R.M.20.d.10

Between ff. 22 and 23, 134 and 135, 159 and 160 are folios ruled with staves but otherwise blank, respectively foliated as 22a, 134a and 159a; ff. 108v, 116v and 159v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank.

Points of note:

1. f. 1. ‘angefangen den 23. Agost 1744 [here is the symbol for Thursday]’. (At foot of page’.

2. f. 6v. ‘Thou God most high’. The whole air has been considerably cut (in ink).

3. f. 10. ‘Scena 2’ over Nitocris’s recitative, ‘O much belov’d’ (H-G., p. 14). The part of Daniel is written throughout in the Alto clef.

4. f. 12. ‘Scene 3’. (‘3’ crossed out and ‘2’ written). The Camp of Cyrus before Babylon’, etc. (as in H-G., Libretto, p. 3). The Chorus ‘Behold, by Persia’s hero’ is much cut (in ink). The recitatives (H-G., p. 27) are missing.

5. f. 19. Inserted leaf, a note in the hand of F. Nicolai.

6. f. 20. ‘Opprest with never ceasing grief’. Written in G major, in the Tenor clef, but marked (in pencil) ‘una terza piu bassa ex D#’.

7. f. 23. ‘Opprest with never ceasing grief’. In E flat, in the Alto clef (Winton Dean, Handel’s Dramatic Oratorios and Masques, London, 1959, p. 452, says Bass clef).

8. f. 29. ‘The recitatives from ‘Set my captives free’ (H-G., p. 38) were evidently written on a separate slip, marked ‘A’. This is missing. f. 29 begins: ‘What hinders then by the same means’ (not ‘Might we not then’, etc., as in H-G., p. 38, bottom line).

9. f. 33. ‘All empires upon God depend’ (H-G., p. 45). Four pages of this chorus are cut (in pencil).

10. f. 41. ‘Scene 4’ (altered to ‘3’). ‘Daniel’s House’, etc. (as in H-G., Libretto, p. 5).

11. f.48v. ‘Sing, oh ye Heavens’. A long cut (in pencil) has been made at H-G., p. 67, last bar of top line.

12. f.52. ‘Jehovah has [sic] redeemed’ (H-G., p. 68) is marked ‘Andante’.

13. f. 57. ‘Let festal joy’ (H-G., p. 74). Scene ‘5’ (altered to ‘4’). ‘The Palace. Belshazzar, Nitocris, Babylonians and Jews’. The part of Belshazzar is written throughout in the Tenor clef.

14. f. 61v. Beginning of another version of ‘The leafy honours’ (crossed out).

15. f. 67. The passage in brackets in H-G., p. 92, is in the MS.

16. f. 74v. ‘Oh, dearer than my life’. The whole passage from ‘Alas!’ (H-G., p. 105) to the Dal segno (bottom of p. 106) has been crossed out in pencil. The tempi ‘Largo’, ‘Andante’ (p. 106) are in pencil. At the end of the page: ‘Exeunt severally. Segue il Coro’.

17. f. 75-82. ‘By slow degrees’. The chorus is much cut (in ink) (according to Winton Dean, Handel’s Dramatic Oratorios and Masques, London, 1959, p. 458, it is mostly re-written). At the end: ‘Fine della parte prima. [Here is the symbol for Monday] Septmbr 3. 1744. den 15 dieses völlig’.

18. f.83. ‘Act 2, Scene 1’, etc. (as in H-G., Libretto, p. 7).

19. f. 94. ‘Amaz’d to find the foe’. Cut (in ink).

20. f. 97. End of ‘To arms’ (H-G., p. 142): ‘They descend into the River’.

21. f. 98. ‘Scen 2’, etc. (as in H-G., Libretto, p. 8).

22. f. 105v. ‘Where is the God’ (H-G., p. 156) at ‘injur’d honour!…ah!’ there is a stage direction: ‘As he is speaking, a Hand’, etc. The rest agrees with H-G., Libretto, p. 8.

23. f. 106v. ‘Behold! see there’. Stage directions as in Libretto (H-G., p. 9). f. 196v. is continued on f. 109.

24. f. 107. ‘Sinfonie. Allegro Postillions’ (H-G., p. 160).

25. f. 111. Nitocris’ recitative. Version A (H-G., p. 165), without ‘live for ever’. The last notes of the recitative (H-G., p. 166) are on a separate slip, not in Handel’s handwriting.

26. f. 114. A long accompanied recitative, after ‘shalt understand’ (H-G., p. 169) is cut (in ink).

27. f. 119v. ‘Scen 3. Cyrus, Gobryas, etc., within the City’.

28. f. 121. ‘You, Gobrias, lead ‘ (H-G., p. 179). The recitative ends at ‘task is at an end’ (line 4). ‘Chorus’ follows immediately.

29. f. 122-130v. ‘O glorious prince’ (H-G., p. 179). Slightly cut (in ink).

30. f. 130. ‘Fine della Parte Seconda’.

31. f. 131-134v. ‘O glorious prince’, 2d version (H-G., p.262) (this is the earlier version); at the end: ‘Fine della Parte 2da [here is the symbol for Monday] Septembr10.1744.

32. f. 135. ‘Act 3, Scen 1.’ etc., as in H-G., Libretto, p. 11. ‘Alternate hopes and fears’. (H-G., p. 198). The accompaniment has been much simplified (in ink).‘Enter Arioch’ (H-G., p. 209). After ‘false comfort to him’: ‘Enter a Messenger’ (as in H-G., p. 210). The recitative ends at: ‘with faint resistance’ (H-G., p. 210, line 5), after which ‘Bel boweth down’ follows.

33. f. 3. ‘Scen 2. Belshazzar, his Lords’, etc. (Stage direction – H-G., Libretto, p. 12).

34. f. 145. ‘A Martial Symphony, during which a Battle is suppos’d, in which Belshazzar is slain’. (H-G., p. 219). No tempo marked.

35. f. 146v. ‘Scene 3. Cyrus, Gobryas &’. ‘To Pow’r immortal’. (H-G., p. 221, Version A).

36. f. 152. ‘Great victor, at your feet’. (H-G., p. 232. Version A).

37. f. 156. Inserted leaf, a note in the hand of F. Nicolai.

38. f. 157. ‘Great victor, at your feet’. (H-G., p. 237, Version B.), followed by a blank leaf.

39. f. 160. ‘nell’Atto 3zo, scena 3za’. ‘To Pow’r immortal’. (H-G., p. 223, Version B).

40. f. 162. ‘Alternate hopes and fears’ ‘Act 3’. (H-G., p. 201,Version B).

41. f. 164. ‘Recit accomp: nell’Atto 3zo. After the chorus Tell it out among the Heathen’. ‘Yes, I will build the city’ (H-G., p. 248, version B), written in the Alto clef.

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

Charles Jennens, author and librettist: Handel's 'Belshazzar' (HWV61) to a libretto by Charles Jennens: 18th cent.