rganist to Catharine of Braganza, widow of
Charles II. Handel's setting was first performed on the anniversary of
the saint's festival, Nov. 22, 1739. The programme announced:

"Lincoln's Inn Fields. At the Theatre Royal in Lincoln's Inn Fields,
Thursday next, November 22 (being St. Cecilia's Day), will be performed
an Ode of Mr. Dryden's, with two new Concertos for several instruments,
which will be preceded by Alexander's Feast and a Concerto on the
organ."

Though one of the shortest of his vocal works, it contains some
magnificent choruses.

[26] Cecilia, a pupil of Geminiani, and afterwards wife of Dr. Arne.

L'Allegro.

"L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato," the first two movements of
which contain a musical setting of Milton's well-known poem, was written
in the seventeen days from Jan. 19 to Feb. 6, 1740, and was first
performed on the 27th of the latter month at the Royal Theatre, Lincoln's
Inn Fields, London. Upon this occasion the first and second parts were
preceded, according to the handbook, by "a new concerto for several
instruments," and the third by "a new concerto on the organ," which was
played by the composer himself. It was performed again Jan. 31, 1741,
with the addition of ten new numbers to the music, which in the original
manuscript appear at the end, marked by Handel, "l'Additione." At a still
later period Handel omitted the third part ("Moderato") entirely, and
substituted for it Dryden's "Ode on St. Cecilia's Day," which he composed
in 1739.

The text of the first two parts is by Milton, Allegro, as is well known,
chanting the praises of pleasure, Penseroso those of melancholy; Allegro
represented by tenor and Penseroso by soprano, and each supported by a
chorus which joins in the discussion of the two moods. There is a radical
difference between the poem as Milton wrote it and as it appears set to
Handel's music. Milton presented two distinct poems, though allied by
antithesis, and Penseroso does not speak until Allegro has finished. In
the poem as adapted for music they alternate in sixteen strophes and
antistrophes. The adaptation of these two parts was made by Charles
Jennens, who was a frequent collaborator with Handel.[27] He also
suggested the addition of a third part, the Moderato, and wrote the
words, in which he counsels both Allegro and Penseroso to take the middle
course of moderation as the safest. The wisdom of the poet in su