Georg Friedrich Händel: The Easy Piano Collection Handel Gold (CD Edition): Easy

This performing edition offers a selection of the easiest keyboard pieces and dances by George Frideric Handel. Although Handel’s keyboard works occupy a modest place in his extensive compositional output they include many pieces of outstanding significance. Himself a virtuoso keyboard player Handel wrote not only difficult music for his instrument but also a considerable number of easy pieces from various stages in his career. Alongside wellknown pieces such as the Sarabande in D minor this edition includes pieces which bring discoveries and surprises. It is particularly in his dance numbers that Handel reveals himself as a true master of the easybut euphonious keyboard piece. Many minuets airs and marches appear here for the first time in a printed collection a clear indication of the editorial value of this edition. The reliable fingering and the notes on ornamentation make the collection very practical to use. A varied and unusual range of pieces for piano lessons with valuable notes on the works and a spacious appearance on the page. The ideal introduction to Handel's keyboard music Varied selection of Handel's easiest keyboard pieces Trustworthy edition with explanatory notes and reliable fingering Readily affordable collection

26 Easy Pieces from 4 Centuries. Les pièces, qui conviennent non seulement aux jeunes, mais également aux adultes débutants, sont adaptées, dans leur diversité stylistique, aussi bien pour des concerts que pour des représentations dans un cadre sacré. Alors que certaines des pièces ont été composées par les compositeurs pour l'écriture pour cordes à quatre voix, l'éditeur utilise également des oeuvres pour piano qu'il a arrangées - aussi proches que possible de l'original - pour quatuor à cordes. / Niveau : 2 / Recueil / Quatuor à Cordes

In his libretto for “Riccardo Primo” Paolo Rolli drew on Antonio Lotti’s opera “Isacio tiranno” which had been performed in Venice in 1710. Handel needed a text with two great women’s roles for the two best female singers of the day were members of his troupe – Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni. He had already written the operas “Alessandro” and “Admeto” for them. He began composing “Riccardo Primo” in spring 1727 completing the first version on 16 May. However following the death of King George I on 11 June 1727 the theatres remained closed.For Handel who had become a British citizen in February 1727 the accession of George II to the throne offered new possibilities and he embarked on a revision of the opera. With this he was able to offer a new opera for the coronation festivities the hero of which was one of King George’s charismatic forebears. From May onwards Handel thoroughly revised the present score wrote some parts anew and expanded it with particularly splendid music. Handel and Rolli also improved the plot and introduced patriotic elements to honour the British monarchy. The historic background is the third crusade against Saladin the Sultan of Egypt and Syria who had recaptured Jerusalem in 1187. Although King Richard I captured Cyprus and together with French crusaders stormed the fortress of Akko in the Holy Land the crusade ended with a ceasefire and Jerusalem remained in Saladin’s hands. Richard was given the title ‘Coeur-de-lion’ by the English for his great military ability and bravery although the Sicilians had first given him this name because of his relentless cruelty in clashes around Messina . The vocal score is based on the Halle Handel Edition volume published in 2005 edited by Terence Best and contains the second version of the opera which was premiered in November 1727. Performance material available for hire. Based on the Urtext of the Halle Handel Edition. Original Italian text with German singing translation. Straightforward and easy-to-play Piano reduction.

When Queen Caroline the wife of King George II of England died on 20 November 1737 Handel was commissioned to write an anthem for her funeral service. She was buried in King Henry VII?s Chapel Westminster Abbey on the evening of 17 December 1737 with Handel?s work performed after the funeral service.To emphasize the solemnity of the occasion he used a roughly 100-piece Orchestra and 80 Choristers. The piece is a so-called ?full anthem? consisting of an instrumental Introduction (?Symphony?) and thirteen interlinked choruses. The words were written by Edward Willes the Sub-Dean of Westminster at that time using passages from the King James Bible and theBook of Common Prayer albeit sometimes departing from the original wording.The absence of sections for solo voice has made this anthem a favourite among ambitious choruses and a highlight of any concert programme. Our edition contains the original unabridged version with English text. Martin Focke?s Piano reduction follows the Urtext of the Halle Handel Edition.Original unabridged version.Urtext from the Halle Handel Edition.Straightforward easy-to-play Piano reduction.Full score performance material (BA4267) and Vocal score (BA4267-90) based on the Urtext Halle Handel Edition available for sale.

When Queen Caroline the wife of King George II of England died on 20 November 1737 Handel was commissioned to write an anthem for her funeral service. She was buried in King Henry VII?s Chapel Westminster Abbey on the evening of 17 December 1737 with Handel?s work performed after the funeral service.To emphasize the solemnity of the occasion he used a roughly 100-piece Orchestra and 80 Choristers. The piece is a so-called ?full anthem? consisting of an instrumental Introduction (?Symphony?) and thirteen interlinked choruses. The words were written by Edward Willes the Sub-Dean of Westminster at that time using passages from the King James Bible and theBook of Common Prayer albeit sometimes departing from the original wording.The absence of sections for solo voice has made this anthem a favourite among ambitious choruses and a highlight of any concert programme. Our edition contains the original unabridged version with English text. Martin Focke?s Piano reduction follows the Urtext of the Halle Handel Edition.Original unabridged version.Urtext from the Halle Handel Edition.Straightforward easy-to-play Piano reduction.Full score performance material (BA4267) and Vocal score (BA4267-90) based on the Urtext Halle Handel Edition available for sale.

O come let us sing HWV 253 Chandos Anthem No.8Handel’s three anthems (My song shall be alway HWV 252 O come let us sing HWV 253 O praise the Lord HWV 254) were composed in 1717 and 1718 for Cannons a country estate near to London. They take their nickname the “Chandos Anthems” from the owner of the estate the First Duke of Chandos.The three pieces are noteworthy for their festive character and their varied orchestral accompaniment. Handel borrows older material from his Italian period and his earlier works for the Chapel Royal in London – a standard procedure for this composer who reusedparticularly successful pieces as starting points for his later works. The scoring for solo voices chorus oboe strings and continuo was tailored to the musical resources of the small country estate. Two additional recorders are needed for “O come let us sing unto the Lord”.The anthems present the Urtext from the “Halle Handel Edition” and include uncomplicated and easy-to-play Piano reductions. In addition to the original English words the full scores and vocal scores also include a singing translation in German.- Full score & parts (BA4293) and vocal score (BA4293-90) available for sale

Handel?s four anthems were all composed during his London period in the Chapel Royal. ?As pants the hart? his fifth setting of this Psalm text was written in March 1738 for performance at a benefit concert for the King?s Theatre in the Haymarket. Until just before Handel?s first visit to England the only instrument permitted to accompany the service in the Chapel Royal was the Organ.These four works (O sing unto the Lord HWV 249a I will magnify thee HWV 250b As pants the hart HWV 251e Let God arise HWV 256b) with their orchestral accompaniments thus represent something akin to a new genre in English church music.The four anthems arepresented in clearly laid out Vocal scores with easy-to-play Piano reductions based on the Urtext from the ?Halle Handel Edition?. Their winningly varied and self-sufficient orchestral writing provides a suitable framework for the festive chorus and the equally festive solo numbers. Today they sound as splendid as ever before. The full scores and Vocal scores also contain a German translation along with the original English.Scoring:- HWV 249a: soloists (AB) chorus (SATB) Flute 2 Oboes 2 Trumpets Strings Continuo.- HWV 250b: soloists (SATB) chorus (SATB) Oboe Strings Continuo.- HWV 251e: soloists (SAATBB) chorus (SAATBB) 2 Oboes Strings Continuo.- HWV 256b: soloists (AB) chorus (SATB) Oboe Strings Continuo.- Urtext from the ?Halle Handel Edition? at the forefront of musical scholarship.- First separate editions for performance purposes.- Clear and easy-to-play Piano reductions.- Original English text with underlaid German translation.- Full scores vocal scores and performance material available for sale.