Handel flute sonatas

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Traverso (baroque flute) by Boaz Berney, after an original by Thomas Lot, Paris, ca. 1740 Traverso 003.jpg
Traverso (baroque flute) by Boaz Berney, after an original by Thomas Lot, Paris, ca. 1740

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. [1] 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 (in an altered form) 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.

Contents

The main source of the sonatas is the c. 1730 publication Sonates pour un traversiere un violin ou hautbois con basso continuo composées par G. F. Handel, allegedly by the Amsterdam publisher Jeanne Roger (who had died in December 1722), however the publication was made by the printer John Walsh. In 1732 Walsh published a revised version under his own name. [2] [3]

Three sonatas attributed to Handel were published by Walsh in 1730 as part of a collection titled Six Solos, Four for a German Flute and a Bass and two for a Violin with a Thorough Bass. It was supposed that they were early works composed by Handel before 1703 in Halle but their authenticity is now considered doubtful. The supposition of the date has been proven unfounded, at least for the second sonata, three movements of which are arrangements of music known to have been composed by Handel after 1712. [4]

Of the eleven flute sonatas formerly attributed to Handel, only one (the flute sonata in E minor (HWV 379)) appears to have been intended for the flute as it exists in that form in Handel's autograph, and even that one is a hasty arrangement of movements from other works. [5]

The flute sonata in D major (HWV 378), which was attributed in a manuscript to Johann Sigismund Weiss (brother of the lutenist Sylvius Leopold Weiss), has been proffered as a work by Handel, [6] however no autograph version by Handel is known to exist.

List of flute sonatas

The following are the eight candidates for being flute sonatas by Handel:

HWV KeyComposedPublishedOpusNotes
359b E minorOpus 1 No. 1bOriginally composed as a violin sonata in D minor (HWV 359a).
363b G majorOpus 1 No. 5Originally composed as an oboe sonata in F major (HWV 363a).
367b B minorOpus 1 No. 9Originally composed as a recorder sonata in d minor (HWV 367a).
374 A minor"Halle sonata No. 1". Authenticity uncertain.
375 E minor"Halle sonata No. 2". Authenticity uncertain.
376 B minor"Halle sonata No. 3". Authenticity uncertain.
378 D majorNo autograph version by Handel is known to exist.
379 E minorOpus 1 No. 1aThe only sonata that survives as a flute sonata in Handel's own manuscript. Arrangement of movements from other works.

See also

Related Research Articles

Fitzwilliam Sonatas is the name first given by Thurston Dart to an arrangement he made, based on two recorder sonatas by George Frideric Handel, which he recast as a group of three sonatas. The term was applied by later editors to the original two sonatas as Handel wrote them, and was also expanded to encompass several other sonatas for various instruments included in the Handel autograph manuscripts held by the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

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 E minor was composed 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.

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.

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 Flute sonata in D major was composed by George Frideric Handel, for flute and keyboard (harpsichord). The work is also referred to as HHA iv/18,41.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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 or attributed to 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".

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 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

Citations

  1. ↑ Sadie 2001, p. 2.
  2. ↑ Hicks 2001, p. 770.
  3. ↑ Best 1985, pp. 481–483.
  4. ↑ Best 1985, p. 484.
  5. ↑ Lasocki & Best 1981, pp. 308–309.
  6. ↑ Lasocki & Best 1981, pp. 309–310.

Sources


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