mances of a work differed as singers introduced new variations and scenes
were changed to hold the interest of the audience. A new production that
relied on an established score, which nobody could alter, “would have been
something quite unthinkable.” Handel’s exhaustive planning included alter-
ations.- Strohm, Reinhard. “Handel’s pasticci.” In Essays on Handel(#953), 164–211.
Originally in German in Analecta musicologica14 (1974). Defines the genre
and considers its London manifestations. Genesis, description, and reception
of Handel’s nine pasticcios, with an account of his revisions and extended
musical examples. An appendix lists the sinfonias and arias of those works in
chronological order, with names of singers and source information. - Dean, Winton. “Production Style in Handel’s Operas.” In Cambridge Com-
panion(#951), 249–261.
Observes that “there can be no excuse for ignorance of how the operas were
done in Handel’s day, or for failing to take this into consideration for revivals
in the modern theatre.” Takes issue with much modern production, for its
“self-indulgence and the urge to shock,” and gives some horrible examples.
“The crucial question—are the operas viable in the modern professional the-
atre in their own terms?—has too often been allowed to go by default.” - “Kolloquium über aufführungspraktische Fragen bei Händel.” Händel-
Jahrbuch12 (1966): 25–49.
A useful discussion about performance practice of the vocal music, with par-
ticipation of Walther Siegmund-Schulze, Konrad Sasse, Percy Young, Alfred
Mann, and Ernst Meyer. - Buelow, George J. “The Case for Handel’s Borrowings: The Judgment of Three
Centuries.” In Tercentenary(#950): 61–82.
Aims “to review and evaluate the opinions of others about Handel’s composi-
tional practices.” Notes that in writings of Germany in Handel’s time “the
concept of originality is rarely found.” Indeed, originality as a value did not
arise until the early 19th century. The earliest reference to Handel as one who
appropriated large and small pieces of music by others is in 1722, in Critica
musica,but the view expressed is that it is an honor to have one’s music
reworked by another. Buelow’s survey of the literature on the topic of borrow-
ing (or plagiarism, as some would have it) is excellent. He also considers what
has been written about the Handel situation. He concludes that “at last Han-
del scholars have begun to see that the composer’s extensive and manifold
adaptations of his and other composers’ works contain vital clues for defining
the genius of his compositional craft and stylistic individuality.” - Roberts, John H. “Why Did Handel Borrow?” In Tercentenary(#950), 83–92.
A number of answers to the title question have been given by other scholars:
Handel responding to his unconscious needs, Handel weakened mentally by a
paralytic stroke (1737) and thus unable to invent his own material, Handel
taking music of others simply as a base for his improvisatory style. But recent
George Frideric Handel 191