R.M.20.a.3

f. i. is an inserted leaf with a note (‘The 1st scena of this Opera is missing’) by F. Nicolai, originally before f. 1, now bound at the end of the volume, after f. 121.

Points of note:

1. f. 1. All is wanting before the words ‘a poveri dispensa l’or’ in Act I, sc. 1.

2. f. 1v. Agrippina’s recitative (H-G., p.8, bottom line) originally ended ‘un momento perduto tal volta è distruttor di grandi imprese’, leading to an air (with Continuo) for Nerone: ‘Sara [sic] qual vuoi ai cenni tuoi questo cor mio’ (not in H-G.). The words of the recitative in H-G. are written above the original text, with the direction: ‘Segue l’Aria con stromenti in vece di questa’ [see below, 16].

3. f. 8. ‘Volo pronto’. English words (‘Pleasure’s gentle zephyrs playing’, etc.) have been written in pencil by J. C. Smith the younger above the Italian text. These were added when the song was introduced in 1757 in ‘The Triumph of Time and Truth’.

4. f. 22. ‘Stanza di Popea [sic]. Popea allo specchio’. The change of scene is not noted in H-G., p. 35.

5. f. 22v. ‘Vaghe perle’. The accompaniment is for violins and flutes in unison.

6. ff. 41v-45. Both versions of ‘Se giunge un dispetto’ (H-G., pp. 57, 60) are in the MS.

7. f. 52v. A note in F. Nicolai’s hand states that two leaves are wanting after the end of ‘Di timpani e trombe’. This is evidently the case, as f. 53 contains the words of recitatives without music (crossed out), followed by a final chord in G major.

8. f. 53v. Agreeing with H-G., p. 72, but without ‘Scena IV’ as a heading.

9. f. 57. ‘Sotto il lauro’. Only Version A (H-G., p. 77) is in the MS.

10. f. 78. ‘Here the Scena 17th is wanting’ (note in F. Nicolai’s hand).

11. f. 79. ‘Scena 18. Agrip.’ ‘Per dar la pace’ (H-G., p. 100). It is followed by ‘Scena 19, Claud. Agr.’. ‘Vagheggiar de tuoi bei lumi’, an air (with Continuo) for Claudio, partly crossed out and not in H-G., which here prints a recitative (‘A vagheggiar io vengo…ne tuoi bei lumi’) which is not in the MS.

12. f. 97. At the beginning of Scene 10 (H-G., p. 119) an Aria with Continuo for Poppea, ‘Esci o mia vita’ (not in H-G.) is crossed out, and ‘quest’Aria non si dice’ written above it.

13. f. 98. ‘Ora Ottone, che dici?’ (not ‘Oh Ottone’, as in H-G., p. 119).

14. f. 98v. A Duet (with Continuo) for Ottone and Poppea, ‘No, ch’io non apprezzo’ (partly crossed out), is not in H-G., which here (p. 120) prints an air ‘Pur ch’io ti stringa’ (not in the MS.).

15. f. 100. ‘Bel piacere’ (H-G., p. 121). The original words (‘Chi ben ama’, etc.) are crossed out.

16. f. 120. ‘Con saggio tuo consiglio’ (H-G., p. 9). This is the air referred to on f. 1v.

Vicenzo Grimani, Cardinal, diplomat and librettist: Handel's 'Agrippina' to a libretto by Vicenzo Grimani: 18th cent: Ital.

Frederick Nicolay, royal musician and librarian: Handel's autograph scores annotated by: circa 1760- circa 1809: Autogr.