R.M.20.b.1

G.F. Handel: Flavio (drama per musica after a libretto by Matteo Noris) (HWV 16); 1723. Autograph. (Handel-Gesellschaft LXVII; Hallische Handel-Ausgabe II/13, 1993). ff. 33v, 36v, 47v, 88v and 91v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank. For a copy see Add. MS. 31572; for selections see R.M.18.c.4. (ff. 112-114) R.M.18.c.10. (ff. 11-26), R.M.18.c.10. (ff. 11-26), R.M.19.d.11. (ff. 53-56). See also Donald Burrows and Martha J. Ronish, A Catalogue of Handel’s Musical Autographs (Oxford: Clarendon, 1994), pp. 29-30.

ff.91. 9.25x11.5in.

Points of note:

1. f.5 Act I, sc. 1. ‘Emilia Opera’. The MS has Version A (H-G., p. 4) of the recitatives.

2. f. 9. Sc. 2, 3. The version agrees with H-G. (Ugone – Tenor; Lotario – Bass).

3. f. 10. The recitatives on f. 9 are written out again, with Ugone – Bass, and Lotario – Tenor. The transpositions of these two parts occur throughout the work, generally written over the original setting.

4. f. 12. The flute part of ‘Quanto dolci’ is written on a separate leaf. On the verso is a fragment of an air (S.) ‘no, non v’e amante stravagan[te]’.

5. ff. 15-18. Sc. 4. Both words of ‘Bel contento’ are in the MS., as in H-G., p. 13. But the original words (‘Gia la fama’) are written below the voice part: ‘Bel contento’ above.

6. ff. 20-21. Sc. 5. ‘Ben che povera’. Two sets of words, as in f. 15, etc.

7. f. 24. Sc. 7. ‘Se a te vissi’. The original words after the repeat (‘Non fara mai la sorte’, etc.) are crossed out, and those in H-G., p. 21, written above.

8. f. 29v. Sc. 10. The stage direction ‘Atrio Regio’ (H-G., p. 27) is not in the MS.

9. ff. 30-33. Sc. 11. The first two bars of the recitative, as printed in H-G., p. 27, are not in the MS. The whole scene is a half-tone lower than in H-G. The stage direction at the end of ‘L’armellin’ is not in the MS.

10. ff. 34-36. Sc. 11 (?). An air for S. (‘Il suol che preme’): not in H-G., nor in the printed libretto.

11. ff. 41v-42v. Act II, sc. 3. Version A of ‘Fato tiranno’ (H-G., p. 38).

12. f. 42v. Sc. 4. The rest of the scene is on ff. 44-47. ‘S’egli ti chiede affetto’ has no second set of words, as in H-G., p. 42.

13. f. 43. The last words of a recitative (‘[E]milia…per lui’) followed by a Tenor air ‘Dille ch’il core’ (cf. infra., f. 89); not in H-G.

14. f. 79. Act III, sc. 4. This leaf (which has been fastened down) contains a different version of ‘Amor nel mio penar’ from that in H-G., p. 76, line 1, bar 5 to the barbefore ‘Fine’. Throughout this aria highest instrumental part notated in A minor, the rest 9and the voice) in B flat minor.

15. f. 85v. Sc. 8. The names of the singers of the chorus are given thus: ‘Cuz[zoni]. Dur[astanti] Sin[esino]. Bern[stadt] e Rob[inson] Gord[on]. Boschi’.

16. f. 88. ‘Fine dell Opera London May 7. 1723’.

17. f. 89. Act II, sc. 4. This leaf contains: (1) The recitative ‘[E]milia…per lui’. 9cf. ante f. 43) with music, but crossed out; (2) The end of Lotario’s recitative (‘core…genitore’), words only; (3) A setting 9’Dille ch’il core’ different from that on f. 43, but also not in H-G.

18. ff. 90-91. Act II, sc. 3. Version B of ‘Fato tiranno’ (cf. ante f. 41v) as H-G., p. 38, but omitting the Contrabbasso part.

Nicola Francesco Haym, composer, poet and theatre manager: Matteo Noris, librettist: Handel's 'Flavio' to a libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym, after a text by Matteo Noris: 1723: Ital.

George Frideric Handel, composer: Music manuscripts: 18th cent: Autogr.