Chaconne Ensemble

Everyone knows Bach cantatas. But Handel cantatas? Although he was a master of self-promotion, Handel never published his cantatas. He wrote them more for himself – like pages of a musical diary that he kept in his younger years as he travelled through Italy, Germany and as far as England. In search of his own expression, Handel wrote the cantatas sometimes in the Spanish, French or Italian style. This versatility captivated the Chaconne Ensemble and inspired them to investigate. Did he write in an even more Italian style than the Italians of his time? What qualities make Handel’s music distinctive?

In addition to the cantatas, the concert will feature various compositions that may have influenced Handel as a young man. Stormy, strong, intense baroque.