Four Cantatas from Rome, 1707
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
for solo soprano (c'-a''), and continuo
Ref. no Han 04 (in 'cantatas') sample page cover page To order: ☞
Of the four cantatas of this present edition Menzognere speranze was copied for Ruspoli in September 1707, the others in May 1707. The four cantatas follow what had become the standard pattern for Handel by this time - each consists of two recitative-aria pairs. The arias are all set Da Capo.
Handel's autograph of these cantatas is in the British Library's Royal Music Collection, R.M.20.d.11, and a copy is to be found in the MS, Egerton 2942.
Ellen T Harris' book Handel as Orpheus is invaluable for the help it gives in setting these chamber cantatas in their social and historical context.