Quell'augellin, che canta (Vivaldi) Sandrine Piau

Quell'augellin, che canta from La Silvia, RV 734
by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Sandrine Piau, soprano
Enrico Casazza, solo violin
Modo Antiquo
Federico Maria Sardelli, conductor

Quell'augellin, che canta
felice in mezzo al faggio,
canta la libertà,
che grato il ciel li diè.

Ma se in prigion ei sta,
sospira in suo linguaggio
e alla diletta pianta
sempre rivolge il piè.

The little bird singing
happily in the breech tree,
is singing of the freedom
that gracious heaven granted him.

But if he is a prisoner,
he weeps in his own language,
and back to his dear tree
he will always turn his wings.

From the liner notes [by Frédéric Deleméa (translated by Charles Johnston)]:
“Quell’augellin” was tailor-made for the soprano Margherita Gualandi in ‘La Silvia.’ This delicate miniature in C major is sung by the vestal Silvia, who uses the traditional parable of free and captive birds to proclaim her rejection of love’s fetters. Accompanied by a virtuoso solo violin, this aria delectably pits strings and singer against each other.

CD available from Naïve:
https://vivaldiedition.eu/2005/05/20/...

Art in the video by Christian Schloe:
  / christianschloedigitalart