Didone abbandonata da Enea (I-Nc) shows that Faggioli was a capable if not brilliant composer of serious music: the pathetic text is expressively set, with demands for greater vocal agility than in his comic work and with greater harmonic elaboration.

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Source: BL Add 38036 ff 12v – 16v

This is from a British Library manuscript with the inscription ‘CANTATE de diversi gran Maestri’, dated 1706 which contains cantatas by Legnani, Bencini, Sarri, Lotti, Caldara, Buononcini, Conti, Torri, Monarii, Ariosti, Fago, Mancini, Tosi, Martini, Scarlatti, and Albinoni. It contains a wealth of information about the continuo figures used as the copyist has taken a great deal of care with them. The text concerns Goddess of Love’s ability to enchant those who behold her (Gnido is likely to be the ancient Greek city of Knidos, now in Turkey, where there was a temple to Venus).

Rang

e: e’ – g”
Editor: James Sanderson

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A tortured lament for Orfeo from d’India’s Le Quarte Musiche of 1621. Very spare and dramatic in its construction, range d – g’

Editor: James Sanderson

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Exquisite lament from d’India’s Quinte Musiche of 1623 in which Dido laments the loss of Aeneas. Wonderful use of harmony and chromaticism.

Editor: James Sanderson

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The third lament from d’India’s Quinte Musiche of 1623. Dramatic and extremely moving monodic piece with intensely chromatic movement.

Editor: James Sanderson

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In four sections, all based on the same continuo line this work forms a kind of prologue to the Quinte Musiche due to its expositional style, high-flown language and the fact that is being sung by Virtue. Very florid writing and it is also very beautiful with a rather unexpected ending.
<br>Range: d’ – a”

Editor: James Sanderson

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The only work for tenor voice in the Quinte Musiche – extended, many key changes and a great deal of suffering.

Editor: James Sanderson

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Extremely virtuosic, this solo song/madrigal from Le Quinte Musiche (1623) has some incredibly ornate passage work throughout. As you may have guessed from the incipit, the work is about Diana – Goddess of the Hunt…

Editor: James Sanderson

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The phoenix which rises immortal from its ashes is the symbol of freedom from the bonds of love in this cantata – a mascot for the nymphs and shepherds of Arcadia. Aria 1 shows an unusual example of a theme from the Introduction being reworked into an aria. Arias in C major, G minor, A minor and B minor range from brilliant to pensive, robust to elusive, leading to the serene conclusion of the phoenix’s ascent to heaven – in recitativo accompagnato.

Source: Münster, Santini Collection, HS.3928

Range: eb’-g”.

Editor: Rosalind Halton

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Join the god Vulcan in his depths to discuss the changeable nature of love. RARA format with some wonderfully sinuous writing in recitative and aria.

Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 3909

Range: b flat – d’

Editor: James Sanderson

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