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Handel's Orchestration (Continued) Author(S): Ebenezer Prout Source: the Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol

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Handel's Orchestration (Continued) Author(S): Ebenezer Prout Source: the Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol Handel's Orchestration (Continued) Author(s): Ebenezer Prout Source: The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 25, No. 492 (Feb. 1, 1884), pp. 69-70 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3357383 . Accessed: 25/01/2015 09:25 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Sun, 25 Jan 2015 09:25:07 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-FEBRUARY I, 1884. 69 features for notice. As one of the instances HANDEL'S ORCHESTRATION special most familiar to general readers, I may refer to the By EBENEZER PROUT. scoring of the popular duet " The Lord is a man of war" in "Israel." (Continuedfrom 13.) page A very celebrated number of Meyerbeer's " L'Etoile IN my firstarticle I pointed out brieflythe general du Nord " is the trio for soprano voice and two flutes. system which Handel adopted in his orchestration. Probably nobody would have been more surprised I now propose to illustrate what I then said by an than Meyerbeer himself had he been told that his examination of the entire series of his scores, so far effect had been anticipated a century and a half as they are at present published in the edition of the before by Handel; yet, on page 15 of the score of German Handel Society. As the operas consist " Almira," we meet with precisely the same combina- almost entirely of solo pieces, while in the oratorios tion. The piece is a soprano song, the first part of and large cantatas the choruses are of considerable which (G major, C) is accompanied only by strings importance, and as this difference has had much and harpsichord--the part for the latter being, influence on the instrumentation, it will be more according to custom, only a figuredbass. The middle convenient to deal with the two classes of works portion of the song (in E minor, 6-8) begins with a separately. I shall therefore first go through the symphony for two flutes, with two solo violins, in series of operas from" Almira " (1704) to " Berenice" arpeggio. Nearly the whole of the voice part is (1737), reserving the oratorios and other works for accompanied only by the two flutes,the voice singing subsequent notice. the lowest part of the harmony, and the two flutes It is very curious that, in examining Handel's being above, with a charming effect. The first works from the point of view of their instrumenta- subject then recurs, the firstviolins being now rein- tion, some volumes will be found in which there are forced by the oboes. only one or two points worthy of mention, while In the tenor song " Liebliche Wilder " (p. 23) we others abound in features of interest. The explanation find two flutes used again, but in quite a different may perhaps be that Handel only introduced special manner. Here the two flutes and harpsichord are effects for the orchestra where such seemed to be used alternately with the strings, much as the oboes suggested by the words; and as he was by no means and bassoons are employed in the chaconne just particular in his choice of libretti,apparently setting mentioned. In the symphonies the flutes sometimes to music almost any rubbish that was offeredhim, double the violins in unison-a favourite effect with it is not surprising that commonplace texts should Handel in his operas, though seldom to be found in evoke from his fertile brain the oratorios. only commonplace " musical effects. The bass song in the second act, Lass ein sanftes Handel's firstopera, " Almira," written at Ham- Hdindedriicken" (p. 47), is accompanied only by two burg in 1704, and produced there in January, 1705, oboes, basses, and harpsichord. The use of the is chiefly interesting in its scoring as foreshadowing oboes, or indeed of any other wind instruments,with- many of the composer's later effects. In the short out any violins throughout a whole movement is chorus " Viva Almira " (p. 5) we find three trumpets rather rare with Handel, though common enough and drums in the accompaniment. The thirdtrumpet with Bach. In the present piece the whole voice is marked " Principale," a term also used for it in part, excepting two short phrases, is accompanied by the Dettingen Te Deum. The explanation of the the harpsichord, and the use of the oboes is almost term is that in Handel's time there were two classes entirely confined to the symphonies. In the third of trumpeters-those who practised the upper register act of this opera is another song, " Kommt, vermehrt of the instrument,and played such solo passages as der Thorheit Ruhm," also accompanied by two oboes we find in " The trumpet shall sound" and " Let the and basses, but in an entirely differentway. Here bright Seraphim," and those who took principally the voice (a tenor) sings the bass of the harmony in the lower parts. The formerwere called " Clarin- unison with the basses of the orchestra, and the two blhser " and the latter " Principal-bldiser"-i.e., oboes have the upper notes, making a three-part players of the Clarino and players of the Principal. harmony throughout. The use of the oboes is here In this chorus the firstand second trumpets are indi- continuous, there being not one bar's rest for them; cated in the score as "Clarino i," "Clarino 2," and though the occasional figures in the bass would and they have florid semiquaver passages in thirds, seem to show that the harpsichord was also employed, such as we find in the opening symphony of "To the music would be perfectly complete without that Thee cherubin," in the Dettingen Te Deum ; instrument. the third, as already mentioned, is marked " Princi- The tenor air " Sprich vor mir ein siisses Wort" pale," and its part is confined to the five lower notes (p. 51) presents the unusual accompaniment of two G, C, E, G, C. It is worth noting also that in this flutes and a solo viola, the latter instrumentbeing work Handel has written the trumpets and drums as indicated in the score as " viola di braccio," to dis- transposing instruments,in the key of C, the chorus tinguish it fromthe "viola da Gamba," then still in being in D. This plan was always adopted by Bach. use, which we shall findin the scores of the " Resur- In his later works Handel writes the actual notes rezione " and " Giulio Cesare." The air also has the sounded, leaving the transposition to the players usual part for bass and harpsichord, many of the themselves. phrases of the voice being accompanied by these In the Chaconne which follows this chorus we instruments only. The flutes have mostly sustained meet for the first time with one of Handel's most melodic passages, while the viola accompanies with frequently used effects-the contrast of oboes and arpeggios and scales in quavers. Handel sometimes bassoons with the strings. The parts for the wind uses the flutes with all the violas in three-part are not written on separate staves; but some harmony, as in the recitative "Thus long ago" passages are marked " Tutti," others " Hautb. senza in "Alexander's Feast"; but this is the only in- Viol."; and others again " Viol. senza Hautb."; while stance I have found of a solo viola being thus the bass line is sometimes for " Basson," and at employed. others " Bassi." This particular effect is so fre- One more song still remains to be noticed in this quently used by Handel that it would be tedious to interesting score. The tenor air "Was ist des point it out every time it occurs. I shall only men- Hofes Gunst? "is accompanied, in addition to the tion it when it is so treated as to present some harpsichord and basses, by a solo violin and This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Sun, 25 Jan 2015 09:25:07 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 70 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-FEBRUARY I, 1884. violoncello, which sometimes accompany and some- symphony to a song on p. 124 will be found parts for times alternate with the voice in a most effective two solo violoncellos, continuing a passage in thirds manner. for the violins in the lower octave. Unlike " Almira," the next opera to be noticed " Rinaldo," the first of the many Italian operas contains hardly any points requiring mention. This which Handel wrote for the London stage, and one is " Rodrigo," the first Italian opera which Handel of the finest,was produced on February 24, 1711- wrote, which was produced at Florence in 1707. The score of the air " Augelletti, che cantate " con- The original manuscript is incomplete, parts of the tains an elaborate and florid piccolo obbligato firstand third acts being wanting. No trumpets or (the firstinstance of the employment of this instru- drums are found in the score, the consequence being, ment by Handel), in addition to two flutes.
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