Handel frequently re-used material from his cantatas in his later, larger works, demonstrating his high regard for them as sources of inspiration.
Composer Biography
Almost all of Handel's 28 surviving cantatas were written between 1706 and 1723, a period during which he moved from Germany through Italy to Hanover and then to England.
Historical Context
In Rome, where women were not allowed to sing in public, cantatas provided a dramatic platform for female singers, such as Margherita Durastanti, who performed many of Handel's cantatas.
Cultural Impact
The perceived emotional volatility of women in the Baroque era made them frequent subjects for cantatas, and also led to their selection for sacred works, as the language of a 'lost soul' paralleled that of an 'abandoned lover'.
Composition History
Handel's cantatas were never published by him, making their composition dates and circumstances a mystery until Ursula Kirkendale's archival research in 1967.
Compositional Technique
The cantata form, popular in 17th-century Italy, typically featured an alternation of recitative and aria, allowing for the semi-dramatic exposition of a single character's emotional turmoil.
