Which edition of the Handel Concerto do you teach?

[unknown-user]

Can the Lawrence be played as a solo or does it require an accompanist?

[unknown-user]

It can be played as a solo. It is ideal to have an accompanist on organ or harpsichord, or a string quartet. It is very effective as a solo, however.

[unknown-user]

I decided to order a copy of the Lawrence inspired by your
recommendation, Saul. I am very glad to hear it can be played as a
solo. Balancing appropriate voicings and ornamentation
with the resonance of the modern pedal harp sounds like the best match
for my aesthetic values. I learned the Salzedo version, but would
prefer a more Baroque sound. He voices the chords for great resonance
and I can see what could attract someone to the lush quality of it, but
I prefer more focus on the performance practice of the time.

[unknown-user]

I just received my copy of the Lawrence edition and am extremely
pleased with it. The solo-tutti contrasts are more clearly stated
through dynamics and texture. The dense textures are reserved for
important structural moments and cadences. This creates stronger
forward momentum in the formal structure. The clarity of Baroque
harmonies (without added sevenths, etc) and clean voicing of chords are
a relief to my ear in being consistent with the style. I did enjoy some
of the added inner voices in the Salzedo edition because he connected
gestures with linear motion and added some antiphonal effects, but the
absence of these also heightens the contrast between solo and tutti and
gives the concerto an overall increased delicacy, in my opinion.

With so few masterworks from this period available for students it is
unfortunate to predominately use editions that do not teach correct
performance practice in terms of ornamentation and chord voicing. The
modern editions have aesthetic beauty, but at some point should
probably become more of a specialty presentation of the works and the
more stylistically accurate editions be the norm. Otherwise harpists
will not be as well informed as other classical musicians in regard to
early music.

[Evangeline Williams]

When all these folks have put out new editions, what original or early copy of the piece are the working from?

[Tacye]

I put in a reasonable amount of effort trying to track down a copy of
Thurston Dart’s version as a double concerto for harp and lute.

[Evangeline Williams]

Sonata in Bb Handel Schott 5355 Thurston Dart Recorder (treble) & piano M Great piece, Handel could sure write for harmonica. Concert – listed on: http://www.angelfire.com/music/HarpOn/tateplaying.html, publisher’s site:

[Tacye]

That refers to one of the Handel recorder sonatas; nice pieces, but not, unfortunately, the concerto.

[alexander-rider]

Tayce, try Frances’ on Hyperion, it has

[unknown-user]

Thank you Julieanne, for that most perceptive and appreciative description of Miss Lawrence’s work. I had forgotten it had some of those characteristics. As I mentioned earlier, at Boston University they later worked out an elaborated version of the piece with lots of added voices as you describe, and boy did it detract from the piece. Baroque music performed in “period style” can be so tacky and tasteless, just like pop music today. Give many performers a chance to improvise and show off, and they’ll ruin your music for sure. I couldn’t stand the recording of the concerto with lute because I couldn’t get that darn lute part out of my head. It was convincing, but again, detracted so much from the poor harp. I don’t know what you’re talking about Evangeline, but the urtext editions of the Handel are easily available, and are probably all based on a manuscript in the British Museum. But it takes a lot of skill, learning and experience to edit/realize a baroque piece for harp, especially if you only have melody and figured bass. Miss Lawrence did have a fantastic sense of music and intuition into its psyche. Her edition of the C.P.E. Bach Sonata may vary somewhat from the so-called original, but it tends to improve it in the process. She knew what she was doing from her vantage point. Even though she defended Salzedo’s ornamentation, which improved with time, she studied it well, to her everlasting credit. She would have been so pleased to hear your comments, Julieanne.

[Evangeline Williams]

oops…I just got so excited I forgot to read the close details.

[Evangeline Williams]

I have had trouble finding urtex editions.

[brittany-deyoung–2]

Sorry to post on such an old thread….

I was wondering if anyone knows of a short Cadenza for a student of mine who has to learn this in a short period of time. We currently have the Grandjany version (the one I did and know) but the competition states that they cannot make any cuts the cadenza, so I’m looking for a shorter published version for her to substitute.

Thanks in advance.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

I have pretty much completed my new edition, which is completely from the original, with ornamentation, voicing and completion of the figured bass. It is full of surprises, too. I hope to have it ready for publication in the next year. It has an original cadenza.

I don’t think it is particularly important “how” it was played in Handel’s time, as composers in those days were rarely satisfied by the instruments in use, and were always pushing for improvements. Whether or not the harpist who originally played the piece was a virtuoso or not has no bearing on what we would do now. If you applied the same standard to music written recently, it is quickly apparent that it makes no sense. What matters is understanding the notation, what is expected to be added to that, and being consistent with Handel’s music as a whole, and I have relied on other harp music he wrote as guidance to accomplish that. All that said, I love Salzedo’s edition, and think it is the best of the modern editions, and his cadenza is spectacular, and very authentic to the 20th century.

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