R.M.20.b.5

The MS. is incomplete, and the arrangement difficult to understand (cf. Charles Burney, A General History of Music from the Earliest Ages to the Present Period, London 1789, vol. IV, p. 433, and the Preface to H-G.). The MS. contains practically all that is printed in H-G., excepting the Overture, which is missing [but of Concerto grosso Op. 6 no. 9, R.M.20.g.11., f. 122]. A good deal of the autograph is in Fitz. MS., No 258, pp. 13-34. f. i is a preliminary leaf with a note by Nicolai. A blank leaf is inserted between ff. 52 and 53; ff. 17v, 21v and 36v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank. For copies see Eg. 2929, R.M.18.c.11. (ff. 167v-214) and R.M.19.d.12. (ff. 22-28). See also Donald Burrows and Martha J. Ronish, A Catalogue of Handel’s Musical Autographs (Oxford: Clarendon, 1994), pp. 38-41.

ff. i + 63. 9.5 x 11.5in.

Points of note:

1. f. 23v. (End of ‘Esser mia dovrà’ – H-G., p. 38): ‘Fine dell’Atto 1mo (crossed out) den 14 Sept 1738’. ‘Coro Viene Imeneo fra voi’ (in pencil).

2. f. 44v. End of Trio ‘Consolarmi’ (H-G., p. 72). ‘Segue il Coro è troppo bel trofeo. den 17 September’. Act II originally ended here: the chorus follows on ff. 45-46.

3. ff. 61-62. The recitatives (‘Non vuol…piace’) in H-G., pp. 104-105 are continued but without music and are crossed out. At their end (bottom of f. 62) is: ‘Fine dell’Opera den 20 Septembr 1738’.

4. ff. 62v-63v. The chorus: ‘Se consulta il suo dover’ (original words: ‘Se destin col suo poter’ – crossed out). At end: ‘Fine Oct: 10. 1740’.

Frederick Nicolay, royal musician and librarian: Handel's autograph scores annotated by: circa 1760- circa 1809: Autogr.

Silvio Stampiglia, librettist: Handel's 'Imeneo' , after a text by Silvio Stampiglia: 1738-1740: Ital.

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