Georg Friedrich Haendel

Most music lovers have encountered George Frederick Handel through holiday-time renditions of the Messiah's "Hallelujah" chorus. And many of them know and love that oratorio on Christ's life, death, and resurrection, as well as a few other greatest hits like the orchestral Water Music and Royal Fireworks Music, and perhaps Judas Maccabeus or one of the other English oratorios. Yet his operas, for which he was widely known in his own time, are the province mainly of specialists in Baroque music, and the events of his life, even though they reflected some of the most important musical issues of the day, have never become as familiar as the careers of Bach or Mozart. Perhaps the single word that best describes his life and music is "cosmopolitan": he was a German composer, trained in Italy, who spent most of his life in England.

This solo cantata for soprano and small orchestra was written in 1707, during Handel's stay in Italy. He wrote several of these little musical dramas for performance at private evenings in the great houses of various nobles, particularly in Rome (where opera was not permitted). This is a comical text: The heroine is not pining for love or lamenting an abandonment. She is, rather, having a delicious last word as she sends her wandering boy-friend packing. The musical action begins just after the guy has stated that he will be "faithful" and "constant." She answers: "You, faithful? You, constant?" She goes on to list the various other ladies he has romanced while seeing her: Filli of the vivacious black eyes, Licori of the alluring lips, Lidia of the blond tresses, and who knows how many others. Following an opening "Sonata, " there are four arias, each preceded by a recitative. It seems to have been written for Margherita Durstanti, a soprano known for her flashing temperament and bright, spirited technique. The music, suitably, is both fiery and spirited, and it is a delight when she concludes that she will leave him and either find or new lover or at least not be troubled by faithless men.

Although originally written for Chorus and Orchestra, I created this arrangement for Clarinet Quartet (3 Bb Clarinets & Bass Clarinet).