Handel's pastoral cantata, Aminta e Fillide, dates from his stay in Italy during the first decade of the eighteenth century. It's an extended piece lasing little short of an hour and was first performed in Rome in 1708 as part of celebrations organized by the Arcadian Academy with which Handel was for a time associated. One of the aims of the Academy which had been founded in 1690 in honour of Queen Christina of Sweden, was the re-creation of a pastoral style based on simplicity and restraint and Handel's cantata reflects this aspect of its aspirations. The text concerns the love of shepherd Aminta for the nymph, Fillide, who is seemingly indifferent to his blandishments. Constancy and fidelity are the means by which he eventually wins her heart but it is the pleasing imagery and ravishing arias of the cantata which have won mine. Enthusiasts for Handel's operas will recognize some of the music which, soon after, found its way into Agrippina (1709) and Rinaldo (1711).
The vocal timbres of Gillian fisher (Aminta) and Patrizia Kwella (Fillide) are sufficiently different to make the necessary distinction between shepherd and nymph and I found their performances both stylish and technically assured. Gillian Fisher's pureness of tone, somewhat boyish in character, is ideal for this role and makes an effective contrast with Patrizia Kwella's slightly rounder and more softly coloured sound. Each of them has arias and they unite in a concluding duet, the only number, perhaps, where I detected occasional vocal insecurity. The cantata is full of enchanting music with one or two particularly engaging arias. For me, Fillide's waltz-like ''Fiamma bella'' in 9/8 measure, whose catchy instrumental ritornello later occurs in Rinaldo's ''E un incendio fra due venti'' possesses especial charm. It is full of vitality and outstandingly well sung. Aminta's Se vago rio'' (the mermaid's song in Rinaldo) is hardly less appealing but, though it is affectingly sung, I found the tempo too ponderous. Amongst the many other fine arias, Fillide's ''Non si puo dar un cor'', with its foretaste of Cleopatra's ''Tu la mia stella sei'' (Giulio Cesare, 1724), is perhaps worth singling out for its lyricism, melodic warmth and sensitive performance.
The string ensemble of the London Handel Orchestra under Denys Darlow gives lively and reasonant support to the voices and the recorded sound is clear and pleasantly balanced. First-class presentation by Donald Burrows and Anthony Hicks is complemented by Platzer's striking miniature of a youthful Handel. STrongly recomended.'