Flute sonata in E minor (HWV 359b)

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The Flute sonata in E minor (HWV 359b) was composed (c. 1724) by George Frideric Handel for flute and keyboard (harpsichord). The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 1b, and was first published in 1732 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,6; and HHA iv/3,10.

George Frideric Handel 18th-century German, later British, Baroque composer

George FridericHandel was a German, later British, Baroque composer who spent the bulk of his career in London, becoming well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos. Handel received important training in Halle-upon-Saale and worked as a composer in Hamburg and Italy before settling in London in 1712; he became a naturalised British subject in 1727. He was strongly influenced both by the great composers of the Italian Baroque and by the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition.

Harpsichord musical instrument played by means of a keyboard

A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard which activates a row of levers that in turn trigger a mechanism that plucks one or more strings with a small plectrum.

John Walsh (printer) printer and music publisher from England

John Walsh was an English music publisher of Irish descent, established off the Strand, London, by c. 1690. He was appointed musical instrument-maker-in-ordinary to the king in 1692.

Contents

The sonata was originally composed as a violin sonata in D minor (HWV 359a). [1] The flute sonata version is a compound work—compiled by Handel himself. It is the only flute sonata for which an autographed manuscript survives (which is currently held in the British Library).

The Violin sonata in D minor was composed by George Frideric Handel, for violin and keyboard (harpsichord). The work is also referred to as HHA iv/18,10.

British Library national library of the United Kingdom

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and the largest national library in the world by number of items catalogued. It is estimated to contain 150–200 million+ items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British Library receives copies of all books produced in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including a significant proportion of overseas titles distributed in the UK. The Library is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Of the two sonatas in the Chrysander edition as Opus 1 Sonata I, this one (Sonata Ib) is the one in the Walsh edition (where it is called Sonata I). Chrysander's Sonata Ia was compiled from manuscript sources. Chrysander's Sonata Ia and Sonata Ib have their first and fourth movements in common.

XV Handel solo sonatas (Chrysander)

XV Solos for a German Flute, Hoboy, or Violin with a Thorough Bass for the Harpsichord or Bass Violin was published by Friedrich Chrysander in 1879. The 72-page volume contains sonatas, for various instruments, composed by George Frideric Handel. The words on the cover of the publication are: Sonate da Camera di G.F.Handel. The publication includes all the sonatas as published by Walsh in 1732; and those sonatas, as well as extras included by Chrysander, include the body of work that is known as Handel's "Opus 1".

Handel solo sonatas (Walsh)

Solos for a German Flute a Hoboy or Violin with a Thorough Bass for the Harpsichord or Bass Violin Compos'd by Mr. Handel was published by John Walsh in 1732. It contains a set of twelve sonatas, for various instruments, composed by George Frideric Handel. The 63 page publication includes the sonatas that are generally known as Handel's Opus 1.

The Flute sonata in E minor was composed by George Frideric Handel for flute and keyboard (harpsichord). The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 1a, and was first published in 1879 by Chrysander. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,2; and HHA iv/3,2.

A typical performance of the work takes about seven minutes.

Movements

The work consists of four movements:

MovementTypeKey signatureTime signatureBarsClick to PlayNotes
1GraveE minor4
4		20Al Goldstein on flute with Martha Goldstein on harpsichord (2:07): In common with the first movement of the flute sonata in E minor (HWV 379).
2AllegroE minor4
4		43Al Goldstein on flute with Martha Goldstein on harpsichord (1:42):
3AdagioG major3
4		12Al Goldstein on flute with Martha Goldstein on harpsichord (0:43): Concludes on a B major chord.
4AllegroE minor3
8		80Al Goldstein on flute with Martha Goldstein on harpsichord (2:15): Two sections (31 and 49 bars)—each with repeat markings. In common with the fourth movement of the flute sonata in E minor (HWV 379).

(Movements do not contain repeat markings unless indicated. The number of bars is taken from the Chrysander edition, and is the raw number in the manuscript—not including repeat markings.)

See also

It is impossible to say how many flute sonatas were composed by George Frideric Handel, but the correct number is somewhere between none and eight. There are many reasons for the confusion: some of the sonatas were originally written for other instruments, some have uncertain authenticity, some contain borrowings from other Handel works, and some were published without Handel's knowledge. At least six of the sonatas are known to contain music written by Handel, although he may not have intended some of them to have been played by the flute.

Related Research Articles

The Flute sonata in G major was composed by George Frideric Handel in F major for the oboe, and was transposed by an unknown hand to G major, for flute and keyboard (harpsichord). The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 5, as it was first published in 1726 or slightly later by the London publisher Walsh, in an edition falsely attributed to Jeanne Roger of Amsterdam. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,19; and HHA iv/3,28. The sonata was originally composed as an oboe sonata in F major.

The Flute sonata in B minor is a work for flute and keyboard (harpsichord), however the sonata was originally composed by George Frideric Handel as a Recorder sonata in D minor . Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,32; and HHA iv/3,42.

The Sonata in D minor was composed, circa 1709–15, by George Frideric Handel for recorder and keyboard (harpsichord). The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 9a. Another catalogue of Handel's music refers to the work as HHA iv/18,19,45.

The Flute sonata in A minor is thought to have been composed by George Frideric Handel, for flute and keyboard (harpsichord). The date of composition of the work is unknown, but it was first published in 1730. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xlviii,130; and HHA iv/3,57.

The Flute sonata in E minor is thought to have been composed by George Frideric Handel, for flute and keyboard (harpsichord). The date of composition of the work is unknown, but it was first published in 1730. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xlviii,134; and HHA iv/3,63.

The Flute sonata in B minor is thought to have been composed by George Frideric Handel, for flute and keyboard (harpsichord). The date of composition of the work is unknown, but it was first published in 1730. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xlviii,137; and HHA iv/3,68.

The Oboe sonata in C minor was composed by George Frideric Handel for oboe and keyboard (harpsichord). The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 8, and was first published in 1732 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,29; and HHA iv/18,32.

The Sonata in G minor was composed by George Frideric Handel for recorder and harpsichord. The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 2, and was first published in 1732 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,9; and HHA iv/3,16.

The Violin sonata in A major was composed by George Frideric Handel for violin and keyboard (harpsichord). The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 3, and was first published in 1732 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,12; and HHA iv/4,2.

The Sonata in A minor was composed by George Frideric Handel for recorder and harpsichord. The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 4, and was first published in 1732 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,15; and HHA iv/3,21.

The Sonata in C major, for recorder and harpsichord, was composed by George Frideric Handel. The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 7, and was first published in or shortly after 1726—in a collection of twelve sonatas titled Sonates pour un Traversiere un Violon ou Hautbois Con Basso Continuo Composées par G. F. Handel—purportedly in Amsterdam by Jeanne Roger, but now shown to have been a forgery by the London publisher John Walsh. Walsh republished this sonata in 1731 or 1732 under his own imprint in a similar collection, containing ten of the earlier sonatas and two new ones, with the new title Solos for a German Flute a Hoboy or Violin With a Thorough Bass for the Harpsichord or Bass Violin Compos'd by Mr. Handel. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,15; and HHA iv/3,33.

The Violin sonata in G minor is a work for violin and keyboard (harpsichord) that was originally thought to have been composed by George Frideric Handel. Modern scholars however believe it doubtful that the work was composed by Handel, and have labelled it as "spurious". The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 10, and was first published in 1732 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,37; and HHA iv/4,28.

The Sonata in F major was composed by George Frideric Handel for recorder and harpsichord. The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 11, and was first published in 1732 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,40; and HHA iv/3,52.

The Violin sonata in F major is a work for violin and keyboard (harpsichord) that was originally thought to have been composed by George Frideric Handel. Modern scholars however believe it doubtful that the work was composed by Handel, and have labelled it as "spurious". The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 12, and was first published in 1732 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,42; and HHA iv/4,40.

The Violin sonata in G minor was composed by George Frideric Handel for violin and keyboard (harpsichord). The work is also referred to as Opus 1 No. 6, and was first published in 1732 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,22; and HHA iv/18,6. Also published in HG xlviii,118.

The Violin sonata in A major is a work for violin and keyboard (harpsichord) that was originally thought to have been composed by George Frideric Handel. Modern scholars however believe it doubtful that the work was composed by Handel, and have labelled it as "spurious". The work was first published in 1730 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,51; and HHA iv/4,46.

The Violin sonata in E major is a work for violin and keyboard (harpsichord) that was originally thought to have been composed by George Frideric Handel. Modern scholars however believe it doubtful that the work was composed by Handel, and have labelled it as "spurious". The work was first published in 1730 by Walsh. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxvii,54; and HHA iv/4,55.

References

  1. ↑ Hicks, Anthony (2001). Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John, eds. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians . x (2 ed.). London: Macmillan. p. 802.


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