Fille/Filli
'Filli che fra gl'orrori di notte si tranquilla'
Outpourings of the lover to Filli in the quiet of night. A concise yet heartfelt composition, dated 1706, for low-mezzo soprano and unison violins: an ideal introduction to the art of singing with an obligato part in Scarlatti's style.
Vocal range: d'-f''
Editor: Rosalind Halton
Fillide is totally in love with Olindo and hopes that Cupid will support her love (she's not confident!) while he is away (lontananza). A lovely, simple example of a single line obligato accompaniment to soprano and continuo.
The source is Münster Santini Sammlung Hs 3975, provided by Sascha Mommertz. The cantata is simply inscribed Cantata a voce sola con flauto and there may be some question as to the attribution to A Scarlatti, although Hs 3975 contains a large number of cantatas ascribed to A Scarlatti.
Editor: James Sanderson
As the title suggests, Fille is sad...but, disturbingly, she likes the treatment she is getting from Tirsi: 'I will enjoy my pains, because I adore the chains...' Disturbing! A wonderful cantata in RARA format, Scarlatti at his most harmonically adventurous.
Source: Naples, Cantate 266
Editor: James Sanderson
A wonderfully chromatic work from 1704 (November 4th), the chromaticism expressing the tortures of loving such an unfaithful woman as Fille (the usual). Long, complex recitatives and two very contrasting arias.
Range: d - f#'
Editor: James Sanderson
Why do these men suffer so? Despite being separated from his beloved, our protagonist sings of his love for her being the reason for his life. His soul yearns and his death will swiftly follow, should she not return. Yeah, right! RARA format, one aria slow and sinuous, the other fast and virtuosic.
Range c - g'
Editor: James Sanderson
Sources: edition based on 4 17th-early 18th century manuscripts in the Santini Collection (Münster), the British Library, and the Bodleian Library, Oxford. [the details are in the editorial notes]
Description: Filli persuades the reluctant Clori to abandon city life for the delights of the country, where she is sure to make new conquests in the hunt of love. Both Filli and Clori have 2 arias of 2 strophes each, interspersed with ritornelli. In the magical final duet, the girls agree to prepare their feet for dancing, and their arms for the hunt. Cardinal Ottoboni's documents mention a performance of 'Amica, hora che Aprile' dated 13 July, 1694. The survival of this work in several sources suggests it was a well-known work in its day.
Editor: Rosalind Halton
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
Fileno is once again in love, this time with a Filli who returns his feelings - taking pleasure in the joys of Spring. Two excellent arias, the first with some particularly piquant chromaticisms.
Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 859(8)
Range: c - d'
Editor: James Sanderson
Deserted by cruel Filli our lover remains alone and suffering. "...remember the sighs of the one who dies for you..." RARARA format with a lovely triple time largo and two sprightly arias to follow.
Source: BL Add MS 31545
Range: c - g'
Editor: James Sanderson
Source: MS in the collection of the Royal College of Music, London
Aria - recit - aria format, the first remarkable for its chromaticism, the last for its sheer verve and virtuosity. The text deals with a young man whose love for Fille has caused him 'fierce grief' and leads him to pray to the God of Love for assistance.
Range: a - a''
Editor: Kate Eckersley & James Sanderson
Domenico Scarlatti's extraordinary setting of Metastasio's cantata. The format is two-part instrumental introduction, aria, recit, aria with typically virtuosic writing for both violins and voice. The subject is mourning for lost Fille - lost to rival Fileno. Summed up well in the final line: If for for a moment of dreaming I am happy, my torment increases with the coming day.
Range: c - a''
Editor: Kate Eckersley & James Sanderson
Source: MS in the Royal Music Collection now housed in the British Library.
Well, this girl is very open-minded, allowing Tirsi to love whomever he wishes (Nice, Clori, Egeria, Fille) because: The flighty bee is not content to long for the beautiful rose. If it can show itself a lover to other flowers, it wants to fly into the midst of them all...
Range: c' - a''
Editor: Kate Eckersley & James Sanderson
Delightful duo cantata by Domenico Scarlatti. Duet - recitative - duet form.
Editor: Kate Eckersley & James Sanderson
Our erstwhile suitor compares the beams from Filli's eyes to cupid's darts. These darts strike his heart and cause all the blood to flow from it - perhaps a trifle dramatic but certainly worth a sing! In RARARA format with some typically twisted harmonic and melodic shifts.
Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 864 (only source)
Range: e - g'
Editor: James Sanderson
Source: BL MS Add 31604
Particularly 'classical' feel to this virtuoso cantata. 2 recit and aria form
Editor: James Sanderson
Source BL Add 14211 f 150 - 156
A curiously formed cantata beginning with secco recitative which becomes 'a tempo' then moves into an aria and finished with a minuet. It's inconstant Fille and constant Fileno again, with Fileno venting his sadness.
Range: d#' - g''
Editor: James Sanderson
The Spring fills the heart of animals, birds and plants with Love, even that of our singer with his love for Fille. But, of course, Fille does not return this love and leaves him broken-hearted...the classic rejection cantata. Our erstwhile lover then warns that the Winter of old age will rob her of her Spring-like beauty and she will regret 'Yes, yes!' having spurned his love. In RARA format, the arias are particularly beautiful and the recitatives wander through some bizarre tonal language.
Source: Naples - Biblioteca del Conservatorio di Music S Pietro a Majella.
Editor: James Sanderson
The treacherous Filli has given her heart to many others, but has held it back from our protagonist. 'Confess cruel one that you are the murderer of my heart!' ARA format with two triple-time arias with plenty of coloratura and some very good word painting here. From a MS in the collection of the Biblioteca del Conservatorio di Musica S Pietro a Majella, Naples.
Editor: James Sanderson
'The Joys of Love are greater than any freedom' must be the moral of this pastoral cantata. Trapped in the chains of love, the young man still longs for his Fille, not for freedom! In simple ARA format with a very beautiful pair of arias.
Source: Münster Santini HS 3313 (Nr. 19)Range: d - a''
Editor: James Sanderson
Here the lover expresses the feelings that separation from Fille would bring; the slow footstep, the longing, the yearning. It's a lovely sing too! RARA format with well-balanced andante then allegro arias.
Source: Münster Santini HS 859 (9)
Range: c - d'
Editor: James Sanderson
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: BL Add MS 14210
The sad tale of the death of Tirsi and Fille's desire to die as well - after the aria of course! 2 recit and aria format, the last being virtuosic again.
Range: d - g''
Editor: James Sanderson
Cantata Op. 1, no. 5
One of Metastasio's most famous cantata texts - the story of Clori and Filomena.
Adagio - Recit - Allegretto
Range: e' - b flat''
Editor: James Sanderson
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