Händel, Georg Friedrich : Suite Courante HWV 440
Work Overview
Genre:courante
Total Playing Time:1 min 40 sec
Copyright:Public Domain
Commentary (1)
Author : Ooi, Kazurou
Last Updated: August 18, 2024
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Author : Ooi, Kazurou
This is an elegant Courante. A tempo that avoids a sense of hurriedness tends to sound more appealing. Both the first and second halves contain peak points, though these are not overtly forceful. Performers should, however, identify these peak points to maintain a clear sense of direction.
In the first half, the melodic line ascends to F in the right hand at measure 6, subsequently descending. It then re-ascends, reaching G in the right hand at measure 16. Measure 16 thus constitutes the peak point of the first half.
The second half commences in B-flat major, promptly modulating to G minor, arriving at a Picardy third in G minor on the first beat of measure 28, and immediately transitioning to C minor. Around measure 30, where the melodic line reaches G, the tension reaches its apex. The peak point of the second half should be understood not in terms of pitch height, but rather as the heightened tension derived from the modulations. Subsequently, the piece returns to B-flat major and concludes gently.