations.

2000 – Arvo Pärt: *Cecilia, vergine romana*

A monumental contemporary sacred work, meditative and luminous.

Renaissance & Early Baroque:

Palestrina, Lasso, Handl, early Italian motets.

High Baroque:

Charpentier, Colonna, Blow, Purcell (Hail! Bright Cecilia).

Late Baroque & Classical:

A. Scarlatti, Caldara, Handel (Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day).

Romantic:

Gounod, Liszt, Parry.

Modern:

Villa-Lobos, Britten, Finzi, Pärt.