Alessandro
Scarlatti
b. Palermo, 2 May 1660; d. Naples, 22 Oct 1725
Cantata
oEarly cantatas were in the form of a narrative and
were similar to lectures on Roman history set to
recitative with an occasional aria.
o1690- Scarlatti adopted a standard sequence of
recitative and formal aria
oRecitative
oAria
Da capo aria
o The first A Section-The first strophe is
used in the A section of the music. Movement from
the tonic to the Dominant.
oThe B section-
The second strophe provides
the text for the middle section of the aria.
oReturn of A- ORNAMENTATION
oABA in it’s most basic form
Cantata Pastoral per
la Nativita di Nostro
Signore Gesu Christo
oCantata Pastoral
oScarlatti wrote this cantata around 1700
oPerformed at the Vatican on Christmas Eve after
Vespers
o The text celebrates the good fortune of the
shepherds in being the first witnesses of Christ’s
birth
“Oh di Betlemme”
Recitative:
Bethlehem of happy proud poverty!
For he who made everything,
He who moves every sphere descends
to you
And the Author of the light
In his first stirring shines upon you.
“Dal bel seno d’una
stella”
Aria:
From a fair bosom of a star
Rises for us an eternal sun.
From a pure maiden
Is born an eternal son.
From a fair bosom of a star
Rises for us an eternal sun.
Composition
al Elements
mm. 59-60 : Sequence
mm. 81, 84: Text painting
mm. 71, 81: Musical Rhyme
The End