The final chorus of 'Polifemo' is a rondeau in 3/4-time that subtly references French chaconne structures, including a bass line found in Lully's 'Acis et Galatée'.
Cultural Impact
Circe's vengeance aria from 'Polifemo' became a hit, reused by Bononcini in his opera 'Etearco' and later adapted by Handel for his opera 'Radamisto'.
Notable Performances
The premiere of 'Polifemo' in 1702 at Lützenbourg featured a mix of professional musicians and aristocratic amateurs, including Queen Sophie Charlotte of Prussia accompanying on the harpsichord.
Compositional Technique
Bononcini's 'Polifemo' combines the French overture style, with its slow dotted rhythms followed by a quicker section, with the Italian concerto principle of alternating instrumental choirs.
Composition History
Giovanni Bononcini's 'Polifemo' is a 'petite bagatelle' (a small trifle) from 1702, one of three important music dramas inspired by the love story of Acis and Galatea.
Compositional Technique
Bononcini uses specific instrumental colors to characterize each figure in 'Polifemo'; for example, the tender Glauco is accompanied by flutes, while the provocative Silla sings with abrasive oboes.
Composition History
The librettist for 'Polifemo' was Attilio Ariosti, a successful composer and member of the Servite Order, who considered his own libretto a 'gallimaufry' or jumble of nonsense.
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