Description
This D minor minuet is written in 3/8, with the eighth note as the beat, which gives the triple-time dance a light pulse, and it is over in under 30 seconds. It is the first of a pair, Menuet I and Menuet II, played together with the trio that follows, and one of the shortest pieces in the Aylesford Pieces, a set of Handel's keyboard music taken from manuscripts in the Aylesford family's keeping.
It contains just over 140 notes. The right hand has about twice as many notes as the left, a clear split of melody above and bass below. The trio that follows is in D major, so the pair sets minor against major on the same tonic.
It is rated beginner. In 3/8 the bars are short, and counting every eighth too strictly makes the music restless. Feel each bar as one broad beat, and use the hand colours to see how melody and bass relate. Playing it straight on into Menuet II is a good way to hear the change from minor to major. Running from F2 to B-flat 5, it sits comfortably on 61 keys.
A collection of keyboard suites by Handel built mainly around dance movements such as allemandes and gavottes, with lively ornamented melodies and Baroque contrapuntal writing. It suits intermediate-to-advanced players who want to explore Baroque stylistic performance.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
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 suite movements, minuets, and pieces from the Aylesford Pieces.
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