Full Description
This anthology represents scholarly literature devoted to Handel over the last few decades, and contains different kinds of studies of the composer's biography, operatic career, singers, librettists, and his relationship with the music of other composers. Case studies range from recent research that transforms our knowledge of large-scale English works to an interdisciplinary exploration of an individual opera aria. Designed to bring easy and convenient access to students, performers and music lovers, the wide-ranging articles are selected by David Vickers (co-editor of the recent Cambridge Handel Encyclopedia) from diverse sources - not only familiar important journals, but also specialist yearbooks, festschrifts, not easily accessible newsletters, conference proceedings and exhibition catalogues. Many of these represent an up-to-date understanding of modern Handel studies, deal with fascinating biographical issues (such as the composer's art collection, his chronic health problems, and the nature of popular anecdotal evidence), and fill gaps in the mainstream Handelian literature.
Contents
Contents: Introduction; Part I Biographical Aspects: Mythistorica Handeliana, Charles Cudworth; Organ playing in the Lateran and other remembrances on Handel: a report in the Voiage Historique of 1737, Ursula Kirkendale; Handel and the feuding royals, Thomas McGeary; Handel's art collection, Alison Meyric Hughes and Martin Royalton-Kisch; Joseph Goupy and George Frideric Handel: from professional triumphs to personal estrangement, Ellen T. Harris; Handel's ill health: documents and diagnoses, David Hunter. Part II Handel and the Opera House: Handel's Haymarket Theater, Mark W. Stahura; Box office reports for five operas mounted by Handel in London, 1732-1734, Judith Milhous and Robert D. Hume; Handel's 1736 performances of Ariodante, Donald Burrows. Part III Case Studies of Handel's Compositions: Benedetto Pamphilj as librettist: Mary Magdalene and the harmony of the spheres in Handel's Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, Huub van der Linden; Psychological realism in Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, Ruth Smith; A newly discovered Water Music source, Terence Best; Handel and the confus'd shepherdess: a case study of stylistic eclecticism, Graham Cummings; Handel, Jennens and Saul: aspects of a collaboration, Anthony Hicks; From Milton to Handel: the transformation of Milton's L'Allegro and Il Penseroso into a musical work for concert performance in the London theatres, Donald Burrows; Some thoughts on musical organization in L'Allegro il Penseroso ed il Moderato, Graydon Beeks. Part IV Handel's Performers: The unpublished Senesino, Elisabetta Avanzati; From Rinaldo to Orlando, or Senesino's path to madness, Melania Bucciarelli; Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni: the rival queens?, Suzana OgrajenÅ¡ek; Marie Sallé as muse: Handel's music for mime, Sarah McCleave; John Beard: the tenor voice that inspired Handel, Neil Jenkins. Part V Librettists: Handel's relations with the librettists of his operas, Winton Dean; The achievements of Charles Jennens (1
