Amore traditore (Treacherous love), BWV 203, is a secular cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in Weimar between 1718 and 1723.
Contents
History and text
Bach composed this cantata in Weimar between 1718 and 1723 for an unknown occasion. Its librettist and first performance are also unknown. Unusually for Bach, the text is Italian; only one other cantata (BWV 209) has Italian text.
Scoring and structure
It is based on the Italian solo cantata tradition and is in three movements for bass and keyboard (and possibly cello or viola da gamba).
- Aria: Amore traditore
- Recitative: Voglio provar
- Aria: Chi in amore ha nemica la sorte
Music
The first aria includes a flowing bass line and strong ritornello theme. The movement is in da capo form and features long melismas and a very high vocal range. The secco recitative is short but not harmonically cohesive. The final movement is also a da capo aria, with three lines of counterpoint and a complex keyboard part.