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 (three extra "Opus 1" sonatas were added in a later edition by Chrysander). [1]
The 1732 edition (which displays at the bottom of the title page the legend "Note: This is more Corect [ sic ] than the former Edition") was mostly reprinted from the plates of an earlier 1730 publication, titled Sonates pour un Traversiere un Violon ou Hautbois Con Basso Continuo Composées par G. F. Handel—purportedly printed in Amsterdam by Jeanne Roger, but now shown to have been a forgery by Walsh (dated well after Jeanne Roger's death in 1722). There was also a third edition of a later, uncertain date, which bears the plate no. 407. [2]
Each sonata displays the melody and bass lines—with the expectation that a competent keyboard player would supply the omitted inner parts based on the figured bass markings. By modern-day standards, the music in the publication has a primitive appearance—with squashed notes and irregular spacings, stems and bar widths—as can be seen in the image of page 1 (reproduced below in this article).
Despite the titles in both editions, four of the sonatas in each are for a fourth instrument: the flauto (recorder).
The following table lists each of the sonatas included by Walsh in his publication of 1732, as well as information about the instrument, the key, and the original sonata by Handel.
| Sonata | Instrument | Key signature | Handel's sonata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonata I | Flute | E minor | Flute sonata in E minor (HWV 359b). This is the same sonata as Chrysander's Sonata Ib. |
| Sonata II | Recorder | G minor | Recorder sonata in G minor (HWV 360). |
| Sonata III | Violin | A major | Violin sonata in A major (HWV 361). |
| Sonata IV | Recorder | A minor | Recorder sonata in A minor (HWV 362). |
| Sonata V | Flute | G major | Flute sonata in G major (HWV 363b). |
| Sonata VI | Oboe | G minor | Violin sonata in G minor (HWV 364a). |
| Sonata VII | Recorder | C major | Recorder sonata in C major (HWV 365). |
| Sonata VIII | Oboe | C minor | Oboe sonata in C minor (HWV 366). |
| Sonata IX | Flute | B minor | Flute sonata in B minor (HWV 367b). Walsh published what is now considered to be Handel's Opus 1 No. 9b. (Handel's Opus 1 No. 9a is the Recorder sonata in D minor (HWV 367a).) |
| Sonata X | Violin | G minor | Violin sonata in G minor (HWV 368). Probably spurious. |
| Sonata XI | Recorder | F major | Recorder sonata in F major (HWV 369). |
| Sonata XII | Violin | F major | Violin sonata in F major (HWV 370). Probably spurious. |
The following table lists the sonatas included by Walsh in his publication of 1730. Sonatas I – IX and XI were as per the 1732 publication (defined above).
| Sonata | Instrument | Key signature | Handel's sonata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonata X | Violin | A major | Violin sonata in A major (HWV 372). Probably spurious. Designated Opus 1, No. 14 by the later Chrysander edition. |
| Sonata XII | Violin | E major | Violin sonata in E major (HWV 373). Probably spurious. Designated Opus 1, No. 15 by the later Chrysander edition. |
John Walsh was the name of a father and son, two printers and publishers of music, active in London from the late 17th Century, and through the first half of the 18th Century. They published much important Baroque music, including works by William Babell and George Frideric Handel.
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 basso continuo. 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 basso continuo. 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 basso continuo. 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 basso continuo, 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 basso continuo. 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 E minor is thought to have been composed by George Frideric Handel, for flute and basso continuo. 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 Oboe sonata in C minor was composed by George Frideric Handel for oboe and basso continuo. 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.
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.
The Sonata in G minor was composed by George Frideric Handel for recorder and basso continuo. 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 basso continuo. 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 basso continuo. 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 basso continuo, 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.
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 Violin sonata in G minor is a work for violin and basso continuo 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 basso continuo. 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 basso continuo 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 basso continuo. 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 basso continuo 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 basso continuo 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.
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