AMOR BAROCCO

Baroque – an era in which art and music brim with a wealth of forms, refined symbolism, and above all, a love of dramaturgy. The latter is particularly visible in vocal-instrumental music – in the perfect synthesis of word and sound observable not only in operas, but also in cantatas, duets, arias, and songs. “Music be the food of love” – this is the Shakespearean quote that opens Henry Purcell’s highly expressive song to words by Henry Heveningham. It is therefore no surprise that one of the favourite themes of seventeenth-century composers was precisely this emotion and its various shades.

The concert will open with a famous declaration of love – the madrigal Amarilli, mia bella by Giulio Caccini (1551–1618), one of the Florentine doyens of the new style in music. This accomplished singer and teacher paid particular attention to the intelligibility and emotional expression of the poetic text. These ideas were also implemented by Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643), who reached for even more evocative means. His Lament of Arianna seems to contain within itself the entire inexpressible despair of a lover abandoned by Theseus. Both composers pointed the way in thinking about music for subsequent generations of creators. A splendid example of this is Clori vezzosa e bella, a cantata by Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725), in which a shepherd in love with a beautiful nymph expresses his devotion, grateful for the suffering brought about by his passion. The hero’s exaggerated emotions are emphasized with sophisticated devices reminiscent of some of the most tragic moments of dramatic works. And yet, the dance-like character of the gigue in the final aria leaves no doubt that Scarlatti is playing with convention and treats the shepherd’s exaltation with appropriate irony. The close relationship between music and text is equally easy to discern in L’Amante povero by Antonio Caldara (1670–1736). Already at the beginning of the first aria, the composer highlights the words scherzo (joke) and gioco (play) with a suggestive melisma, and later on in the love monologue, he applies, with no less mastery, a whole array of rhetorical devices. The concert will conclude with music by Georg Friedrich Handel (1685–1759). Separated by a radiant overture, the duets Alma mia! from Admeto, the last opera performed during the composer’s lifetime, and Tu caro, caro sei from Sosarme delight with the effortless elegance of their harmonious dialogue.

PROGRAM

Giulio Caccini – Amarilli, mia bella

Henry Purcell – If music be the food of love

Claudio Monteverdi – Lamento d’Arianna, SV 22

Alessandro Scarlatti – Concerto grosso in G major R. 533.8

Allegro | Adagio | Allegro | Adagio | Vivace

Alessandro Scarlatti – Clori vezzosa e bella H. 134

Recytatyw: Clori vezzosa e bella
Aria: Volgi lo sguardo e vedi
Recytatyw: Vivo penando è ver
Aria: Sì, mio ben, sì ancor vorrei

Antonio Caldara – L’Amante povero

Aria: Fatto son della fortuna
Recytatyw: Povertà mi tormenta
Aria: Di gemino nume son vittima

Antonio Caldara – Sonata da camera a due violini in D major

Preludio. Adagio | Allemande. Allegro spiritoso | Giga. Allegro

Georg Friedrich Handel – Alma mia! from the opera Admeto HWV 22

Georg Friedrich Handel – Ouverture from the opera Admeto HWV 22

Georg Friedrich Handel – Tu caro, caro sei from the opera Sosarme HWV 30

PERFORMERS

MARTA BOBERSKA SOPRANO

ANETA ŁUKASZEWICZ MEZZOSOPRANO

THE PERIOD INSTRUMENTS ENSEMBLE OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA CAPELLA REGIA POLONA

KRZYSZTOF GARSTKA HARPSICHORD, CONDUCTOR

Duration: approx. 1 h 10 mins