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George Frideric HANDEL (1685 - 1759): "Italian Cantatas"
Maria Dalia Albertinia, Carlotta Colombo, soprano;
Marta Fumagalli, contraltoa
Fantazyas
Dir: Roberto Balconi
rec: April 13 - 15, 2021, Como, Chiesa di San Donnino
Brilliant Classics - 96478 (© 2021) (69'07")
Liner-notes: E; lyrics no translations
Cover, track-list & booklet
Scores
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Alpestre monte (HWV 81);
Diana cacciatrice (HWV 79);
Olinto pastore arcade alle glorie del Tebro (HWV 143)a;
Tu fedel? Tu costante? (HWV 171)
Gabriele Cassone, trumpet;
Gabriele Pro, Giacomo Coletti, Archimede De Martini, Diego Castelli, Jody Livo, Beatrice Scaldini, violin;
Emanuele Rigamonti, cello;
Paolo Bogno, double bass;
Francesco Motta, theorbo;
Roberto Balconi, Daniele Rocchi, harpsichord
When George Frideric Handel arrived in Italy, he became acquainted with two genres of secular vocal music which belonged among the most popular forms of entertainment: the cantata and the serenata. Although the disc under review refers to one of them, the longest work in the programme is in fact a serenata.
The disc opens with the least-known of the three cantatas. Diana cacciatrice, also known as Alla caccia - the words with which the first recitative begins - is notable for its scoring: soprano, soprano in echo, trumpet, two violins and basso continuo. The structure is also unusual: the first section is an instrumental sinfonia with the title 'La Marche'. Then the soprano sings a recitative and an aria. The cantata closes with a coro, in which the second soprano echoes the first. It is followed by an arietta, in which the trumpet plays colla parte with the violins; then the coro is repeated. In the aria the soprano imitates the sound of a trumpet, whereas in the B section the trumpet acts as the echo of the soprano. The cantata was commissioned by Marchese Francesco Maria Ruspoli to mark the opening of the annual deer hunting season at his Cerveteri estate.
With the next two cantatas we are on more familiar ground. Alpestre monte was written in Florence; Carlo Vitali, in his liner-notes to Fabio Bonizzoni's recording of this cantata (Glossa), connects it to the Duchess Aurora Sanseverino Gaetani, who also commissioned the serenata Aci, Galatea e Polifemo. The cantata consists of two pairs of recitative and aria; the first recitative is marked accompagnato; the scoring is for soprano, two violins and basso continuo. "A lover, wandering through wild mountain landscapes, complains about his insensitive 'nymph', anticipates death and hopes she will visit his grave" (Vitali). Notable are the descending figures in the parts of soprano and violin in the second aria.
Tu fedel? Tu costante? has been preserved in two versions. The probably first version, included in the Handel catalogue as HWV 171a, was discovered some time ago in Ton Koopman's library, and includes a part for oboe. Here we get the apparently second version, scored for soprano, two violins and basso continuo, which was written in Rome. It may have been given its first performance by Margherita Durastanti. It consists of four pairs of recitative and aria, preceded by a sinfonia. The protagonist accuses her lover Fileno of being unfaithful, as he loves different women for different reasons: "[With] your fickle and inconstant character you are, oh Fileno, the faithless betrayer of us all, not a faithful lover". The penultimate aria includes a strong contrast between the A and B sections. In the last aria she says that she will find a new and faithful lover or, if she does not find one, "this heart of mine will return to its old liberty, without love". After such a statement a dacapo would weaken the message; there is also no ritornello.
These three cantatas receive excellent performances by Carlotta Colombo, who has a lovely voice, and whose singing is pretty straight, without the wobble we are used to hear from many of her colleagues these days. Diana cacciatrice includes depictions of the text, as mentioned, and these are perfectly realized. The collaboration with trumpeter Gabriele Cassone is flawless. Alpestre monte is a rather lyrical piece, which suits her voice very well. Tu fedel? Tu costante? is more dramatic, and she deals with it convincingly. She rightly does not try to turn it into a pocket-size opera; this work was not mentioned for performance at the stage, but rather in more intimate surroundings, such as the gatherings of an accademia.
The largest work on this disc is Olinto pastore arcade alle glorie del Tebro, called a cantata in the handwritten score, but serenata in the printed libretto. It was written in Rome in August and September 1708. It is scored for three voices, representing Olinto (soprano), Gloria (soprano) and Tebro (alto). Olinto refers to Marquis Ruspoli, whose Arcadian name was Olinto, whereas Tebro is the river Tiber. Gloria is an allegorical figure. "Olinto predicts for the river Tebro (Tiber) a revival of its Roman glories, now that the papal seat is occupied by Clement XI, whom Fate and History (the Muses Urania and Clio) destine for great deeds. Tebro is initially sceptical, recalling the enmity of major world powers such as the Ottoman Empire, personified by the rivers Nile and Orontes, and the Germanic Istro (Danube). Nor can he count any longer on receiving tribute from the goldbearing rivers, Ganges and Tagus (...). Finally, however, he yields to the exhortations of Gloria, while Olinto declares himself ready to swap his humble pan-pipes (zampogna) for a trumpet – that is, to abandon pastoral poetry for warfare." Carlo Vitali states that the "[main] recipient of the praise is not Olinto-Ruspoli but the pope, as a network of allusions in the text shows (...)". Each character has three arias, each of which is preceded by a recitative. The work opens with a sinfonia. The instrumental scoring is for five first and second violins, divided into soli and ripieni, cello, double bass and harpsichord. In the last aria (by Olinta), the ensemble is joined by a trumpet, reflecting the text: "Let festive Echo answer back the voices of warlike bronze, and let the mystery be manifest that will make the olive grow from laurels." The serenata ends with a very short chorus of the three characters, who sing the praise of Pope Clement.
Alongside Carlotta Colomba, who again gives a very good account of herself, we hear Maria Dalia Albertini in the role of Gloria, another fine voice, who is stylistically convincing, both in the use of her voice and in her ornamentation. Marta Fumagalli, who sings the role of Tebro, is a little out of step with her colleagues in that she uses a bit more vibrato - a bit too much. In the field of expression there is nothing wrong with her performance. On balance, this is a really good recording of a very nice work that - for inexplicable reasons - is not very well-known. This disc, available at budget price, may change that.
It is regrettable that Brilliant Classics offers a pdf for download withe the lyrics, but without English translations. I was lucky to be able to find other recordings with booklets on the internet, which helped me to understand what the pieces are about.
Johan van Veen (© 2024)
Relevant links:
Carlotta Colombo
Marta Fumagalli
Fantazyas