Birds

'Oh, how lucky is he who spends his days away from the noise and bustle of the city...the is no treasure more dear than sweet silence'. This is a paen to the pastoral life in ARA format. Absolutely delightful work with some very tricky vocal writing for a quite low voice part. Additionally, it is clear that Antonio was a cellist as the continuo part is both high and rather a challenge. Enjoyable for the cellists amongst you!

Source: Naples I-Nc

Editor: James Sanderson

Our hero heads to the woods to escape the pains of love. Comparing his beloved to the birds, the flowers (and the beasts!). In RARA format this is a delightful and highly enjoyable cantata to sing - some really good challenges in the coloratura. Source: Naples

Editor: James Sanderson

A classic bird-song cantata with some lovely touches. Our turtle-dove fears only the loss of his beloved.

Source: Naples Conservatorio

Editor: James Sanderson

Source: Santini Sammlung, Diözesan Library, Münster: Hs. 3975, ff. 35-59v

The image of the caged bird appears frequently in vocal music of the Italian baroque – maybe a poignant image to the many castrati whose voice was itself the cage within which life was lived. In cantatas such as ‘Augellin’, the bird functions as symbol of the lover imprisoned by the pain of love unreturned. 3 arias and two recits.

Editor: Rosalind Halton

[ca.1709] - one source only extant.
Theme of the bird seeking freedom/ the lover freedom from love. Virtuoso aria 1, final siciliano very beautiful.

Range: d'-g''. A major/D major.

Editor: Rosalind Halton

Taking refuge in the forests, amongst the friendly shades, our heart-broken protagonist sighs at his plight. The trees, breezes, beasts and birds know how he feels, but Clori is insensitive to his love. RARA format with a spiky adagio and a rather sprightly andante to finish.

Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 3907(15)

Range: b - c'

Editor: James Sanderson

Charting the progress of the Swallow (Rondinella) from the Arno to the Tebro at the end of the Summer's heat, with some beautiful word painting (including fluting bird-song) and some quite stunning recitative - AS at his best in another of the 1704 cantatas. In ARARA format, starting with a gentle Siciliano, an Allegro in cut common time is the middle aria and the final aria is a lively 3/8.

Source: Münster Santini Sammlung 3907

Range: d - g'

Editor: James Sanderson

This autograph cantata consists of 3 recitatives and 3 arias, with instrumental introduction for 2 paired groups - solo violin and cello, with answering recorder and harpsichord. Performance markings from the surviving partbooks have been incorporated. The unusual scoring gives each instrument in turn a starring role, ending with the recorder cooing of the turtle-dove in Aria 3.

Source: Münster Santini Sammlung

Range: d'-g''

Editor: Rosalind Halton

Our litte turtle-dove is caged and kept away from his beloved again in this charming cantata and once again death is preferable to this continued condition of estrangement from the beloved! In ARA format.

Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 861

Range: e flat - g'

Editor: James Sanderson

The three alto cantate da camera from the 1721 edition 'Cantate e Duetti dedicati alla Sacra Maestà di Giorgio Rè della Gran Bretagna'

Gia la stagion d'amore
Lasciami un sol momento
O mesta tortorella

See individual titles for more information.

Editor: James Sanderson

The image of the turtle dove taking away sorrow and bringing contentment to the unhappy shepherdess longing for her beloved Tirsi. In RARA format with a throbbing affettuoso and a sprightly con spirito, ma non presto. Great writing for the continuo as well!

Source: British Library copy of the 1721 edition

Range: a - d'

Editor: James Sanderson

Here our lover tells the nightingale to be silent and simply moan at the sadness he feels. Beautiful music with a depressing subject. Dorinda, it seems, is playing hard to get and our protagonist is lamenting the fact. Very much an alto cantata (going down to a bottom G) this is a fine example of the simpler ARA format with some delightful word-painting in both arias and recitative.

Source: Naples Conservatorio.

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

Like two turtle doves they bill and coo, but while the one bills 'love' the other bills 'pain and torment'. So a normal day in our pastoral setting! Clori is there of course and probably responsible for the pain.
Source: Naples Cantate 22

Editor: James Sanderson

Clori is at it again, making her lover burn and sigh. She's a cruel one! RARA format with both arias having very distinct characters, doves, sailors, everything is here.

Source: Biblioteca del Conservatorio di musica S. Pietro a Majella - Napoli; Segnatura: Cantate 20

Editor: James Sanderson

They never learn not to trust Cupid! Using the metaphor of a bird losing its freedom through falling in love with a beautiful face, the poet weaves an enchanting cantata text which Porpora sets using the ARA format. Both arias in minor keys but clearly portraying the bird in figurations reminiscent of bird call.

Source: Münster Santini 3313 (6)

Range: d - a''

Editor: James Sanderson

Source BL MS Add 14225

The protagonist laments the cruelty of unrequited love. The last aria is one of the finest examples of a 'bird song' aria that I have seen

Editor: James Sanderson

Source BL MS Add 14214

The tale of love, Cupid's darts and a nightingale!
The chromaticism of the recit and second aria are something to be believed, as is the simplicity of the bird song alluded to in the first aria.

Editor: James Sanderson

Source BL MS Add 14225

A charming pastoral cantata with a text advising Shepherds to stay away from beautiful shepherdesses! The last aria has a written out upper part for the continuo, possibly to be played on a violin or flute.

Editor: James Sanderson

Using the simile of the suffering nightingale singing for his love, our valiant shepherd pines for Clori in this RARA format cantata. The first aria allegro paints a wonderful picture of the singing nightingale and the last, complicated aria shows the turmoil of the lover.
Source: Münster Santini Hs 3313 (Nr. 16)
Range: d - g'

Editor: James Sanderson

As a dove searching for its mate, the lover cries for his beloved in this beautiful example of the genre. In ARA format with some great bird calls.
Source: Münster Santini 3313 (5)
Range: e - g'

Editor: James Sanderson

The dawn rises and makes the fields golden and the flowers happy...the birds sing and all is right with the world! This is a lovel ARA format cantata from a copy in the Naples Conservatorio library. A beautiful Andante or Affettuoso begins it and the final aria is a fast and often virtuosic Allegro. The two arias separated by a typically complex Porpora recitative.

Editor: James Sanderson