Alessandro Scarlatti was a skilful and influential composer of chamber cantatas; he was also prolific—some 800 cantatas by him have survived, only a very small number of which are published—yet Scarlatti's fertility in this sphere, as indeed in that of opera, is dimly reflected in The Classical Catalogue. This new disc deserves a warm welcome on two counts. First, the music is stylishly performed and, secondly, the disc addresses itself to pieces which have not, as far as I know, been previously recorded. Scarlatti seems to have composed cantatas at all stages in his life, becoming one of the most renowned purveyors of a form consisting of alternating recitative and aria, almost invariably for a single voice with basso continuo but sometimes with obbligato instruments as well. The texts usually concern nymphs and shepherds who suffer terribly from the pangs of unrequited love, and their pleadings, protests and remonstrances are heard against an Arcadian backdrop.
An exception to an otherwise largely well-kept rule is the beautiful Cantata pastorale per la nascita which Nancy Argenta, happily, has included in her programme. It is the most elaborately scored of the four cantatas on the disc with parts for two violins, viola and continuo. The text concerns the Star of Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus and the shepherds' visit. Scarlatti's setting is intimate and tender, drawing its inspiration in part from the music of the shepherds who converged on Bethlehem from the outlying countryside to play at the crib. The same tradition pervaded the many Christmas concertos by Scarlatti's contemporaries and successors. Argenta's fresh-sounding and well-focused voice with its innocent air suits both music and text perfectly, and she is backed up by lively instrumental support.
The remaining cantatas are more darkly coloured and less immediately appealing; but they are expressive pieces none the less, full of harmonic subtlety and an assortment of musical ideas with which Scarlatti breathes life into the texts. The concluding aria of Hor che di Febo ascosi is a splendid example of this, although there are numerous other occasions, both in this fine cantata and elsewhere, where Scarlatti's colouring of the words is deft and imaginative. In conclusion, this is a disc which will delight lovers of baroque music and others, too, I trust. As I have remarked, the instrumental playing is stylish and sympathetic though there are moments in the upper string playing which lack refinement. Meanwhile, we can only hope that Argenta and the Chandos Baroque Players will feel inclined to make further sorties into the cantatas of a composer who is shamefully under-performed.'