Description
This D major trio in 3/4 answers the D minor, 3/8 Menuet I that precedes it, changing both mode and metre on the same tonic. Placing a trio between statements of a minuet was a common plan in Baroque suites, and these two minuets form such a pair within the Aylesford Pieces.
It lasts about a minute and has around 290 notes, longer and more spacious than the first. Melody stays in the right hand and bass in the left, but the range reaches down to A1, giving the bass more breadth. At just over four notes per second, it is calmer in density than the first.
It is rated beginner. Played straight after Menuet I, the change of metre means switching to a new feel for the beat as the trio begins. Repeating the join between the two with the A-B loop makes that switch natural. The range runs from A1 to B5, and a few of the bass notes fall outside a 61-key keyboard as written, though an octave shift fits every note.
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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