Re[2]: GG: Handel

[mwilliamson@alston.com]

     There are sixteen of these, eight written in 1720 and eight 
     written in 1732 (if I am remembering my dates correctly).  
     They're beautiful, beautiful, beautiful; but not as hard as 
     most of the Bach suites and partitas.  The 1732 suites in 
     particular seem to be intended for music-making in the home, 
     although they're still challenging enough to be enjoyable.  
     Some of these suites are quite short:  more evidence of 
     intended use for home music-making?
     
     The other interesting thing about these suites is that they 
     do not strictly follow the (intro) allemande courante 
     sarabande (bourees/minuets/etc./etc.) gigue format of most 
     baroque suites.  Sometimes these dance movements are used; 
     sometimes they're not.  Many movements are entitled simply 
     "allegro" or "aria" or some such other term.  So apparently 
     Handel saw the suite as any kind of grouping of short 
     musical pieces assembled to make a larger whole.
     
     Diggin' those Handel suites, man.
     
     mw  :-)


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: GG: Handel
Author:  Alun Severn <alun@ukiah.demon.co.uk> at internet
Date:    1/27/97 6:47 PM


>Please enlighten me. The only solo keyboard works worthy of anyone 
>recording are the Harpsichord "Suites." These contain some really fine 
>music. But, you say GG recorded GFH's "Sonatas" ...?
     
You're right. My mistake. Suites (hwv 426 - 429) not sonatas. SMK 52590.
     
Rgds,  Alun
     
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