Musica Solare - Flowering & Fading of Love

The first cantata is about a rose - a symbol of love - which is spurned by Nysa and Chloris. The fourth cantata marks a turning point, which could well be the reason Ariosti scored the next three cantatas for alto. The title expresses it's content: 'Freedom acquired through love'. In the fifth cantata another image is used to depict the breakdown of love: a shipwreck. The first aria describes a storm at sea, with crashing waves, thunder and the absence of sunshine. The last cantata marks the return to the beginning: the protagonist has not really overcome his love for Nysa. Otherwise he would not feel that she, "who faithlessly seeks her delight in the arms of another, is the cause of my bitterness and misery". These cantatas make one understand that Ariosti was successful as a composer of operas; there is plenty of drama here. Not only the vocal parts but the instrumental parts as well depict the feelings expressed in the texts. It is impressive how the two melody instruments - originally two violins, here flute and violin - and the basso continuo illustrate the storm at sea in the first aria of Cantata No. 5. They also perfectly express the unhappy lover's feelings in his lament in Cantata No. 3.

1) Allegro
2) Largo
3) Recitative
4) Vivace
5) Largo
6) Recitative
7) Vivace
8) Recitative
9) Largo
10) Recitative
11) (Vivace)
12) Recitative
13) Adagio
14) Recitative
15) Vivace
16) Allegro
17) Recitative
18) Largo
19) Recitative
20) Largo
21) Recitative
22) Non Presto
23) Andante
24) Largo Andante
25) Allegro
26) Vivace
27) Allegro
28) Andante
29) Allegro