Introduction: “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
“A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden first appeared in 1687 as part of a commissioned piece for the annual celebration of St. Cecilia’s Day by the Musical Society of London. It is a profound ode that celebrates the divine power of music, blending metaphysical ideas with lyrical elegance. The poem gained popularity as a textbook poem because of its vivid poetic expression, classical references, and musical structure that aligns with themes of cosmic harmony, divine inspiration, and emotional resonance.
In Stanza 1, Dryden presents the idea that music is not a mere human creation, but a divine force responsible for the creation and order of the universe:
“From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony / This universal frame began.”
This sets the tone for the rest of the poem, establishing music as a cosmic principle that brings unity to chaos, causing the elements—“cold, and hot, and moist, and dry”—to leap into their ordained stations, obedient to music’s power. The stanza ends on the philosophical note that man is the ultimate result of this divine symphony:
“The diapason closing full in man.”
The poem’s enduring appeal lies in how Dryden weaves science, mythology, passion, and spirituality into one flowing musical tribute, making it ideal for both literary and philosophical studies. Its references to biblical Jubal, mythic Orpheus, and Saint Cecilia reflect a rich intertextuality that invites interpretation across disciplines—from theology to aesthetics.
Text: “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
Stanza 1
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.
Then cold, and hot, and moist, and dry,
In order to their stations leap,
And music’s pow’r obey.
From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony
This universal frame began:
From harmony to harmony
Through all the compass of the notes it ran,
The diapason closing full in man.
Stanza 2
What passion cannot music raise and quell!
When Jubal struck the corded shell,
His list’ning brethren stood around
And wond’ring, on their faces fell
To worship that celestial sound:
Less than a god they thought there could not dwell
Within the hollow of that shell
That spoke so sweetly and so well.
What passion cannot music raise and quell!
Stanza 3
The trumpet’s loud clangor
Excites us to arms
With shrill notes of anger
And mortal alarms.
The double double double beat
Of the thund’ring drum
Cries, hark the foes come;
Charge, charge, ’tis too late to retreat.
Stanza 4
The soft complaining flute
In dying notes discovers
The woes of hopeless lovers,
Whose dirge is whisper’d by the warbling lute.
Stanza 5
Sharp violins proclaim
Their jealous pangs, and desperation,
Fury, frantic indignation,
Depth of pains and height of passion,
For the fair, disdainful dame.
Stanza 6
But oh! what art can teach
What human voice can reach
The sacred organ’s praise?
Notes inspiring holy love,
Notes that wing their Heav’nly ways
To mend the choirs above.
Stanza 7
Orpheus could lead the savage race;
And trees unrooted left their place;
Sequacious of the lyre:
But bright Cecilia rais’d the wonder high’r;
When to her organ, vocal breath was giv’n,
An angel heard, and straight appear’d
Mistaking earth for Heav’n.
GRAND CHORUS
As from the pow’r of sacred lays
The spheres began to move,
And sung the great Creator’s praise
To all the bless’d above;
So when the last and dreadful hour
This crumbling pageant shall devour,
The trumpet shall be heard on high,
The dead shall live, the living die,
And music shall untune the sky.
Annotations: “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
Stanza 1
Simple Annotation:
The universe began through the harmony of heavenly music. At first, nature was a chaotic mess of elements, but music called it into order, giving structure and life. Eventually, man was created as the final, complete note in the universal symphony.
Literary Devices:
- Alliteration (“heap of jarring atoms”)
- Personification (Nature couldn’t “heave her head”)
- Metaphor (music as the organizing force of the cosmos)
- Anaphora (“From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony”)
- Enjambment (lines flow without pause)
Stanza 2
Simple Annotation:
Music can arouse or calm any emotion. Jubal, the first musician from the Bible, amazed those around him when he played, making them fall in awe as if worshiping a god. They believed divine power lived in the instrument.
Literary Devices:
- Allusion (Jubal from Genesis)
- Repetition (“What passion cannot music raise and quell!”)
- Hyperbole (listeners fell down in worship)
- Enjambment
- Apostrophe (addressing music directly)
Stanza 3
Simple Annotation:
The sound of the trumpet and drum sparks anger and calls people to battle. Their sharp, urgent rhythms stir bravery and fear, showing the power of music to energize and command action.
Literary Devices:
- Onomatopoeia (“double double double beat”)
- Imagery (battlefield sounds)
- Imperative mood (“Charge, charge”)
- Alliteration (“shrill notes of anger”)
Stanza 4
Simple Annotation:
Soft instruments like the flute and lute express sorrow, especially the grief of hopeless lovers. Their gentle, dying tones whisper pain and melancholy.
Literary Devices:
- Imagery (gentle and mournful sounds)
- Personification (flute “complaining”)
- Enjambment
- Alliteration (“warbling lute”)
Stanza 5
Simple Annotation:
Violins express intense emotions like jealousy and rage. Their sharp sounds show how music can reflect deep emotional suffering, especially in the context of unrequited love.
Literary Devices:
- Personification (violins expressing emotion)
- Hyperbole (“fury, frantic indignation”)
- Imagery (emotional pain through sound)
- Alliteration
Stanza 6
Simple Annotation:
The organ surpasses all other instruments with its ability to inspire holy love and spiritual awe. Its sound is so pure it belongs in heaven, uplifting human souls.
Literary Devices:
- Rhetorical Questions (“What art can teach…”)
- Hyperbole
- Alliteration
- Metaphor (notes “wing their Heav’nly ways”)
Stanza 7
Simple Annotation:
Orpheus, the mythical Greek musician, could charm wild animals and nature itself. But St. Cecilia’s music was even more divine—it made an angel believe Earth was Heaven.
Literary Devices:
- Mythological Allusion (Orpheus, Cecilia)
- Hyperbole
- Irony (Earth mistaken for Heaven)
- Enjambment
Grand Chorus
Simple Annotation:
Sacred music started the motion of the cosmos by praising the Creator. At the end of time, music will also announce the final judgment. The trumpet will sound, the dead will rise, and the music that once created order will now undo it.
Literary Devices:
- Allusion (Biblical end times)
- Paradox (“music shall untune the sky”)
- Personification (music as a living force)
- Imagery (cosmic destruction)
Literary And Poetic Devices: “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
| Device | Definition | Example from Poem | Explanation |
| Allusion | Reference to a historical, mythological, or biblical figure/event. | “When Jubal struck the corded shell” | Refers to Jubal, the biblical inventor of music (Genesis 4:21), connecting music’s origin to divine revelation. |
| Anaphora | Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines. | “From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony” | Repeats the phrase to emphasize music’s celestial origin and central role in creation. |
| Apostrophe | Direct address to an absent or abstract entity. | “What passion cannot music raise and quell!” | Music is addressed as if it were a living force, capable of evoking and calming human emotion. |
| Assonance | Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. | “cold, and hot, and moist, and dry” | The repetition of the ‘o’ and ‘i’ vowel sounds enhances musicality and balance in the list of elements. |
| Consonance | Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words. | “more than dead” | The repeated ‘r’ and ‘d’ sounds create a mournful, echoing tone, enhancing the theme of resurrection through harmony. |
| Enjambment | Continuation of a sentence beyond the end of a line. | “And could not heave her head, / The tuneful voice was heard from high” | The sentence flows across lines, mirroring the movement from chaos to order. |
| Epic Simile | An extended, detailed simile often used in epic poetry. | “Through all the compass of the notes it ran, / The diapason closing full in man.” | Compares the structure of music to a grand scale of notes, ending in the creation of man—elevating humanity’s place in creation. |
| Hyperbole | Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis. | “Less than a god they thought there could not dwell…” | Listeners are so amazed by Jubal’s music, they believe only a god could produce such sound—exaggerating the effect of music. |
| Imagery | Language that appeals to the senses. | “The soft complaining flute”, “The thund’ring drum” | Vivid descriptions evoke sound and feeling, contrasting tenderness and aggression through musical instruments. |
| Irony | A contrast between expectation and reality. | “Mistaking earth for Heav’n” | The angel’s confusion is ironic—it shows the divine quality of Cecilia’s music, blurring heaven and earth. |
| Metaphor | A comparison without using “like” or “as”. | “This universal frame began from harmony” | The universe is metaphorically described as a “frame” built by music, elevating music’s power to that of creation itself. |
| Onomatopoeia | Words that imitate natural sounds. | “double double double beat” | The repetition mimics the sound of a drum, enhancing the realism and urgency of the battle scene. |
| Paradox | A statement that seems contradictory but reveals truth. | “Music shall untune the sky.” | Though music usually creates order, here it is said to bring about the end of creation—revealing its total cosmic influence. |
| Parallelism | Use of grammatically similar structures for rhythm and balance. | “cold, and hot, and moist, and dry” | This balanced list of elements mimics a musical rhythm and shows the harmony music imposes on nature. |
| Personification | Giving human traits to non-human things. | “Nature underneath a heap / Of jarring atoms lay, / And could not heave her head” | Nature is given a human form, as if it were sick and rising again at music’s command. |
| Repetition | Repeating words or phrases for emphasis. | “What passion cannot music raise and quell!” | The line is repeated to emphasize music’s profound emotional influence. |
| Rhetorical Question | A question asked for effect, not to be answered. | “What art can teach, what human voice can reach / The sacred organ’s praise?” | Highlights the unmatched power of the organ by suggesting no answer can suffice. |
| Symbolism | Using objects or ideas to represent larger meanings. | “music’s pow’r”, “sacred organ” | Music symbolizes divine creation and spiritual elevation; the organ represents sacred purity. |
| Synecdoche | A part represents the whole or vice versa. | “Within the hollow of that shell” | “Shell” refers to the entire instrument, representing its ability to contain divine music. |
Themes: “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
1. Divine Order and Cosmic Harmony
In “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden, the theme of cosmic harmony as a divine force is introduced in the very first stanza, where music is credited with the creation of the universe: “From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony / This universal frame began.” Dryden presents the cosmos as originally chaotic—”Nature underneath a heap / Of jarring atoms lay”—until celestial music, a divine organizing principle, imposed structure and life. Music is not just sound here; it is a metaphysical energy shaping existence, culminating in the emergence of man—“The diapason closing full in man.” The use of musical terminology like “diapason” and “compass of the notes” metaphorically conveys that the entire universe is a carefully tuned composition, composed and sustained by harmony.
2. Music’s Power Over Human Emotion
John Dryden’s “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” also powerfully emphasizes music’s ability to awaken, intensify, and soothe emotion. In the second stanza, he depicts Jubal—the biblical father of music—who moves his listeners to awe: “His list’ning brethren stood around / And wond’ring, on their faces fell / To worship that celestial sound.” This awe borders on divine reverence, as they believe the music to be too beautiful for a mere mortal. The refrain “What passion cannot music raise and quell!” reinforces the idea that music governs the soul’s responses. As the poem progresses, Dryden explores various emotional effects of different instruments: the trumpet rouses anger and war (stanza 3), the flute and lute mourn love’s despair (stanza 4), and violins express fury and jealousy (stanza 5). Music becomes a universal emotional language, capable of articulating what words cannot.
3. The Sacred Dimension of Music
Another central theme in “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden is the spiritual and transcendent role of music, particularly as represented by St. Cecilia herself. In stanza six, Dryden questions whether any earthly art can match the organ’s divine voice: “But oh! what art can teach / What human voice can reach / The sacred organ’s praise?” The organ, associated with church and sanctity, becomes a symbol of elevated spiritual experience. Its notes “wing their Heav’nly ways / To mend the choirs above,” suggesting that music does not merely reflect heaven but participates in it. This sacred vision reaches its climax in stanza seven, where Cecilia plays with such divine skill that “an angel heard, and straight appear’d / Mistaking earth for Heav’n.” Through Cecilia, music becomes a portal through which the divine touches the earthly realm.
4. Music as the Beginning and End of Creation
In “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden, the Grand Chorus presents a powerful eschatological vision where music is not only the origin but also the conclusion of the universe. Just as creation began with the harmonious sound—“As from the pow’r of sacred lays / The spheres began to move”—so too will it end with a catastrophic musical signal: “The trumpet shall be heard on high, / The dead shall live, the living die, / And music shall untune the sky.” This reversal—where harmony becomes “untuning”—shows that music holds sway over both cosmic birth and divine judgment. The theme reflects a deeply spiritual worldview, where music is the language of both creation and apocalypse, a force that binds the material and metaphysical realms in perfect (and final) resolution.
Literary Theories and “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
| Literary Theory | Application to the Poem | Supporting References from the Poem |
| 1. Formalism / New Criticism | Focuses on the poem’s internal structure, musical language, and balanced form. Dryden uses repetition, alliteration, and rhythmic control to reflect harmony. | “From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony / This universal frame began” and “The diapason closing full in man” |
| 2. Mythological / Archetypal Criticism | Views Jubal and Cecilia as archetypal figures of divine music, echoing creation myths where music brings order and bridges human and divine realms. | “When Jubal struck the corded shell” and “Cecilia rais’d the wonder high’r” |
| 3. Historical / Cultural Criticism | Examines the poem in the context of Restoration-era values: order, reason, and classical elements. Music becomes a metaphor for political and cosmic order. | “Then cold, and hot, and moist, and dry, / In order to their stations leap” |
| 4. Theological / Religious Criticism | Interprets music as a sacred medium. Dryden portrays it as a divine force that connects heaven and earth, especially through St. Cecilia’s organ playing. | “To mend the choirs above” and “An angel heard, and straight appear’d / Mistaking earth for Heav’n” |
Critical Questions about “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
1. How does Dryden portray music as a divine force in the poem?
In “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden, music is portrayed as a divine and cosmic force that shapes creation and governs the universe. From the opening stanza, music is described as the origin of the cosmos: “From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony / This universal frame began.” Dryden suggests that before music intervened, nature existed in disarray—“Nature underneath a heap / Of jarring atoms lay.” Music brings order to chaos, assigning the elements to their rightful places. The sacred power of music also appears at the end of the poem in the Grand Chorus, where Dryden describes the apocalypse being signaled not by silence, but by music itself: “The trumpet shall be heard on high… / And music shall untune the sky.” This framing of music as both the beginning and end of existence emphasizes its divine nature, making it a force both of creation and divine judgment.
2. What role does St. Cecilia play in the poem, and how is she contrasted with other musical figures like Jubal or Orpheus?
In “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day,” St. Cecilia is portrayed as the supreme embodiment of sacred music, surpassing both mythological and biblical figures. Jubal, the biblical inventor of music, stirs awe in his listeners: “Less than a god they thought there could not dwell / Within the hollow of that shell.” Orpheus, the legendary Greek musician, is described as having the power to move nature itself: “Orpheus could lead the savage race; / And trees unrooted left their place.” Yet Dryden elevates Cecilia even higher. In stanza seven, her music is so divinely inspired that “An angel heard, and straight appear’d / Mistaking earth for Heav’n.” While Jubal and Orpheus move men and nature, Cecilia’s music transcends the earthly and reaches into heaven itself, symbolizing the highest spiritual connection through music.
3. How does Dryden connect music to human emotions throughout the poem?
In “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day,” Dryden explores music’s deep connection to human emotion, demonstrating how different instruments evoke specific psychological and emotional responses. This idea is introduced in stanza two with the rhetorical refrain: “What passion cannot music raise and quell!” Dryden illustrates this further through musical imagery—each instrument embodies a particular emotional state. The trumpet stirs courage and fury in battle: “With shrill notes of anger / And mortal alarms” (stanza 3). The flute and lute express sorrow and romantic despair: “The woes of hopeless lovers” (stanza 4). The violins embody jealousy, desperation, and rage: “Fury, frantic indignation, / Depth of pains and height of passion” (stanza 5). These personifications reveal music as a universal language of emotion, capable of stirring the deepest responses in the human heart.
4. In what way does the poem reflect the values and artistic ideals of the Restoration period?
“A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” reflects the Restoration era’s emphasis on order, rationality, and classical ideals, all of which are embedded in its structure and themes. Following the political turmoil of the English Civil War, Restoration writers often embraced order and harmony, both politically and artistically. Dryden mirrors this in stanza one, where music brings balance to chaos: “Then cold, and hot, and moist, and dry, / In order to their stations leap.” The structured form of the poem—with its symmetrical stanzas, rhythmic flow, and rhetorical repetition—echoes the neoclassical values of clarity, proportion, and control. Additionally, Dryden’s blend of Christian elements (St. Cecilia and divine music) with classical allusions (Orpheus) reflects the Restoration’s interest in reconciling ancient tradition with modern faith and reason. The poem becomes both a celebration of divine art and a cultural expression of its time.
Literary Works Similar to “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
- “L’Allegro” by John Milton
This poem shares Dryden’s theme of music and joy, presenting harmonious sound as a force that enhances nature, emotion, and spiritual delight. - “Ode: Intimations of Immortality” by William Wordsworth
Wordsworth explores music and memory as pathways to the divine, echoing Dryden’s idea that harmony links the soul to a higher order. - “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats
Keats uses the song of the nightingale much like Dryden uses instrumental music—as a symbol of transcendence and emotional depth beyond the physical world. - “Music’s Empire” by Andrew Marvell
Marvell’s poem, like Dryden’s, reflects on music as a mystical and spiritual experience, capable of stirring the soul and reflecting divine truths.
Representative Quotations of “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
| Quotation | Context in the Poem | Theoretical Concepts |
| “From harmony, from Heav’nly harmony / This universal frame began.” | Opening lines that describe the divine origin of the cosmos through music. | Cosmic harmony, Formalism, Religious symbolism |
| “Nature underneath a heap / Of jarring atoms lay,” | Depicts the chaos before divine music brings order to creation. | Chaos vs. Order, Classical Elements, Historical Criticism |
| “What passion cannot music raise and quell!” | Central refrain expressing the emotional power of music. | Reader-Response Theory, Aesthetic Emotion, Expressive Theory |
| “When Jubal struck the corded shell,” | Reference to the biblical inventor of music; music’s divine roots. | Mythological Criticism, Archetype of the Artist, Sacred Origins |
| “The trumpet’s loud clangor / Excites us to arms” | Music is shown stirring human passion—specifically war and action. | Structuralism, Emotional Function of Art, Music as Catalyst |
| “The soft complaining flute / In dying notes discovers / The woes of hopeless lovers,” | Flute and lute convey love, grief, and emotional vulnerability. | Romanticism, Expressive Theory, Sound Symbolism |
| “Sharp violins proclaim / Their jealous pangs, and desperation,” | Violins are used to illustrate jealousy and psychological intensity. | Psychoanalytic Theory, Inner Turmoil, Symbolism |
| “What art can teach / What human voice can reach / The sacred organ’s praise?” | Music transcends human ability; the organ symbolizes divine voice. | Theological Criticism, Sacred Art, Transcendence |
| “Cecilia rais’d the wonder high’r; / When to her organ, vocal breath was giv’n,” | St. Cecilia surpasses all musicians, fusing voice and instrument in divine harmony. | Feminist Criticism (female artistic power), Religious Symbolism |
| “The trumpet shall be heard on high, / And music shall untune the sky.” | Final lines connecting music to apocalyptic judgment. | Eschatology, Apocalyptic Imagery, Religious Allegory |
Suggested Readings: “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” by John Dryden
- Dryden, John. Song for St Cecilia’s Day. Bärenreiter, 2022.
- Ames, Clifford. “Variations on a Theme: Baroque and Neoclassical Aesthetics in the St. Cecilia Day Odes of Dryden and Pope.” ELH, vol. 65, no. 3, 1998, pp. 617–35. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30030196. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
- Dryden, John. “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day: November 22, 1687.” College Music Symposium, vol. 20, no. 1, 1980, pp. 93–95. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40374058. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
- Coltharp, Duane. “Raising Wonder The Use of the Passions in Dryden’s ‘A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day.’” Restoration: Studies in English Literary Culture, 1660-1700, vol. 28, no. 2, 2004, pp. 1–18. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43293748. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.