Valparaiso, Indiana

Sonata # 1 (Movement IV) by George Frederick Handel

Published by Amsco Music Publishing Company

This piece is part of a collection titled, OBOE SOLOS, arranged and edited by Jay Arnold

# 1

Turn to page 138 in your collection of OBOE SOLOS and find SONATA NO. 1 by George Frederick Handel.  You are playing movement four  titled ALLEGRO which is found on the next page- 139 at the bottom of the page.

# 2

The key signature of this piece is in two flats-Bb and Eb.  The piece begins on a high “G” and ends on a middle “C” with a few B natural notes (first finger only of the left hand) and Ab that includes the “G” fingering plus the pinky finger of the left hand on the Ab key next to the “G” key of your left hand.

# 3

The opening melody in measure one is very stepwise with a few skips.  As you play the first scale going downward be prepared to play the note “B” natural.  In measure five you have both a Bb and an Ab.  Keep your fingers close to the oboe and squeeze the keys rather than slapping the keys.   Do not wave your fingers like flags.  Keep your fingers close to the keys like they were glued together as one unit as you move the keys back and forth.

Play only the first scale downward end on the low “G’ in measure two.  Repeat this a number of times slowly until you can play it three times without a mistake.  Begin on the “B” natural at the end of the second measure and continue playing the scale upward to the high “G” and stop.  Again, repeat this section until you can play it three times slowly without a mistake.

Start on the Bb to Ab pattern in measure five and continue for six notes ending on low “G”.  Playing back and forth from Bb to Ab requires you to keep your third and fourth fingers of your left hand moving together with your fingers close to the keys at all times.  Finish the final note pattern to the repeat sign.

# 4

You are ready to perform the first half of the movement (measure one to the repeat sign) slowly with a steady beat with all the correct fingerings and rhythms and articulations (tonguing and slurring patterns).  Breathing correctly and in the right places is important.  Your first breath will be after you play the high “G” in measure four and again after the last note before the repeat sign (half-hole Eb).  When you can play the first half slowly without a mistake trying playing the first half twice with a big sound (forte).

Gradually decrease the dynamic the second time so that it is clear that the first time you play this section it will be loud (forte) and on the repeat it will be softer (piano or pianissimo)  There needs to be a contrast of dynamics between the first time and the second time; however, do not play too soft the second with notes not speaking.

# 5

Starting at measure “9” there is a high “Bb”  followed by a high “Ab”, be sure you have your second octave key and your first octave key depressed at the same time for the connection of these two notes.  There is a high Ab in measure “9” and an “A” natural in measure “11”.  In measure “13” there is an “E” natural (three fingers in the left hand, two fingers in the right hand with the first octave key).  This note is followed by a regular “F” fingering.

From measure “13” to the end of the piece you are moving back and forth between “Bb” and “B” natural.  You should perform measure “9” to the end just one time with no repeat when playing the piece for the first time as a beginner.  Note that the music gradually gets louder (crescendo)  during the final four measures and slow down during the final two measures  (ritardando).

Play from measure “9” to the end of the piece at a slow tempo.  Take a quick breath (exhale-inhale) as you need a breath after the half note-quarter note slurs.  There are five of these slurs between measure “9” to the end of the piece.

# 6

You are now ready to play the entire piece.  Trying playing the entire piece with NO REPEAT in measure 8.  Keep the tempo slow until you can play the entire piece with all the right fingerings, rhythms, articulations (tonguing and slurring patterns) and dynamics without stopping.

Gradually increase the tempo so that the music sounds happy and cheerful.  Finally, add the repeat and play measures one-eight twice with the first time being loud (forte) and the second time being soft (piano or pianissimo).

Ask your school music director to help you find a piano accompanist.  The arrangement of this piece is designed to be performed as an oboe solo with piano accompaniment.

We have a video demonstrating all of the above information on YouTube.  You will find this video performance helpful in your practice and you can play along with the video.