Sarabande in G minor for 2 oboes, 2 violins, viola and basso continuo

From the opera 'Almira', HWV 1 (No. 4)

Libretto: Friedrich Christian Feustking (1678-1739), after Giulio Pancieri's 'Almira' (music by Giuseppe Boniventi, 1690)

Music: Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759)

First performance: 8 January 1705 in Hamburg (Theater am Gänsemarkt)
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Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin,
conducted by Bernhard Forck (concertmaster)

Concert: 20 October 2008 in Vienna (Theater an der Wien)

Pitch: A = 415 Hz
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This solemn sarabande for a royal procession became the touching aria 'Lascia la spina' sung by Piacere in Händel's first oratorio, 'Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno', HWV 45 (1707), and later Almirena's famous aria 'Lascia ch'io pianga' in his first London opera, 'Rinaldo', HWV 7 (1710). It also has similarities with Dardano's 'Pena tiranna' in 'Amadigi di Gaula', HWV 11 (1715).

The score in the Chrysander edition has a strange presentation: the A and B sections are supposed to be repeated (AABB), but at the end we also have the indication 'Da Capo'. I edited the score to make it look like a normal piece with da capo (ABA), as it is performed.

The instruments are not indicated, but they are probably the same as for the Ouverture:

1. Violino I, Hautbois I
2. Violino II, Hautbois II
3. Viola
4. Bassi

Marc D.

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