Sonatina in B-flat major HWV 585

About this work

In Handel’s Sonatina in B-flat major, HWV 585, quavers pass between the hands. The bass sets the music in motion while the right hand waits; the roles then cross as one line moves forward and the other answers or briefly rests. These exchanges give the nineteen-bar piece its momentum.

At the keyboard, listen for an unbroken thread through the dialogue. Practise slowly, noticing which hand carries the quavers at each point, then bring the parts together at a steady pulse. Let the rests make room for the other hand’s reply: shortening them blurs the exchange. The trills need to fit around that same pulse without disturbing the line underneath.

The two lines draw together towards the sustained final chord. Keep the last quavers light and let the chord settle without hurrying its arrival. On returning to the opening, try to hear two continuous voices even when they move into a different register.

What the document contains

The one-page PDF contains the complete Sonatina HWV 585 for keyboard. David Maddock’s engraving comes from the Mutopia Project, which cites Handel’s Werke of 1859 and declares the engraving public domain. A MIDI file accompanies the score. A link to LesPartitions.info appears at the foot of the page.