George Frideric Handel: Hercules (a ‘musical drama’ by Thomas Broughton, after texts by Sophocles and Ovidius), HWV 60. Autograph
Scope & Content:
The MS. (cf. the Preface to H-G.) contains the divisions into acts and scenes of the Libretto, but not the directions as to Ripieni, etc., in H-G. Between ff. 57 and 58 is inserted a leaf, ruled with staves but otherwise blank, foliated as f. 57a; ff. 83v, 98v, 133v are ruled with staves but oth...
George Frideric Handel: Jephtha (oratorio by Thomas Morell), HWV 70. Autograph
Scope & Content:
ff. 111v-112 and 125v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank. f. 135 is an inserted leaf with a note in the hand of F. Nicolay. Points of note: 1. f. 24. ‘These labours past’ (Facs. p. 47). All the lower line is cut in pencil down to ‘…they prove’ (top line p. 48). 2. f. 24v. All the lowe...
George Frideric Handel: Joseph and his Brethren (oratorio by James Miller), HWV 59. Autograph
Scope & Content:
The Preface to H-G. XLII and the version A printed in the volume contain full information as to the contents of the MS. The following are a few additional details. ff. 108v and 122v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank. Points of note: 1. f. 4v. Overture. The Menuet (H-G., p. 7) is not i...
George Frideric Handel: Joshua (oratorio by ?Thomas Morell), HWV 64. Autograph
Scope & Content:
According to Barclay Squire, the whole MS. has been foliated in pencil by Handel, but this attribution is questioned by Winton Dean, Handel’s Dramatic Oratorios and Masques, London, 1959, p. 510. f. 43v is ruled with staves but otherwise blank. Points of note: 1. f. 1. ‘Introduzione a tempo d...
George Frideric Handel: Judas Maccabeus (oratorio by Thomas Morell), HWV 63. Autograph
Scope & Content:
ff. 18v, 23v, 38v, 126r and 128v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank. Points of note: 1. f. 1. ‘Ouverture Oratorio Judah Maccabeus. angefangen den 9 July ♂ [Tuesday] 1746. od den 8 [here is the astrological symbol for Monday] dieses’. 2. f. 17v. ‘Not vain is all this storm’. Version A ...
George Frideric Handel: Psalms (Latin) II; 1707. Autograph
Scope & Content:
Between ff. 29 and 30 is a leaf, ruled with staves but otherwise blank; f. 29v is ruled with staves but otherwise blank. 1. ff. 1-29. ‘Psalmus 112’. ‘Laudate Pueri Dominum’ in D (HWV 237) (H-G., No. II). f. 17v: ‘Suscitans a terra’. The Bass line is marked ‘Primo Organo, etc.’ (not ‘Piano Orga...
George Frideric Handel: Messiah, HWV 56. Autograph manuscript
Scope & Content:
Handel's working compositional manuscript of his oratorio Messiah, in which he set words by Charles Jennens after texts from the Bible. According to the dates added by Handel to the manuscript, the music was largely written between 22 August and 14 September 1741. There are many corrections an...
G.F. Handel: Occasional Oratorio (libretto by Newburgh Hamilton after texts by John Milton and Edmund Spenser) (HWV 62); 1746. Autograph.
Scope & Content:
ROYAL MUSIC COLLECTION. (Händel-Gesellschaft XLIII). According to Barclay Squire the MS. is foliated throughout in pencil by Handel [?doubtful]. Between ff. 35 and 36 is an unfoliated single leaf, ruled with staves but otherwise blank, originally foliated 36; ff. 2v, 34v, 61v, 68v and 93v are ru...
George Frideric Handel: Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day (text by John Dryden), HWV 76. Autograph
Scope & Content:
ff. 24v and 42v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank. Points of note: 1. f. 1. ‘Ouverture to the Song for St Cecilia’s Day by Mr Dryden. 1687.’ ‘begun Sept. 15, 1739. [Here is the astrological symbol for Saturday]. 2. f. 3v. The Allegro is followed by a Minuet (a version of which is pri...
G.F. Handel: Samson (oratorio by Newburgh Hamilton after texts by John Milton) (HWV 57); 1741, 1742. Autograph.
Scope & Content:
ROYAL MUSIC COLLECTION. (Händel-Gesellschaft X). See also the Preface to H-G. According to Barclay Squire the MS. is foliated throughout in pencil by Handel, but Winton Dean, Handel’s Dramatic Oratorios and Masques, London, 1959, p. 362, thinks the foliation is much later. It contains stage dire...
