Alexander's Feast (Dryden poem)

[1] The main body of the poem describes the feast given by Alexander the Great at the Persian capital Persepolis, after his defeat of Darius in 331 BC.

Finally, he encourages feelings of anger and vengeance, causing Thaïs and Alexander to burn down the Persian palace in revenge for Persia's previous outrages against Greece.

The poem then moves ahead in time to describe Saint Cecilia, "inventress of the vocal frame", who is traditionally supposed to have created the first organ and to have instituted Christian sacred music.

George Frideric Handel composed a choral work, also called Alexander's Feast, set to a libretto by Newburgh Hamilton, which was closely based on Dryden's ode.

Sir James MacMillan was commissioned to create a new choral work jointly by the Hallé and Cincinnati Symphony orchestras.