G.F. Handel. First German edition of "Messiah", in Mozart's arrangement, 1803

G.F. Handel

F. G. Händel’s Oratorium Der Messias nach W. A. Mozart’s Bearbeitung. Partitur [full score], Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, [1803]

FIRST GERMAN EDITION OF MESSIAH, FIRST EDITION OF MOZART'S ARRANGEMENT [K.572], each part paginated separately, 1 leaf, 108, 95 and 48 pages, large oblong folio (26.7 x 34.4cm), printed title, type-set music and text, a few pencil annotations, without the printed designation "Erster Theil" to title and without second and third act titles, modern calf with gilt fleur-de-lys pattern, browning, occasional light damp-staining to margins 

In the last years of his short life, Mozart turned his gaze on music of the past. Through the influence of his friend Baron van Swieten, he rediscovered the riches of the music of J.S. Bach and George Frideric Handel. There were opportunities to perform the works by the earlier masters in Vienna, and in 1788 and 1789 Mozart arranged several large works for performance, including Acis and Galatea, Messiah and Alexander’s Feast. In Messiah, Mozart updated and expanded the orchestration to modern tastes, adding trombones, altering trumpet parts and classicising the orchestra with flutes, clarinets, horns and bassoons. The oratorio was advertised for publication in this form in Germany by Breitkopf in 1802 and issued the following year.

LITERATURE:

RISM H 723; cf. Hoboken, v 104; Hoboken, xi 394

PROVENANCE:

Otto Haas