The fourth instalment of La Risonanza’s survey of Handel’s youthful Italian cantatas is devoted to two works probably composed for the Marquis Francesco Maria Ruspoli in Rome. Karl Böhmer’s booklet essay is an enjoyable insight into the world of the Arcadian Academy, although a few speculative aspects regarding the composition and performance of these two cantatas are overstated as facts. But there is no doubt that Arresta il passo (nicknamed “Aminta e Fillide”) is one of the young Handel’s most likeable compositions. The Arcadian story of Aminta imploring Fillide to requite his love, and of her gradual melting towards his seduction, is told by La Risonanza in an affectionate and conversational way, with recitatives unhurried and performed with clarity, precision and elegance.

Bonizzoni resists the temptation to ham things up too much, and directs the music with a judicious ear for striking yet tasteful sonority. Sopranos Maria Grazia Schiavo (Aminta) and Nuria Rial (Fillide) achieve the elusive synthesis between stylised poetry, musical refinement and dramatic character. The radiant violin-playing in Fillide’s “Fu scherzo, fu gioco” is a delicately playful illustration of the text’s reference to love being a joke and a game, and Rial sings the difficult vocal part effortlessly and with delicious sagacity. Schiavo is equally impressive in Aminta’s “Se vago rio”, which has a spellbinding pizzicato string accompaniment and strange harmonic twists (Handel later reused it as the Siren’s song in Rinaldo). Fillide’s surprise at her emerging feelings of love for Aminta, and his increasing elation, are delightfully conveyed by all of the vocal and instrumental performers.

Clori, mia bella Clori (sung by Schiavo) also benefits from meticulous attention to detail, such as the exquisitely shaded duetting violins in “Mie pupille”. La Risonanza once again show that Handel’s youthful Italian compositions are breathtaking masterpieces of considerable refinement, subtlety and quality.