Georg Friedrich Händel

Concerto Grosso in B-flat, Op. 6, No. 7, HWV 325

George Frideric Handel's (1685-1759) Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 (also Twelve Grand Concertos, HWV 319-330), are a collection of twelve concerti grossi for two violins and cello with an accompanying four-part string orchestra and harpsichord continuo, and they are among the best examples of the Baroque concerto grosso. Modeled more on Arcangelo Corelli's concerto da chiesa and concerto da camara than on Antonio Vivaldi's three-movement form adopted by J.S. Bach, these 1739 works were composed to be performed during the intermissions of Handel's oratorios. Among the twelve Concerto Grosso can be found a mixture of original music and music borrowed from other works by the composer. No. 7 in B-flat Major, HWV 325, is predominantly new music, though the final Hornpipe movement is derived from Muffat's Componimenti Musicali. It is also unique in that each of the five movements are brief and there are no real solo/concertante episodes, although the violoncello has a few brief solos. Instrumentation: Str (2-2-2-1-1 in set): Hpchd (in set): (2 Solo Vn. Solo Vc in set). This urtext edition has been edited by Wilhelm Weismann.