Alexander's Feast or The Power of Musick. An Ode Wrote in Honour of St. Cecilia By Mr. Dryden . With the Recitativo's, Songs, Symphonys and Chorus's for Voices & Instruments. Together, with the Cantata, Duet, and Songs, as Perform'd at the Theatre Royal, in Covent Garden. Publish'd by the Author. [HWV 75, 89]. [Full score]

HANDEL, George Frideric 1685-1759

Published by Printed for & Sold by I. Walsh, Musick Printer, & Instrument maker to his Majesty, at ye Harp & Hoboy in Catherine Street in ye Strand. No. 634, 1738

About this Item

Folio. Full modern gray boards with titling gilt to olive green leather spine. 1f. (recto title, verso blank), [ii] (list of 124 subscribers), 166, 168-190, [i] (blank), 192-193 pp. The publication did not contain a page 167. Engraved throughout. Bookplate of Gilbert Samuel Inglefield (1909-1991), Lord Mayer of London, to front pastedown, with small bookseller's label to lower outer corner; manuscript ownership inscription "Ann Young 1817" and "H" to upper outer corner of title. Many pages with corrections in contemporary manuscript. Additional later occasional penciled notation. Singer's names within the score: Beard, Sigra. Strada, Miss Young, Erard, Aragoni and Sig. Hannibali (Annibali). Without the "Catalogue of Musick Composed by Mr. Handel" found in some copies and which Smith cites as following p. 193. Binding slightly worn, rubbed, and bumped; free endpapers considerably browned. Moderate internal browning; occasional soiling, staining, and foxing, a bit heavier to title and first few leaves; small hole to outer margin of title, just touching double-ruled border; many leaves carefully reinforced at lower outer corners and margins; small tear to lower margins of pp. 73 and 75 repaired. Very small burn hole to p. 89. The subscriber's list contains many distinguished personages from English contemporary society and royalty. Subscriber's also include musicians and other's of note: Giovanni Carbonelli (1700-1772), a violinist and composer who led performances of Handel's oratorios at St Pauls; John Festing (?-1772), an oboist, flutist and composer who was a founding member of the Royal Society of Musicians in 1739; Dr. Green; Wm. Hayes; Charles Jennens (1700-1773), Handel's librettist and subscriber to many of Handel's published works; John Stanley, and John Christopher Smith (1712-1795), a composer and Handel's friend and assistant. First Edition, first issue. Smith p. 90, no. 1. BUC p. 432. RISM H994.(Not distinguishing between issues). "In this edition (issue) a number of mistakes and omissions in the engraved plates were corrected by hand in the copies. A portrait of Handel was presented to the subscribers to 'Alexander's Feast', engraved by Jacob Houbraken . This portrait was not included in this first issue of the score, but was afterwards delivered to the subscribers." Smith p. 90 Alexander's Feast, with text by the celebrated English poet John Dryden (1631-1700) with additions by N. Hamilton, was first performed in London at Covent Garden on 19 February 1736. "That Handel's imagination was profoundly stirred cannot be doubted, and is not surprising in view of the subject . and the clarity, concrete imagery, and well-placed climaxes of Dryden's poem. But the fact that the only work with English words (other than two or three occasional anthems) composed during a period when he was staking all on Italian opera should have been this glowing masterpiece is psychologically revealing ." Dean: Handel's Dramatic Oratorios and Masques, p. 273. The ownership signature of Ann Young is possibly that of Ann Young (1756-1827) the Scottish composer, teacher, and author of "Instructions for playing the musical games," Edinburgh, 1801, and "Elements of Musical Fingering the Harpsichord," Edinburgh, ca. 1810.

Seller Inventory # 39717

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Alexander's Feast or The Power of Musick. An Ode Wrote in Honour of St. Cecilia By Mr. Dryden . With the Recitativo's, Songs, Symphonys and Chorus's for Voices & Instruments. Together, with the Cantata, Duet, and Songs, as Perform'd at the Theatre Royal, in Covent Garden. Publish'd by the Author. [HWV 75, 89]. [Full score]
• Publisher: Printed for & Sold by I. Walsh, Musick Printer, & Instrument maker to his Majesty, at ye Harp & Hoboy in Catherine Street in ye Strand. No. 634
• Publication Date: 1738
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
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