Organ Concerto Op. 4/6

It is fair to say that Handel never wrote his organ concertos with a traditional concert performance in mind, at least in the way we experience concerts today. Handel’s organ skills are not in question: he was only outdone by J. S. Bach among contemporaries and once won an organ contest against Domenico Scarlatti (though Scarlatti got the better of him at the harpsichord). And while Handel is generally given credit for inventing the organ concerto as an independent genre, most of his concertos were first performed as “incidental music” during his oratorios of the 1730s. Such is the case with the B-flat-major Concerto, op. 4 no. 6, which Handel composed for inclusion in the oratorio Alexander’s Feast (February 1736). That oratorio adapted Dryden’s poem in honor of St Cecilia’s Day; originally the solo line was composed for harp to strengthen the connection with Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. Both outer movements require only modest contribution from the ensemble, as the soloist dominates the action. Muted strings and pizzicato bass set the distinctive tone of the graceful opening Andante, which remains one of Handel’s most famous themes. The middle movement is more introverted and lyric but garners welcome levity from a lilting triple meter. The dance feel continues into the finale’s “short-long” triple meter. This Allegro movement is the shortest of the three despite the indication for both parts of the AB form to be repeated. Handel’s writing throughout is simple and pliable; it makes for easy listening, joyful performance, and quick adaptation—as occasion demanded—to a variety of settings.

(c) Jason Stell