Infidelity

"Know, oh beloved, that although I die from your inconstancy, I die with your face imprinted on my heart...". Yet another doormat for Clori's wanton ways. RARA format with a Larghetto "Tell me if you have found a new flame..." and a fiery, rhythmic Allegro to finish.

Editor: James Sanderson

Dated on the first page as 'in Albano 1704'. Despite Eurilla's promise of fidelity her erstwhile beloved is nervous (small wonder with her track history) and his heart is all 'a-flutter'. RARA format with a particularly interesting format for the first aria Quietati.

Source: Münster Santini Sammlung Hs 3907(1)

Range: e - a''

Editor: James Sanderson

"Surrounded by so many beautiful flowers" and so much beautiful music. This is a substantial pastoral cantata (with an appearance by the faithless Clori) in RARARA format. Sinuous recitative and stunning arias!

Range: e - g'

Editor: James Sanderson

Cantata for bass and strings, 2 arias and 1 recit

Source: autograph dated 16 July, 1710, Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris. Fileno is tormented by doubt and constant visions of Clori's unfaithfulness. Aria 1 features a fully integrated texture of voice and 2 violin parts, with Aria 2 a vigorous piece for unison violins. Fine dramatic scoring.

Range: G - e flat'

Editor: Rosalind Halton

Source: BL Add MS 14213 ff 84r - 87v

Clori's willful heart has wandered again and her lover reminds her that she will never find another as faithful as he. In double recit-aria format.

Range: c- d'

Editor: James Sanderson

Using the old 'ship into harbour' story our young man tries to woo Lidia, but she's having none of it! "...Too cruel, too unfaithful..." he cries, but to what avail? In RARA format with two very 'spiky' arias, lots of chromatic twists in both arias and recitatives.

'Clori, who one day boasted of constancy in her breast and fidelity in her heart...' is not! Another setting of this poetry (see Mancini's), this time by the enigmatic Barone d'Astorga. In RARA format, this is delightful with some interesting challenges for the cellist.

Source: Biblioteca del Conservatorio di Music S Pietro a Majella, Naples.

Editor: James Sanderson

Willing to die from the effects of love, but knowing of the inability of women to properly love or be faithful, our shepherd rejects the laughter of Cupid at his pains, knowing that a single glance from his beloved would give him the last laugh!

In ARA format with a affettuoso beginning and an allegro finish sourrounding a characteristically complex recitative this is an enjoyable and challenging example of the genre.

Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 859(1)

Range: f - g'

Editor: James Sanderson

A delightful cantata in ARA format. The lover bemoans Fille's inconstancy (yet again!) "I will escape Cupid's darts and Fille's glances and will live content in with my heart in freedom."

Range: d# - a''

Editor: James Sanderson

In the classically charming pastoral theme, in a pleasant woods love's constancy is questioned, found wanting and not forgiven - the lover awaits his beloved's return in death. Excellent arias and complex recitatives.

Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 859(5)

Range: c - e' flat

Editor: James Sanderson

A wonderfully piece, full of twists and turns. ARA format with a first aria of many chromatic passages and keys. "Think for a moment on my constancy and my sincere love as I suffer these torments".

Range: eb to ab'

Editor: James Sanderson

A very strict warning about trusting in the fidelity of Cupid. Tyrannous Love has been causing mischief again in this ARARA format cantata. In the copy all the da capo sections have been written out in full with varied style of repeat. Perhaps an aural copy as there are no figures...

Source: BL Add 31518 9r

Range: d - g'

Editor: James Sanderson

A large cantata edited from the Chandos collection copy in the British library. Unusual in that it's a contemporary copy from before 1720 (the date of the donation of the collection) for tenor. The transposition has provided some odd crossing of parts. Diverse aria structures (including a non-da capo aria) and interesting harmonic progressions.

Editor: James Sanderson

The tempestuous meeting of Tirsi and Dorinda. 'Your eyes are the cause of my suffering...but I will always be faithful...' In Duet - Recit - Duet format with both duets virtuosic for the singers.

Source: 1721 edition in the British Library

Range (soprano): c - g'

Range (alto): G - d

Editor: James Sanderson

Dorinda and Aldimira are bemoaning the infidelities of their lovers, Tirsi and Aminta. Luckily they have each other to spur on their suit. In duet (largo et affettuoso) - recit - duet (allegro) format.

Source:1721 edition in the British Library

Range (both): b flat - d'

Editor: James Sanderson

A stunning example of the genre showing Leo at the height of his powers in this field. RARA format with two complex and beautiful arias and the expected involved recitatives. The straying shepherd returns to the banks of the River Arno to find both love and infedelity in his beloved Amarillis.

Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 2358(2)

Range: d - a'' flat

Editor: James Sanderson

Clori is '...burning with love...' for the handsome Daliso, but, of course, he is unfaithful and causes her to vent her spleen in many imaginative ways. Great recitatives and two splendid rage arias make up this RARA format cantata from the Naples Conservatorio Library collection.

Editor: James Sanderson

A cantata all about one of our favourite topics: infedelity! Clori's boasts of '...a constant breast, a faithful heart, a loyalty in love...' have proved unfounded and she is reviled as '...barbarous, faithless, cruel and treacherous, without a heart...' In RARA format this is a very effective betrayal cantata from a source at the Naples Conservatorio S Pietro a Majella.

Editor: James Sanderson

A marvellous work by Mancini in RARA format - the recitatives are extensive and harmonically complex. The subject deals with infidelity and starts with the (female) protagonist railing at Lidio, calling him unfaithful, liar etc. The last aria ends, however, with the decision to match his betrayal with her own!
Source: Münster HS 2459(12)
Range: a - d'

Editor: James Sanderson

What is worse, to be near an unfaithful love or separated from a faithful one? This is the question our singer poses: 'Examine my heart...'. This is a delightful lontananza cantata which gives into the 'Forces of the nude archer...'. Cupid has been busy again, clearly!
Source: Naples Conservatorio di Musica S Pietro a Majella.

Editor: James Sanderson

Source BL Add 14211 f 42 - 50v

Once again an interesting construction for this extensive cantata. Recit, aria, recit, aria, recit, minuet, recit which becomes arioso. Some very beautiful writing and moods that swing from Adone's lament at Clori's bad behaviour to arias about finding joy only in the beloved's face.

Range: c#' - g''

Editor: James Sanderson

Being compared to a stream may not be every girl's idea of a compliment, and Irene is no exception. Our young shepherd loves her, but is worried she is not faithful. Two arias surround a busy recitative and the key is in our shepherd's final words: If the heart is a traitor all the beauty of a lovely face cannot make me a lover!!

Editor: James Sanderson

Source: BL Add MS 14220 ff 18r - 21v
A complex piece with an excellent vari-tempo final aria. The text can be summed up in two lines from the first recit: Written in blood, these tormented words my betrayed heart sends to you...Think, think how much I have loved you, know that you are not mine, and weep for the pity of my plight
Range: d - g'

Editor: James Sanderson

Clori has left and he seeks her '...beautiful eyes to lift his sorrow...' but is she as faithful as he would like? Only time will tell! A large ARARA format cantata with three lovely arias and some complex recitative writing. From the Naples Conservatorio collection.

Editor: James Sanderson

A charming cantata filled with indecision and containing one of Mancini's most beautifula arias. A young man loves both Cintia and Irene and really doesn't know what to do - can you help? RARA format.
Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 3904(5)
Range: c - g'

Editor: James Sanderson

A delightful and simple example of the genre. Sinuous vocal lines echoed in the basso and a fiery, syncopated second (final) aria. "In love I will be faithful..." ARA format.

Source: Naples Conservatorio

Source: BL MS Add 14214

This is an extremey enchanting cantata in aria-recit-aria form. The poor boy is totally in love but the beloved is having none of it. Retribution and hatred are the only alternatives. The opening matter of fact aria leads to an extraordinary recitative and final minuet.

Range: d - g'
Editor: James Sanderson

Source: 2 copies in the British Library

This is not a cantata to win friends and influence people within the 'feminist movement'. The final (strangely written) aria uses the text: You are a woman, so I expect you to be inconstant and unfaithful, but I forgive you; I am a man and will fall in love with other women, just enjoy it!. It's either a very modern marriage or slightly insulting, you decide. In two recit and aria format, the arias both largo and without ritornelli.
Range: d - g'

Editor: James Sanderson