| The Italian Cantata
There are few genres which have had such great appeal with both public and composer as
the Italian Cantata. From its beginnings in the early 17th century to its great flourishing in the hands of composers such as Alessandro
Scarlatti, Nicola Porpora, Leonardo Leo, Johann Adolph Hasse and
Georg Frederic Handel in the early part of the 18th century it represented a pinnacle in both performance and
composition.
Comprised of recitative and aria with occasional preludes, sinfonie or introduzzione, the form lent itself at different times to both concise and virtuosic
treatment, entrusting to the vocal and dramatic ability of both the singer(s) and the accompanying instrumentalists the task of presenting the text (usually pastoral, historical
or mythological although occasionally religious as in the Cantata spirituale).
The form could move through the simplest, strophic structures through to the well-known and eventually standard da capo aria format. Simple
'homophonic' songs
could co-exist with complex chromatic arias.
Above all, the Italian cantata during this period was an intimate format. Generally written to be performed in camera it was the vocal
equivalent of the instrumental sonata. To perform the cantata well, the singer must feel at home with the text. It is, after all, the
inspiration for each new piece. The recitatives must be well prepared as they carry the majority of the text, the story if you will, and often contain the
most complex harmonic writing. The interaction between continuo and singer is what creates the intimacy of the performance and each part should give the
other the same level of importance. Virtuosity in the arias is important, but above all else: use the text!
James Sanderson
Norfolk, December, 2002 |
