Description
The only A minor minuet among the Aylesford Pieces on this site, this Menuet (Trio) in 3/4 has a shaded sound unlike the major-key minuets around it. Trio originally names the contrasting section played between statements of a minuet; here it is included as a piece in its own right, near the end of the collection after the passepied.
Under a minute long, it has about 200 notes, so fewer than four go by each second. The right hand has about twice as many notes as the left, a clear division of melody above and bass below. Both hands stay in a narrow compass.
It is rated intermediate. With few notes, attention goes to the length and shaping of each note of the melody. Slow the playback, check the phrase divisions in the score view, and watch the hand colours to see how the melody lines up with the bass. The range is narrow, C2 to F5, and fits easily on a 61-key keyboard.
The minuet, an elegant triple-time dance popular in the Baroque era, evoking the refined atmosphere of a courtly ball.
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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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