Greene’s seven chamber arias – today, we would call them ‘concert arias’ – include a set of six that appears to have been custom-written for Faustina Bordoni, the great Venetian diva, during her visits to London in 1726–28, since (among other things) they all showcase her ‘trademark’ note: the E in the top space of the treble clef that particularly thrilled opera-goers. The obbligato violin part for all of them was probably written for the violinist and composer Mauro D’Alay, her constant compan...