Hi all!

I'm a rising junior in high school (in case you don't know me!). My current private lesson teacher gave me a book of Handel Sonatas a while back. Since I am going to a new country, I will have a new teacher. I just want to work on one of them for fun! I can't decide which one to work on!!

The book of Handel Sonata's I have is the Revised edition of Seven Sonatas and Famous Largo for Flute and Piano. It's revised by Robert Cavally, and published by Southern Music Company.

The sonatas are

Sonata I in E minor (op. 1, no. 1B)
Sonata II in G Minor Op. 1, No. 2
Sonata III in G Major Op. 1, No. 5 [Note: this is sonata IV in other editions of Handel's Sonatas]
Sonata IV in C Major Op. 1, No. 7 [Note: This is sonata V in other editions of Handel's Sonatas]
Sonata V in F Major Op. 1, 11 [this is sonata VII in other editions of Handel's Sonatas]
Sonata VI in B minor Op. 1, No. 9
Sonata VII in A Minor Op. 1, No. 4 [this is Sonata III in other editions of Handel's Sonatas
Famous Largo from the Opera Xerxes

Thanks in advance!!

If you're just doing it for your own enjoyment, pick the one you like best! Give them all a read, and if one sticks out as your favorite, go for that one.

If I had to choose I would go with Sonata IV in C Major.

How nice!
All of them are so beautiful... I started with the 374 Hallenser I(C major) because it seemed to be easier. (C major...) But it has its difficulties (for my level) in the last Allegro. I also worked on the 375 Hallenser II.... until I discovered the 367b (op 1 Nr 9) in B minor. Also gave a try at the 359b (op 1, nr 1b in E minor)
That's the one!

True is that the Presto is well out of my reach for the time being and maybe for a long time, but the other movements are so beautiful!. Give a try at the Vivace and the Andante, for example.

I produced a SW generated simple basso continuo (just with a synthesised cello,so far) from the score I have (the VEB Deutscher Verlag für Musik Leipzig) to enjoy it better but also to help me with the tempo (had some difficulties with the 3/2 of the Vivace). I have those files available in case you want to use them.

I plan to add the harpsichord soon, but I must first figure out how to do it with the SW without entering each note by hand.

Sorry, re-reading my post I notice it ended up not being clear enough.

The "that's the one" I refer to is the 367b

there is not a bad one in the lot, some are more difficult then others, at some point, try to get your hands on an Urtext, or original version, from Barenreiter

Thanks everyone! Wow...I didn't expect this many responses!

"there is not a bad one in the lot, some are more difficult then others, at some point, try to get your hands on an Urtext, or original version, from Barenreiter"

Okay! I'll keep my eye out!

Patrick's advice is good...Particularly with Baroque and Classical music, lots of little things have been changed from the original manuscript to now, so if you ever buy something from these eras, if at all possible, it's a good idea to buy an Urtext edition.

One version of any Baroque music is enough for me. *Grins*

Can't argue with that, Kara! Baroque music has never been my favorite (with some exceptions), but I'd like to be able to take the original music and put my own spin on things rather than risk taking someone else's interpretation. Oftentimes these non-Urtext editions have things that just don't fit the style, both articulation and ornament wise, but most people would never know that stuff wasn't in the original.

Sonata V in F Major Op 1 11 is quite nice.

I think that the VEB Deutscher Verlag für Musik Leipzig printed version is urtext or practically so. A few trills only, but all slurs are indicated. I do not know if this can be considered to be urtext.

Could it?

RH Basso continuo is figured in this version.

most modern editions are over edited, the Urtext allows you to have more freedom (tastefully) than any thing cheaper

The Barenreiter Urtext score can be purchased here: http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/093320/details.html

I agree, Patrick. I have an edition of the Vivaldi concerto in C major which includes a 10-tuplet that simply isn't there in the original. It's not written as ornamentation either...They literally changed the durations to get it to fit into the measure. This, along with stylistically inappropriate slur/staccato marks, trills, and the like make it sound hardly like the original piece. Thankfully it's not hard to find reasonably accurate editions of this type of music that will allow you to (tastefully) ornament and articulate without confusing notations to deal with.