Menuet I
Handel's Menuet I is a short minuet in D minor and 3/8, Octotune grade 4 of 8. The left hand walks in single eighth notes while the right hand plays the tune with one or two notes under it.
At a glance
| Composer | George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Beginner: grade 4 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: 1 flat (B♭) |
| Time | 3/8 |
| Tempo | 60 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 17 measures, about 26 seconds |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | D4 to B♭5 |
| Left hand | F2 to F4 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Menuet I | 4 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
A short minuet by George Frideric Handel, in the Mutopia Project's edition: 17 measures, under half a minute, in D minor (one flat, B flat) and 3/8, three eighth notes in a measure.
How it is built. The left hand plays one eighth note at a time, a walking bass. The right hand plays the tune on top, and very often one or two notes under it: little chords that fill in the harmony, as a harpsichordist would. A few quick sixteenths decorate the line.
The tricky parts
- Right-hand chords. Read each one from the bottom up, and keep the top note, the tune, a little stronger.
- 3/8. Three short beats in a measure, felt as one: "ONE two three". Keep it light, like a dance.
- C sharp. D minor's leading note is written in each time.
- Leaps. Both hands jump an octave in places; look ahead so the hand is there in time.
Practice plan
- The tune alone with the Melody level, then the Full level's right hand in Wait for me.
- Left hand alone, then both hands at 50% speed, with Loop this measure where the chords come thick.
- Play along at a gentle dance tempo.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 11, which teaches B flat and chords. The C sharps go a step beyond it.
Questions
Is Handel's Menuet I hard?
It is a Beginner piece, Octotune grade 4 of 8, and only 17 measures. The left hand is one note at a time; the right hand often plays two or three notes at once, which is the part to practice.
Credits and license
- Music: George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
- Typeset by Bas Wassink for the Mutopia Project
- License: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece