Overture from the Opera "Rodelinda" and Suite from the Ballet "Terpsicore" [antikvár]

IForewordG. F. Handel's opera "Rodelinda", completed on 20th January 1725, was first performed on February 13th of the same year at the "Royal Academy of Music", in London.Handel concludes the Overture, which is in Lully's style a solemn and grave introduction followed by a Presto fugue, with a beautiful Menuet.In November 1734 Handel with his operatic company entered Covent Garden Theatre, after having been forced to quit the Haymarket Theatre, his previous scene of activity, and as inauguration produced his arcadian opera "II Pastor Fido", composed in 1712 and now revised. In the new form the opera was preceded by a ballet with song, "Terpsicore". This work contains the small Suite, the most remarkable piece of which is the Ciaconna. Founded on an 8 bar ostinato bass a series of attractive variations is developed. Compositions of this kind were very familiar to the English audience, as Henry Purcell (1658-1695) had shown a preference for them in his numerous compositions for the stage. (We find particularly interesting examples in his "King Arthur", 1691, and in "The Fairy Queen" 1692). Thus Handel followed English tradition.The music text of our edition is in strict accordance with the edition of the "Deutsche Händel-Gesellschaft", "Rodelinda", 16. Jahrgang. Bd. 70, "Terpsicore" 29. Jahrgang, Bd. 84. Bowing and dynamic signs were completed by the editor, the Cembalo part realised from the figured bass.