Albinoni (1671-1751) was a leading composer of chamber cantatas in the years around 1700. A carefully copied manuscript preserved in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin contains 18 of his cantatas, of which 16 (omitting only the two published in the composer's Op. 4 and already available in a modern edition) are included in this volume. They show the full range of Albinoni's style, which ranges from the slyly humorous to the deeply impassioned, from music of folk-like simplicity to intricate coloratura and rich chromatic harmony. Those who know only Albinoni's instrumental music may be surprised at the adventurousness of his vocal writing. The edition, which addresses the needs of both performers and scholars, includes a preface, a transcription of the poetic texts with English and German translations, and a critical report. (Hard cover)