HANDEL, George Friedrich (1685-1759)
In Handels time, the musical audience in London displayed great interest in everything to do with opera. Shortly after a new opera was presented, the most important arias appeared in simplified versions that one could sing and play oneself. In a library in The Hague such a version is handed down: The singing voice of the original is taken over by the viola da gamba, the flute plays the part of the first violin, the continuo remains and is best realized on a harpsichord. These 7 Arias a 3 provide us also today with the possibility to become acquainted with and to play Handels arias in a purely instrumental scoring. The flute part can be played on a transverse flute or a recorder in D. Moreover, these pieces provide a glimpse at the practices and necessities of musical reception at a time in which sound storage media did not yet exist.
Fl+VdG+Bc, 2 full scores (one of which with realization) and 3 parts.
Editor: Günter and Leonore von Zadow.
Continuo realization: Dankwart von Zadow.
