PROGRAM
| George Frideric HANDEL (1685–1759) | “The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba,” from Solomon, HWV 67 (1749) “Verdi prati,” from Alcina (1735) |
| Antonio VIVALDI (1678–1741) | Concerto in E major, Op. 8, No. 1, “Spring,” from The Four Seasons (c. 1723) |
| Johann Sebastian BACH (1685–1750) | Air from Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068 (1731) |
| Henry PURCELL (1659–1695) | Suite from The Fairy Queen (1692) (Jig – Rondeau – Hornpipe from Act III) |
| Johann PACHELBEL (1653–1706) | Canon in D major (c. 1680–1690) |
| HANDEL | “Da tempeste il legno infranto,” from Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17 (1724) |
INTERMISSION
| Jean-Philippe RAMEAU (1683–1764) | “Les sauvages,” from Les Indes galantes (1735–1736) |
| PURCELL | Trumpet Sonata in D major, Z. 850 (c. 1694) “If Love’s a Sweet Passion,” from The Fairy Queen (1692) |
| J.S. BACH | Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 (1718) |
| Barbara STROZZI (1619–1677) | Che si può fare?, Op. 8 (1664) |
| Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681–1767) | Suite from Hamburger Ebb’ und Fluth (Water Music), TWV 55:C3 (1723) (Ouverture – Loure – Gigue – Canarie) |
| Jean-Baptiste LULLY (1637–1687) | “Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs,” from Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (1670) |
| HANDEL | “Let the Bright Seraphim,” from Samson, HWV 57 (1743) |
TEXT AND TRANSLATION
George Frideric Handel
| “Verdi prati,” from Alcina (Ruggiero) | |
| Verdi prati, selve amene, perderete la beltà. Vaghi fior, correnti rivi, la vaghezza, la bellezza, presto in voi si cangerà. Verdi prati, selve amene, perderete la beltà. E cangiato il vago oggetto, all’orror del primo aspetto tutto in voi ritornerà. |
Green meadows, pleasant woods, You will lose your beauty. Pretty flowers, flowing waters, Your fleeting splendor Will soon fade. Green meadows, pleasant woods, You will lose your beauty. And when that fleeting vision changes, everything in you will return to its dreadful beginning. |
| Handel “Da tempeste il legno infranto,” from Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Cleopatra) |
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| Da tempeste il legno infranto, se poi salvo giunge in porto non sa più che desiar.Così il cor tra pene, e pianto, or che trova il suo conforto torna l’anima a bear. |
The storm-beaten vessel, if reaches safe harbor, desires nothing more.Since my heart through pain and tears, Has now found comfort, Delight returns to my soul. |
| Barbara Strozzi “Che si può fare?” |
What can be done? |
| Che si può fare? Le stelle rubelle Non hanno pietà. Che s’el cielo non dà Un influsso di pace al mio penare, Che si può fare?Che si può dire? Da gl’astri disastri Mi piovano ogn’hor; Che le perfido amor Un respiro diniega al mio martire, Che si può dire? |
What can be done? Wanton stars have no pity. What if the Heavens offer no peace in my torments? What can be done?What can be said? From the stars above Disasters keep raining on me; Since treacherous love denies respite to my torments, what can be said? |
| Henry Purcell “If Love’s a Sweet Passion,” from The Fairy Queen[William Shakespeare] |
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| If love’s a sweet passion why does it torment? If a bitter, oh tell me, whence comes my content? Since I suffer with pleasure, why should I complain, or grieve at my fate, when I know it’s in vain? Yet so pleasing the pain is so soft as the dart, That at once it both wounds me and tickles my heartI press her hand gently, look languishing down, and by passionate silence I make my love known. But oh! How I’m blest when so kind she does prove, by some willing mistake to discover her love. When in striving to hide, she reveals her flame, and in our eyes tell each other what neither dares name. |
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| HANDEL “Let the Bright Seraphim,” from Samson (Israelite Woman) |
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| Let the bright seraphim in burning row, Their loud, uplifted angel trumpets blow. Let the cherubic host, in tuneful choirs, Touch their immortal harps with golden wires. |