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Sheila Helser


7 Violin Sonatas by Georg Frederic Handel


The term Sonata, was used occasionally in the sixteenth century in a very general way for almost any kind of ensemble instrumental composition, and implied nothing about form. The word Sonata appears regularly on the title pages of Italian musical publications throughout the seventeenth century. The word Baroque in musical history designates both a chronological period extending from about the end of the sixteenth century to the middle of the eighteenth century, and the style of music typical of that period. The boundary dates are approximations, since many characteristics of Baroque music were in evidence before 1600 and many were disappearing before 1750. But it is possible and convenient to take these dates as approximate limits within which certain ways of organizing musical material, certain ideals of musical sound, and certan kinds of musical expression developed. Baroque is exemplified at its highest in the works of Johann Sebastain Bach and Georg Frederic Handel.
Instrumental music in the early seventeenth century had only to continue along the paths that had already been well marked out before the end of the Renaissance. Sonatas for solo violin with continuo was easily adapted. Sonatas were written for many combinations of different instruments. Sometimes the name was expanded to Sonata da chiesa - the church sonata, the movements of which are not in dance rhythms and do not bear the names of dances. Also the Sonata da camera, chamber sonata, which is a suite of stylized dances. These are the definitions, but the two types do not always appear unmixed.
The four most important composers of the first half of the eighteenth century were: Vivaldi, Rameau, Bach and Handel. Georg Frederic Handel 1685-1759 was an international composer. His music has German, French and Italian qualities. Handel became an accomplished organist and harpsichordists, and studied violin and oboe. The framework for his sonates is (fast-slow-fast-slow). The last being a dance rhythm or gigue.
Georg Frederic Handel wrote seven sonatas for violin and continuo. Notes from Sheila's college music history class, a long time ago, picture from text book.

    General Tips
  • Trills should all start from above except when the preceeding note is that note.
  • dotted notes=trill only the value of the note and play the dot part as plain
  • Plan your bowing.
  • Breathe.
  • Fill out the space between notes-do not rush.
  • All sonatas end with an Allegro movement that is considered a gigue.
  • I presently use the Henle edition
  • attacca - go on to the next movement
  • First earn the music plain, without ornamentation, then after you are comfortable with the notes and rhythm try your hand at Baroque musical ornamentation.

Sonata I - A Major - Opus 1 No. 3


Andante - 4/4 ends with an Adagio, the coda begins on the F# of measure 20. many trills, be sure to do them correctly, have your teacher demonstrate. Trills should start from above except when the preceeding note is that note.
Allegro - 4/4 a bowing challange, if you have difficulty with the bowing in measures 19-31, try accenting the top string.
Adagio - 4/4 final phrase begins on the F# in measure 4 in second position, ends on a C# minor chord and moves immediately to the gigue
Allegro - 12/8 think of it in 4 - a gigue(a dance)
Sonata II - g minor - Opus 1 No.10
Andante - 4/4 the bowings in the different editions vary widely. I finally used my own. Plan your bowing needs, what part of the bow, how much bow, where you need to be next in the bow.
Allegro - 4/4 The eighth notes are to be played lancč.
In measures 14 and 18 the is a 3 note chord that needs to be addressed with practice. Practice going from the note before right into the chord. The chord is B flat F B flat, The B flat and F are perfect fifths across the G & D strings.
Adagio - 3/4, this grows from a sarabande(stately dance), find the phrases in this short movement. The beat is 3/4 and beat 2 has the stressed or accented note. This gives the Spanish sarabande feeling.
Allegro - 12/8 - a gigue(a dance)
Sonata III - F Major - Opus Opus 1 No. 12
This is probably the easiest of the sonatas. It is also the one introduced in theSuzuki Books. It is on many contest lists, sometimes as a class A solo and sometimes as Class B. If a sutdent learns only one Handel Sonata, it should be this one.
  • Adagio - 3/4 The opening can be fingered many different ways. If you study this with more than one teacher I guarantee you will have at least two sets of bowings and fingerings. It seems all violinists have an opinion on the type of fingerings that produce the best musical interpretation. The only ones that really upset me are the ones who finger and bow it for convenience rather than musicality.
  • Allegro - 4/4
  • Largo - 3/2
  • Allegro - 4/4
    		•
    Sonata IV - D Major - Opus 1 No.13

  • CD, Baroque Violin Favourites, on the Naxos-Marco Polo label
    Bin Huang violin, includes Sonata IV - D Major - Opus 1 No.13
    Affettuoso & Allegro played on Isaac Stern, Ex-Panette Guarneri del Gesł 1737
    on loan from the Fulton Collection
    		•
    Sonata V - A Major - Opus 1 No.14
  • - Adagio
  • - Allegro
  • - Largo
  • - Allegro - 3/8 gigue
    		•
    Sonata VI - E Major - Opus 1 No.15
  • Adagio
  • Allegro
  • Largo
  • Allegro - 3/8 gigue
    		•
    Sonata VII - g minor - Opus 1 No.6
    I have never played this sonata and I have no tips on it. If anyone has any information they would like to share about this sonata please email me.
  • Andante Larghetto
  • Allegro
  • Adagio
  • Allegro - 12/8 gigue
    		•

    EDITIONS & Editors
    G.Henle
    Rohrig(Urtext)    		 Carl Fischer
    Auer & Friedberg    		 G. Schirmer
    Betti
    C.F. Peters
    Davisson-Ramin    		 Schott Editions
    E.&E. Doflein    		 International Music
    Francescatti
    Barenreiter
    Best(Urtext)

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