Sonatina in B-flat, HWV 585
Handel's Sonatina in B-flat major, HWV 585, is a short, lively piece in 4/4, Octotune grade 4 of 8. Two lines, one in each hand, move in eighth notes: a good first step toward Baroque two-part music like Bach's Inventions.
At a glance
| Composer | George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Beginner: grade 4 of 8 |
| Key | Key signature: 2 flats (B♭, E♭) |
| Time | 4/4 |
| Tempo | 120 quarter-note beats a minute, as the app starts it (it can go slower) |
| Length | 19 measures, about 38 seconds |
| Hands | both hands |
| Right hand | D4 to C6 |
| Left hand | F2 to F4 |
It reaches past the staff: see ledger lines explained.
Levels in the app
| Version | Grade | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Sonatina in B-flat, HWV 585 | 4 of 8 | Melody, Melody and bass, Full |
Practice notes
A short sonatina by George Frideric Handel: under a minute of music, in B-flat major (two flats, B flat and E flat). Its title means "little sonata", but it is really a lively Baroque piece in two parts.
How it is built. There are two lines, one in each hand, and each hand plays one note at a time. Both move mostly in eighth notes: the right hand with the tune, the left hand with a busy bass that answers it. In places the right hand leaps and returns, sketching two voices in one line.
The tricky parts
- Two active hands. Neither hand simply accompanies: both move at once. Listen to each line.
- Flats. Every B and E is flat unless marked; a couple of E naturals are written in.
- Leaps. The right hand jumps more than an octave in places. Look ahead.
- Evenness. Eighths at a steady, lively pulse, with a clear first beat.
Practice plan
- Each hand alone in Wait for me, a phrase at a time.
- Both hands at 50% speed, with Loop this measure where they tangle.
- Play along, raising the speed gently.
Next: Bach's Invention No. 1 takes two-part playing further.
Before you start: Octotune's path through Unit 10, which teaches B flat. The E flats go a step beyond it.
Questions
Is Handel's Sonatina in B-flat hard?
It is a Beginner piece, Octotune grade 4 of 8, and short. Each hand plays one note at a time; the challenge is two lively lines in eighth notes at once, and the flats.
Credits and license
- Music: George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
- Typeset by David Maddock for the Mutopia Project
- License: Public Domain
- Source and printable sheet music: the Mutopia Project’s page for this piece