Thesis (Ph. D.)--Open University. BLDSC no. DXN116697.

Originally presented as the author's thesis, Frankfurt am Main. / Bibliography: p. 149-155.

Originally presented as the author's thesis, Frankfurt am Main. / Bibliography: p. 149-155.

The issues surrounding Handel's borrowing practices have been the subject of much debate over the last three centuries. Unfortunately, the field is rife with contradictions, speculation, and theories that have only a limited applicability. This dissertation provides a new approach to the study of Handel's borrowing practices by applying a methodology that would have been familiar to Handel and the elite members of his audiences—one that employs the principles of Aristotelian logic, textual rhetoric and musical rhetoric. This type of methodology can be applied successfully to miscellaneous vocal to vocal borrowings that span the composer's entire career. The first part of the dissertation provides the background for the ensuing study by examining the educations of Handel and his audience members. Chapter 1 outlines the various curricula available during Handel's lifetime and confirms that Handel and his more privileged contemporaries followed one which featured instruction in Aristotelian logic, textual rhetoric and musical rhetoric. Chapter 2 verifies that students at various European centres studied these principles during their adolescent years. The final chapter of this part discusses each of these principles in detail and provides the raw methodological material for this study. The second part of the dissertation takes the principles gleaned from Part 1 and employs contemporary commentary to mould them into a viable methodology for the study of Handel's borrowing practices. The analyses included in this part not only provide comprehensive musical-rhetorical and musico-dramatic discussions, but also provide rigorous examinations of source and new poetic texts. Analysis of the poetic texts represents a vital first step in this study. It reveals the poetic themes of a source and its new version and establishes that it is the location (topos) of these themes within the categories of Aristotelian logic that determines the appropriateness of a source as well as the degree to which it is altered in a new work. Appendix 1 provides tables that summarise the analyses of Handel's borrowings from each chapter of Part 2. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the vocabulary of Aristotelian logic, textual rhetoric and musical rhetoric, a glossary of all terminology as it is employed in this dissertation has been included. / Graduate

This thesis analyzes the organ concertos of George Frideric Handel

Thesis (Ph.D.)--City University of New York, 2005. / Includes abstract and glossary. Includes bibliographical references (p. 482-526).

The lecture recital was given April 1, 1974. Eighteenth-century accounts of the voices and performing styles of Francesca Cuzzoni, Faustina Bordoni, and Anna Strada del Pò were related to six opera arias written for them by George Frideric Handel. The arias, accompanied by harpsichord, violin, and violoncello, were performed with added original ornamentation. In addition to the lecture recital two other public recitals and two opera roles were performed. The first solo recital was on February 11, 1972, and included works by Mozart, Fauré, Rimsky-Korsakov, R. Strauss, Walton, Moore, and others. The second solo recital, on October 15, 1973, included works by Porpora, Rameau, Handel, Wolf, Donizetti, Debussy, and Schubert. The role of "Urgele" in the marionette opera Die Fee Urgele by Pleyel was performed in English on October 30 and 31, 1972, with the Collegium Musicum of North Texas State University. The role of "Clorinda" in Rossini's La Cenerentola was performed in English on November 26 and 28, 1972, with the Shreveport Symphony.

Although long-neglected, the topic of Handel's operatic oeuvre has in recent years gained new currency. Of interest to oboists is the great amount of soloistic writing for the oboe in the arias of his operas which takes the form of obbligato solos. From this body of works approximately twenty operas contain soloistic writing for the oboe in conjunction with the voice. The rationale for the investigation of this topic is two-fold: first, to make oboists aware of the availability of this body of literature, and second, to explore the manner and extent to which Handel used the oboe as an obbligato instrument. Topics covered include the instrumental make-up of Handel's orchestra and a brief history of the obbligato aria beginning with the early trumpet arias. An examination of Handel's compositional technique precedes a detailed analysis of six examples of varying style. The conclusion considers the aesthetics of performing these pieces out of context in light of historical practice and perception.

No description available.

No description available.