Complete CantatasThis volume presents the complete extant works of Atto Melani (16261741), a seventeenth-century singer, composer, diplomat, and spy. All fifteen pieces are chamber cantatas, predominantly for soprano and basso continuo (composed ca. 165565). They are certainly the product of a fascinating life: Atto regularly crisscrossed Europe, captivating his many patronsincluding Mattias de' Medici, Cardinal Jules Mazarin, Emperor Ferdinand III, Duke Carlo II of Mantua, and Pope Clement IXas much with his castrato voice as his political acumen. Not surprisingly, perhaps, Atto's cantatas parallel the diversity of his lifestyle, ranging from short strophic songs to vast composite structures, virtual recitative soliloquies to successions of ariosi, amorous laments to satirical assaults on love. Although rooted in the style of Luigi Rossi's circle, the works frequently evince a surprising inventiveness, surely aimed at dazzling Atto's patrons. Indeed, his corpus of works offers an impressive and beautiful snapshot of the Italian cantata just after midcentury. |
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1-2 are slurred accidentals Alessandro Melani Alessandro Stradella Antonio Cesti appears arias Atto Melani Atto's attribution barline bass figures bass line Basso continuo beautiful Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana breast cantata cantatas cases Ché Chigi chords clearly cruel death dolente edition follows source editorial example eyes F-Pn fact figure Fileno first following fols Francesco Gasparini Gabriello Chiabrera give given gives half harmonic harmonies heart I-Rvat last later lines love lover manuscript measure measures melodic Music musical note note 1 through number pain passage passages performance Ph.D Phyllis piece placed poem poems poetry position primary quarter reading recitative refrain repeat sign repeated section seems series seventeenth century single slur sometimes sources strophic style suffering syllable syllables tablature tenor clef text texts tied notes time signature underlay University used version vocal voglio esser infelice voice WECIS woman words work works written