Composer

:

George Frederick Handel

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

ca. 1709

Average_duration

:

5:31

Movement_count

:

2

Movement ....

"Quando in calma ride il mare" (When the sea laughs in calm) is a cantata composed by George Frederick Handel in 1707. The piece was premiered in Rome, Italy, during Handel's time there as a young composer. The cantata is written for soprano voice, strings, and continuo. The cantata consists of three movements. The first movement is an aria in A major, "Quando in calma ride il mare," which translates to "When the sea laughs in calm." The aria is in da capo form, with a slow and expressive opening section followed by a faster and more virtuosic middle section, before returning to the opening material. The music is characterized by its flowing melodies and graceful ornamentation, which reflect the calm and peaceful mood of the text. The second movement is a recitative in A minor, "Ma se l'ira rompe il mare," which translates to "But if anger breaks the sea." The recitative is more dramatic in character, with the soprano voice accompanied by sparse and dissonant harmonies in the strings. The text describes the sea in a storm, with waves crashing and winds howling. The final movement is another aria in A major, "Sì, sì, pur troppo è vero," which translates to "Yes, yes, unfortunately it is true." This aria is also in da capo form, with a lively and energetic opening section followed by a more introspective middle section, before returning to the opening material. The music is characterized by its rapid and virtuosic vocal lines, which reflect the text's description of the sea in a storm. Overall, "Quando in calma ride il mare" is a beautiful and expressive cantata that showcases Handel's skill as a composer of vocal music. The piece is notable for its graceful melodies, virtuosic vocal writing, and dramatic contrasts between calm and stormy moods.

More....