Overture
This Overture by Handel is a keyboard piece in G minor in the French style, Octotune grade 6 of 8: a stately opening in dotted rhythms and chords, then a quick, lively section in 6/8.
At a glance
| Composer | George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate: grade 6 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: 2 flats (B♭, E♭) |
| Time | 4/4 |
| Tempo | 104 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 40 measures, about 1:15 |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | B♭3 to B♭5 |
| Left hand | D2 to D5 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Overture | 6 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
George Frideric Handel began many works with an overture in the French style: a slow, grand opening full of dotted rhythms, then a quicker section. This keyboard overture, from the Mutopia Project's edition, is in G minor (two flats) and lasts just over a minute.
How it is built.
- The stately opening, in 4/4: chords and dotted rhythms, long-short, long-short, with quick runs leading into the strong beats. Both hands often play two or three notes at once.
- The quick section, in 6/8: the music turns lively and flowing, with lines moving in both hands.
The tricky parts
- Dotted rhythms. In the opening they should be sharp and proud: a long note, then a very short one.
- Chords. Read them from the bottom up; hold each for its full length.
- The change to 6/8. Two beats in a measure, each of three eighths. Count the new time before you play it.
- Accidentals. F sharp, G minor's leading note, and E naturals and others come throughout.
Practice plan
- Learn each section apart: set the loop to one section, hands separately in Wait for me.
- The opening at 50% speed, counting the dotted rhythms.
- The quick section at 50% speed; raise it while both hands stay clear.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 11, which teaches B flat, F sharp and chords. The E flats and other accidentals go beyond it.
Questions
What is a French overture?
An opening piece in two parts: a slow, stately section full of dotted rhythms, then a quicker, lively one. The style came from the French court and was used by Handel, Bach and many others.
Is Handel's Overture hard?
It is an intermediate piece, Octotune grade 6 of 8. The opening's dotted rhythms and chords, then the quick section's sixteenths in both hands, take control.
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