Tra le fiamme

Tra le fiamme (Il consiglio) (HWV 170) is a dramatic secular cantata for soprano and instruments written by Georg Frideric Handel in 1707. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG liiB,66; and HHA v/5,55. The title of the cantata translates as "In flames (Counsel)".

The text for the work was written by Cardinal Benedetto Pamphili. The payment on 6 July 1707 (recorded in Pamphili's account books) for the copying of a large cantata probably refers to Tra le fiamme.

Using the analogy of butterflies attracted to a flame, and the story of Daedalus (who constructed wings made from wax and feathers for himself and his son Icarus), Pamphili uses the cantata to issue a warning to his audience: that the phoenix can rise from the flames, however the butterflies will be killed. It is possible that the cardinal was also directing the warning specifically to Handel, as there was a rumour at the time about a relationship between Handel (then twenty-two) and the singer Vittoria Tarquini (who was the mistress of Prince Ferdinand de' Medici of Florence).

The work is scored for two recorders (flauto), oboes (hautbois), two violins, viola da gamba, a "Violone Grosso" (as specified in Handel's autograph) and, as customary practice in the 18th century, a harpsichord. The work is notable for having a virtuoso part for the viola da gamba. The cantata begins with an aria followed by two recitative-aria pairings, after which a final recitative is performed before an instruction to repeat ("Da Capo") the cantata's opening aria (an unusual feature in Handel cantatas).

A typical performance of the work takes about seventeen and a half minutes.

The work consists of seven movements (with the final movement being a partial repeat of the first):

O mio core, per farti felice,

e t'inganna una vaga beltà.

Cadon mille farfalle nel foco,

e si trova una sola fenice,

che risorge se a morte sen va.

O my heart, to make you happy, and are deceived by a fine beauty.

A thousand butterflies fall into the fire,

but there is only one phoenix,

which rises from death.

tessea con mano ardita

e con tenera cera

piuma a piuma aggiungea.

Icaro, il fanciulletto

sovente confondea

l'ingegnoso lavoro;

Ah, cosi mai trattato non avesse

e cera e piume:

Per chi non nacque augello

il volare è portento,

il cader è costume.

Icarus, the young child confused the cunning work; Ah, so he should never have treated wax and feathers in this way:

For those not born a bird, flying is a miracle and falling is customary.

sciolse l'ali il giovinetto,

e con l'aure già scherzando.

Ma del volo sì gradito

troppo ardito

l'onda ancor va mormorando.

But the flight so pleasing but too bold is still talked about by the murmuring waves.

nel temerario volo

molti gl'Icari son,

Dedalo un solo.

scorra veloce la terra il mare

parta, ritorni né fermi il piè.

Voli ancor l'uomo ma coi pensieri

che delle piume ben più leggeri

e più sublimi il ciel gli diè.

Man may fly, but with thoughts far lighter and sublime than the wings that heaven gave him.

ferma il pensier nel suolo

e poi dispone il volo

con ali che si finge, e in sé non ha.