George Frideric Handel

Suite in G major, HWV 442

c. 1703–1706 (chaconne), c. 1717 (prélude) · HWV Anh. B 610 (mov. 1a)

[IMSLP page 1] · [IMSLP page 2]

Total duration: 16' (with 1a), 17' (with 1b) or 15' 30" (with neither)

1a. Prélude
1b. Preludio: Allegro
2. Chaconne

Recommended editions

Hallische Händel-Ausgabe (Bärenreiter) · IV/5 · BA 4065 · Klavierwerke II / Suites de Pièces pour le Clavecin, Zweite Sammlung von 1733 · ed. Peter Northway/Terence Best [including only version b of mov. 1]
Bärenreiter · BA 4221 · Klavierwerke II / Suites de Pièces pour le Clavecin, Zweite Sammlung von 1733 · ed. Peter Northway/Terence Best [including only version b of mov. 1]
Henle · HN 472 · Klaviersuiten und Klavierstücke (London 1733) · ed. Ellwood Derr [including only version b of mov. 1]
Wiener Urtext · UT 50120 · Klavierwerke III / Ausgewählte verschiedene Stücke· ed. Peter Williams [including only version b of mov. 1]

1a. Prélude

Sources give two different preludes to the chaconne (and others simply give the chaconne alone). This prelude is spurious and is actually by William Babell. The theme of this prelude is also used in the aria Vo’ far guerra from the first version of the opera Rinaldo (HWV 7a), and in the sonata in G major (HWV 579).

Duration: 0' 30"

Difficulty: 2

1b. Preludio: Allegro

Sources give two different preludes to the chaconne (and others simply give the chaconne alone). This prelude is based on an allegro in F major (HWV 488) that was also used as the final movement to a version of the suite in F major (HWV 427).

Duration: 1' 30"

Difficulty: 1.5

2. Chaconne

The chaconne is followed by sixty-two variations. Handel specifies that each variation is to be repeated; the duration given here assumes that these repetitions are not observed.

Duration: 15' 30"

Difficulty: 2.5