Musicologist: Many critics complain of the disproportion between text and music in Handel' s da capo arias  These texts are generally quite short and often repeated well beyond what is needed for literal understanding
Yet such criticism is refuted by noting that repetition serves a vital function: it frees the audience to focus on the music itself, which can speak to audiences whatever their language
Handel's da capo arias contain a disproportionate amount of music.