L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato

In the early 1630s, on the eve of the English Civil War, the poet John Milton wrote two poems depicting two opposing types of human character: L’Allegro (Mirth) and Il Penseroso (Melancholy ). Around one century later – peace and divine order having been restored – Handel’s librettist Charles Jennens put the two texts together and mixed them to avoid overly uniform musical passages. The result is a dialogue in which one of the title characters sets the tone in turn. Lastly, Jennens added a third part to the work, Il Moderato, a synthesis of the first two parts which seeks the good life in moderation and compromise – a remarkable acknowledgement coming from Jennens, who had the reputation of being a somewhat irascible character. Handel’s music to this libretto is a roller-coaster of changing feelings and thoughts which culminates in the duet As steals the morn – a simple, deeply moving melody which Mirth and Melancholy sing in harmony with one another.

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