Georg Friedrich Haendel

The Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, or Twelve Grand Concertos, HWV 319–330, are 12 concerti grossi by George Frideric Handel for a concertino trio of two violins and violoncello and a ripieno four-part string orchestra with harpsichord continuo. First published by subscription in London by John Walsh in 1739, in the second edition of 1741 they became Handel's Opus 6. Taking the older concerto da chiesa and concerto da camera of Arcangelo Corelli as models, rather than the later three-movement Venetian concerto of Antonio Vivaldi favoured by Johann Sebastian Bach, they were written to be played during performances of Handel's oratorios and odes. Despite the conventional model, Handel incorporated in the movements the full range of his compositional styles, including trio sonatas, operatic arias, French overtures, Italian sinfonias, airs, fugues, themes and variations and a variety of dances. The concertos were largely composed of new material: they are amongst the finest examples in the genre of baroque concerto grosso.

The earliest of the twelve to be composed, Op. 6, No. 1 in G major, is built in five movements, the jubilant 6/8 meter Allegro finale coming across as something like frosting on top of the fugal fourth movement. The work (HWV 319) was mostly newly composed. The first movement was a complete reworking of a first draft of the overture for Imeneo, Handel's penultimate Italian opera, composed over a prolonged period from 1738 to 1740.

The fugal fourth movement (Allegro) has a catchy subject, first heard completely from the soloist. Despite being fugal in nature, it does not adhere to the strict rules of counterpoint, surprising the listener instead with ingenious episodes, alternating between the ripieno and concertino; at the close, where a bold restatement of the theme would be expected, Handel playfully curtails the movement with two pianissimo bars. The last concerto-like movement is an energetic gigue in two parts, with the soloists echoing responses to the full orchestra.

Although originally written for a small String Chamber orchestra, I created this arrangement for Clarinet Quartet (3 Bb Clarinets & Bass Clarinet). Thank you to Dr. Leonard Anderson for Clarinet-specific technical assistance.