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R.M.20.d.3
- Record Id:
- 040-001948649
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-001948397
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100000000293.0x00038b
- LARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100156352774.0x000001
- SLARK:
- Format:
- ISAD(G)
- Reference (shelfmark):
- R.M.20.d.3
- Title:
- George Frideric Handel: Alexander Balus (oratorio by Thomas Morell), HWV 65. Autograph
- Scope & Content:
-
ff. 48v and 113v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank.
Points of note:
1. f. 3. ‘angefangen den 1 June. 1747’. ‘Alexander Balus returning from the Conquest of Demetrius, King of Syria and Chorus of Asiatics’.
2. f. 21v. After Alexander’s recitative (H-G., p. 38): ‘Segue l’aria nel terzo atto fair virtue charm me Alexander’.
3. f. 22. The heading, ‘Chorus of Asiates’ (H-G., p. 41), is not in the MS.
4. f. 26v. ‘My Jonathan’. Version A in H-G. (p. 50).
5. f. 29. ‘Subtle love’ (H-G., p. 55), in A.
6. f. 34v. ‘Check not the pleasing’. Aspasia’s recitative is written a tone higher than H-G. (p. 63).
7. f. 35v. ‘Oh what pleasure’ (H-G., p.67). ‘Allegro’ has been crossed out.
8. f. 38v. H-G., p. 73. The lower notes on line 4 and Version A are in the MS.
9. f. 42. The end of ‘Heroes may boast’ (H-G., p. 80) is followed by ‘Ye sons of Juda’ (H-G., p. 88).
10. f. 48. ‘Fine della parte 1ma.’.
11. f. 52v. ‘Gratitude and love’ (H-G., p. 105). ‘Segue l’Aria Mighty Love. Alexander’. (A later alteration). The recitatives in the MS. agree with those within brackets in H-G.
12. f. 55. The chorus ‘O calumny’ (H-G., p. 111) is marked ‘Larghetto e staccato’.
13. ff. 60-61. ‘Tost from thought’. The unaccompanied entries of the voice (H-G., pp. 120, 122) are marked ‘Pause’, ‘ad libitum’.
14. f. 63v. Version A (H-G., p. 130).
15. f. 68. From the end of ‘Virtue, thou ideal name’ (H-G., p. 140) the arrangement of the MS. is as follows: Recitatives ‘Glad time at length…loyal love’ (H-G., p. 148, with the lower notes); ‘Hail wedded love’ [on f. 68v] (H-G., p. 148).
16. f. 71v. ‘Hymen, fair Urania’s son’ (H-G., p. 154), not described as ‘Chorus of Asiates’.
17. f. 74v. ‘Fine della parte 2d völlig geendiget [here is the symbol of Mercury, signifying the day Wednesday] Juin 24. 1747’.
18. f. 80. At the end of Alexander’s recitative (H-G., p.170): ‘Segue l’Aria. Pow’rfull Guardians. for Alexander’. This air is written on the lowest staves of ff. 80-83, the upper staves contain ‘Fair Virtue’ (H-G., p.38), headed: ‘Alex nell.atto 1. doppo’l recitativ: may speak me gratefull. segue quest’aria fair Virtue shall charm me’. At the end: ‘segue il Coro nell’Atto primo ye happy nations round’.
19. ff. 83-84. H-G., pp. 173, 174. Recitatives. Excepting in line 5, bar 3, and line 6, bar 1, the MS. has the upper notes.
20. f. 84v. ‘nell’Atto 2d quest Aria per Alexander after – for sacred is this day to Honour, Gratitude and Love’. ‘Mighty Love now calls to arm’ (H-G., p. 81). The original words (crossed out) were: ‘Fury, with red sparkling Eyes, Rise in all thy terrors, rise, All around destruction deal’, etc. The second part, printed in brackets in H-G., is in the MS.
21. f. 89v. The original second part, ‘Or cold death’ (H-G., p. 177).
22. f. 90. ‘Fury, with red sparkling eyes’. (H-G., p. 174).
23. f. 92v. H-G., p. 179.
24. f. 113. ‘S.D.G. G.F.Handel. London ye 30 Juin. ♂ [Tuesday]. 1747. völl: 4 July. [here is the symbol of Saturn, signifying the day Saturday] 1747’.
Thomas Morell, DD: Handel's 'Alexander Balus' (HWV65) to a libretto by Thomas Morell: 18th cent.
- Collection Area:
- Music Collections
- Project / Collection:
- Royal Music Library Manuscripts
- Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-001948397
040-001948649 - Is part of:
- R.M. : Royal Music Library Manuscripts
R.M.20.d.3 : George Frideric Handel: Alexander Balus (oratorio by Thomas Morell), HWV 65. Autograph - Hierarchy:
- 032-001948397[0215]/040-001948649
- Container:
- View / search within Archive / Collection: R.M.
- Record Type (Level):
- File
- Extent:
- 1 volume (113 folios)
- Digitised Content:
- https://iiif.bl.uk/uv/#?manifest=https://bl.digirati.io/iiif/ark:/81055/vdc_100156352774.0x000001
- Thumbnail:
-
- Languages:
- English
- Scripts:
- Latin
- Start Date:
- 1747
- End Date:
- 1747
- Date Range:
- 1747
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
- Restrictions to access apply please consult British Library staff
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- User Conditions:
- Physical Characteristics:
-
9.23 x 11.75in
- Information About Copies:
- Digitised copy available on British Library Digitised Manuscripts: http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=R.M.20.d.3
- Publications:
- Händel-Gesellschaft XXXIII. See also Donald Burrows and Martha J. Ronish, A Catalogue of Handel’s Musical Autographs (Oxford: Clarendon, 1994), pp. 81-82.
- Material Type:
- Archives and Manuscripts
- Legal Status:
- Not Public Record(s)