Francesco Mancini
Francesco Mancini
(b. 16th Jan 1672 d. 22nd Sept 1737) belongs to a generation of composers including Fago and Sarro who established themselves during Alessandro Scarlatti's absence from Naples between 1702 and 1708.
An important teacher, Mancini was Director of the Conservatorio di S Maria di Loreto as well as being first organist and maestro of the Capella Reale in Scarlatti's absence. Upon Scarlatti's return to Naples, Mancini worked as his deputy, only resuming his previous positions on the older composer's death in 1725.
Mancini's music is typically Neapolitan. His works are full of the sudden and unpredictable harmonic shifts which made early 18th century Neapolitan music sound so dramatic. His works include 29 operas, his operatic style combining contrapuntal elements of the past with the new buffa style, 7 serenatas, 12 oratorios, more than 200 hundred secular cantatas in addition to assorted sacred music and a small amount of instrumental music.
Perhaps best known for his recorder sonatas, Mancini’s vocal works are greatly undervalued and show a concise and masterful style in miniature, influenced of course by his master Scarlatti, but displaying an individual inventiveness in melody and recitative structure.
James Sanderson
Easter, 2005
Source: BL Add MS 64960 Formerly owned by Maria Ducarel, recorded (f. ii verso) as a gift to her from George Henry Lee, 3rd Earl of Lichfield, in 1768.
Here Amor is stirring the heart and throughts of an erstwhile lover. With an excellent opening allegro and concluding with a slightly 'crooked' andante this is a jolly sing through one of the genre's typical subjects.
Range: a - c' Editor: James Sanderson
Source: BL Add 14211 ff 132r - 139v
In aria-recit-aria-recit-aria form with some very odd use of shifting tonality the lover bemoans the cruelty of Amore.
Range: e' - g#''
Editor: James Sanderson
The God of Delos, Apollo comes to earth and sports with the goddess Flora - I think however that her beauty wins the day! In RARARA format with some lovely recitative and a really satisfying text.
Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 865(10)
Range: d - g'
Editor: James Sanderson
The fire and pains of jealousy and unrequited love fan our protagonist's ardour in this lovely cantata. In RARA format, the first aria full of unexpected chromaticism, the second an excellent 'walking bass'.
Source: Münster HS 2459(6)
Range: f - g'
Editor: James Sanderson
Source: BL Add MS 14213 124v - 131v
Oh, the pain that Love causes, and once again it's Nice! Here the lover would willingly shed every last drop of blood to get Nice back. Hello?!!? Two recit and aria format, both arias slow, in the (appropriately) pathetic style.
Range: a - d'
Editor: James Sanderson
Tigers love, lions burn with love, the seas love the mountains and rivers, the woods love the forests, why doesn't this girl love him? In RARA format (andante & allegro).
Source: Münster Santini Sammlung Hs 2461
Range: G - b'
Editor: James Sanderson
Source BL Add 14211 f 150 - 156
A curiously formed cantata beginning with secco recitative which becomes 'a tempo' then moves into an aria and finished with a minuet. It's inconstant Fille and constant Fileno again, with Fileno venting his sadness.
Range: d#' - g''
Editor: James Sanderson
"Between hope and fear the poor heart does not know what to do..." So ends this exciting cantata in ARARA format. Virtuosic (but with pathos). A tale of how jealousy can ruin even the strongest of relationships.
Range: d - b''
Source: Biblioteca del Conservatorio di musica S. Pietro a Majella - Napoli - IT-NA0059; Segnatura: Cantate 29-07
Editor: James Sanderson
Unrequited love and self-sacrifice are the themes of this restrained and beautiful cantata. Being ignored by his beloved, the protagonist offers his life for just one glance. In RARA format.
Range: a - d'
Editor: James Sanderson
This comes from a manuscript in Lbl, the work of Roman copyist Tarquinio Lanciani (who copied works of Handel, A. Scarlatti, and Caldara). It provides a fascinating glimpse into ornamentation patterns familiar to early 18th century musicians.
Editor: Rosalind Halton
Unrequited love for Fileno rears its ugly head again in this large and beautiful cantata. "Cruel Destiny may kill the lover, but never the love". In RARARA format with two affettuoso arias, the second having a unusual written link back to the DS and one allegro.
Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 2459(13) WriM. 35
Range: b flat - d' flat
Editor: James Sanderson
Clori is '...burning with love...' for the handsome Daliso, but, of course, he is unfaithful and causes her to vent her spleen in many imaginative ways. Great recitatives and two splendid rage arias make up this RARA format cantata from the Naples Conservatorio Library collection.
Editor: James Sanderson
A cantata all about one of our favourite topics: infedelity! Clori's boasts of '...a constant breast, a faithful heart, a loyalty in love...' have proved unfounded and she is reviled as '...barbarous, faithless, cruel and treacherous, without a heart...' In RARA format this is a very effective betrayal cantata from a source at the Naples Conservatorio S Pietro a Majella.
Editor: James Sanderson
Source: BL Add 14211 ff 3r - 10v
A truly lovely cantata in five movements with Mancini's typical flexible attitude to recitative/arioso/aria combinations. A later performer, perhaps even the copyist, has made the note 'cantata bona di partenza' and has personalised a version of the text changing the lovers' names (Clori and Lillo) to Cara and me.
Range: d' - a''
Editor: James Sanderson
At last Clori is being deserted by her beloved. Curiously, however, she retains her hold over him as he bemoans the cruelty of Fate for separating them. In RARARAR format with the central aria a complicated 3/4 - 6/8 and 4/4.
Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 2459
Range: e - b''
Editor: James Sanderson
A classic lontananza cantata with Clori once again responsible for our lover's torment, but he still wants to "kiss the arrow that pierced my heart..." Oh, for goodness' sake! RARARA format, with two slow and one fast. Short, vivid recitatives.
Editor: James Sanderson
A charming cantata with strings by Mancini. Our protagonist has lost his love, but being pragmatic has resigned himself to the possiblity of the loss being permanent whilst still hoping for a reconciliation. In ARA format with lovely writing for both voice and strings.
Source is a MS in the collection of the Biblioteca del Conservatorio di musica S. Pietro a Majella – Napoli: Cantate 41 no 6.Editor: James Sanderson
A charming duo cantata with two duets, a recit and aria each. Dori[nda] wants to die for love (again!) because Mirtillo has rejected her (she thinks). He declares his undying devotion and all is back to normal. Really interesting harmonically with some very clear vocal writing.
Editor: James Sanderson
Forces: soprano, strings & continuo
A large and impressive work, this cantata contains an opening sinfonia, three recits and arias and, unusually, a solo cello line in the middle aria. The story of the first rose and how its beauty compares with that of Clori. Range d' - g'' Editor: James Sanderson
Source: Royal College of Music, London, MS. 697
A rewarding cantata for the rare combination of soprano, oboe obligato, and basso continuo, showing the rich cantabile style of Francesco Mancini (Scarlatti's deputy in Naples), with a witty final aria.
Editor: Rosalind Halton
Being compared to a stream may not be every girl's idea of a compliment, and Irene is no exception. Our young shepherd loves her, but is worried she is not faithful. Two arias surround a busy recitative and the key is in our shepherd's final words: If the heart is a traitor all the beauty of a lovely face cannot make me a lover!!
Editor: James Sanderson
A really stunning example of the genre. In Aria - Recit - Aria and with some very lovely vocal lines, typical of Mancini at his best. It is the story of Eurillo and Clori and how the course of real love never runs smooth
Editor: James Sanderson
Beneath the beech tree this time is Dalindo in relective mood. He dwells on the pain of disdain and the 'soothing balsam of love'. In RARA format, the violins providing a ritornello in the first aria and an integral echoing role in the second siciliano aria.
Source: Münster Santini Sammlung HS 860
Range: e - b'' flat
Editor: James Sanderson
The young man, perhaps unlucky and unhappy Tirsi, finds himself once more beneath the shade of a beech tree lamenting the cruelty of his beloved Dorinda. 2 recit and aria form with some stylish vocal passage work in both arias.
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