Welcome to all the pleasures, Z 339 (Henry Purcell)

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  • (Posted 2012-05-12)  CPDL #26166:        Score information: Letter, 44 pages, 457 kB   
– instrumental parts: (PDF) (1st and 2nd violin, viola, cello, realized continuo and unrealized figured bass)
– choral score with keyboard reduction (Letter, 24 pages, 272 KB) -    
Editor: David Millard (submitted 2012-05-12).   Copyright: Personal
Edition notes: Original key and time signatures have been retained. Conjectural string parts have been added in the choruses based on Purcell's practices as evidenced in his other odes and concerted anthems. Instrumental parts are zipped into a single file.

General Information

Title: Welcome to all the pleasures
Composer: Henry Purcell
Lyricist: Christopher Fishburn

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: SecularOde

Language: English
Instruments: String ensemble

First published: 1684
Description:  Ode to St. Cecilia, 1683.

External websites:

  • Free choir training aids for this work are available at Choralia.

Original text and translations

English.png English text

Welcome to all the Pleasures that delight,
of ev’ry Sense, the grateful Appetite.
Hail great Assembly of Apollo’s Race,
Hail to this happy place, this Musical Assembly,
that seems to be the Ark of Universal Harmony.

Here the Deities approve,
The God of Music, and of Love;
All the Talents they have lent you,
All the Blessings they have sent you;
pleas’d to see what they bestow,
live and thrive so well below.

While Joys Celestial their bright Souls invade
to find what great improvement you have made.

Then lift up your Voices, ye Organs of Nature,
those Charms to the troubled and amorous Creature.
The Pow’r shall divert us a pleasanter way,
for sorrow and grief find from Music relief,
and Love its soft Charms must obey.

Beauty thou Scene of Love,
and Virtue, thou innocent Fire,
made by the Powers above
to temper the heat of Desire,
Music that Fancy employs
in Raptures of innocent Flame,
we offer with Lute and with Voice
to Cecilia, Cecilia’s bright Name.

In a Consort of Voices while Instruments play,
with Music we celebrate this Holy day;
Iô Cecilia, Cecilia,
in a Consort of Voices we'll sing.

Christopher Fishburn