# Handel Starting Point



## Guest

I enjoy Handel to some extent. I love his Messiah. And I greatly enjoy his Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks.

But I want to explore more - specifically, his non-choral, non-operatic works for larger ensembles. Concertos, concerti grossi, etc. Where does one start for the great works? I have read in some places that his organ concertos are the way to go. Others rave about the Op. 3 and Op. 6 Concerti grossi.

What is the best place to start?


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## Bulldog

I'd start with the Concerti Grossi; Handel's organ concertos aren't as compelling.


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## elgar's ghost

I agree with Bulldog - ops 3 & 6 are the best places to go next. Of the organ concerti, op. 7 no. 1 (HWV306) is probably the best to listen to as the organ part has more heft due to the use of a pedal board.


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## hpowders

Try the water music. Great stuff! Handel at his best!


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## PetrB

THe Op. 3 and Op. 6 Concerti grossi.


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## SONNET CLV

Handel's keyboard suites may be among his lesser-known works, but the so-called 'Eight Great Suites' of 1720 are true masterpieces of the genre.

Try this:









or this:


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## Bruce

I'll chime in by confirming the opinions already expressed here. I find Händel's Opus 6 Concerti grossi to be the sine qua non of this form. I enjoy them more than Bach's Brandenburg Concerti, perhaps because I've heard the Bach so often for so many years. I recommend the recording by Karajan, unless you favor HIP. And his keyboard suites are among my favorites. I enjoy these best on harpsichord, especially the recordings made by Nicholson.


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## Tristan

I highly recommend the Op. 6 concerti; they're all relatively short, you could listen to them in order. That's what I did to get into Corelli's concerti, and it worked 

I'll also recommend his wind sonatas (there's a Philips CD that contains the complete set).


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## hpowders

hpowders said:


> Try the water music. Great stuff! Handel at his best!


Of course I meant "Water Music".


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## nicktom

The Op & concertos are head and shoulders above the Op £ lot - even if they contain some great music. In the Op & you get what Handel does best: great structural movements that build to form a whole, with quite extraordinary use of the string orchestra - tunes buried within the harmonic framework, movements commenting on and advancing each other, and - in typically Handelian fashion - a great deal of humour. (I can't remember offhand which number it is, but perhaps my favourite is the 'one-note fugue' movement. But once you've got into the orchestral stuff, get onto the vocal works - they really are the epitome of his art - try Giulio Cesare and Ariodante among the operas, and Theodora and Belthazar among the oratorios - you won't regret it!


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## nicktom

Oops! I changed keyboards recently: I meant Op6 is superior to Op3. Sorry about that!


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