Description
Cataloged as HWV 471, this air shares its key with another of Handel's keyboard airs and similarly favors a simple binary structure that lets the melody sing. It is modest in scale, but its expression depends heavily on subtle choices in ornamentation and dynamics. This makes it a nuanced piece for intermediate players despite its brevity.
Baroque-era arias marked by singing, lyrical melodic lines — a form used both in vocal music and as themes for keyboard variations.
About the Composer
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
George Frideric Handel was a Baroque composer born in Halle, Germany, who later became a naturalized British citizen. Celebrated for the oratorio Messiah and his Italian-style operas, he also composed many keyboard suites and sonatas. Often mentioned alongside his contemporary Bach, his music is marked by accessible melody and stately grandeur. This site includes 72 of his works, such as gavottes, concertos, and sonatinas.
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