Un'alma innamorata

Un'alma innamorata is a dramatic secular cantata for soprano and instruments written by George Frideric Handel in 1707. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG liiB,92; and HHA v/5,97. The title of the cantata translates as "A soul in love".

History

The work was written for Ruspoli for performance at his country estate in Vignanello. The copyist's bill is dated 30 June 1707. It is possible that the soprano part was composed for the singer Vittoria Tarquini, and it is known that Vittoria was among the guests at the estate in Vignanello around the time of composition. Although uncertain, the text of the cantata may have been written by Abbé Francesco Mazziotti.

Synopsis

Even though the work is performed by a female voice, the text does not reveal whether the "voice" of the text is male or female. The text relates that a heart which is faithful in love becomes angry when it is wounded by love, however the singer is happy because it loves more than one heart and spurns the harsh laws and rigours of love.

Structure

The work is scored for violin and keyboard. The cantata contains three recitative-aria pairings.
A typical performance of the work takes about fifteen and a half minutes.

Movements

The work consists of six movements:

	Type	Key sig.	Time sig.	Tempo	Bars	Text	Text	Notes
1	Recitative				8	Un'alma innamorata, prigioniera d'amore, vive troppo infelice. Divien sempre maggiore il mal, che non intende, allor che nell'amar schiava si rende.	A soul in love, a prisoner of love, lives too miserably. The pain which it does not understand becomes more and more, once it becomes a slave in loving.
2	Aria	D minor			140	Quel povero core, ferito d'amore sospira, se adira, se vive fedel. Sia il solo dolore geloso timore, le pene e catene martire crudel.	The poor heart wounded by love, sighs and becomes angry if it lives faithfully. Let its only pain be jealous fear, and let cruel torments be its chains.	Includes a "Da Capo", "Fine" instruction.
3	Recitative				7	E pur benche egli veda morta del suo servir, la speme istessa, vuole col suo languir, viver con essa.	And even though hope lies dead from its service, its languishing must be lived with.
4	Aria	F major		Allegro	77	Io godo, rido e spero ed amo più d'un core e so ridir perché. Se segue il mio pensiero un vagabondo amore cercate voi dov'è.	I enjoy, laugh and hope, and love more than one heart, and I know why. If my thought follows a vagabond love, then you go and find where it is.	Includes a "Da Capo", "Fine" instruction.
5	Recitative				5	In quanto a me, ritrovo del riso ogni diletto, se sprezzo dell'amore le sue severe leggi, ed il rigore.	As for me, I find the delight of laughter, if I spurn the harsh laws and rigours of love.
6	Aria	B major			37	Ben impari come se ama in amor chi vuol goder. Non ha pari alla mia brama il rigor del nume arcier.	Let he who wants to rejoice in love learn how one goes about loving. The severity of the archer-god is not equal to my desire.	Three sections —each with repeat markings. Concludes in F major. The jaunty syncopated rhythms depicts independence of the singer from Cupid. The tempo is like a sarabande ; with the violin and the singer in unison.