Handel: Minuets for keyboard, HWV A15

Handel's Minuets for Keyboard, HWV A15, are elegant pieces crafted for the keyboard. Composed during his years in London, this music reflects the popular dance form of the minuet, characterized by a 3/4 time signature, a structure typical of dance music in the Baroque era.

While not as widely recognized as his larger works, Handel's Minuets for Keyboard, HWV A15, serve as charming examples of his keyboard music, providing insights into the dance forms and musical tastes of the Baroque period. They remain delightful pieces suitable for both study and performance.

Among the collection, Minuets Nos. 24, 17, and 11 offer emotive depth and lyrical charm. Minuets No. 1, 26, 14, 8, and 6 engage with their melodic richness and harmonic depth. Minuets No. 34, 35, 27, 22, 21, 18, 16, 15, 10, 9a and 9b, 7, and 4 reflect the English influences and styles present in Handel's compositions. Additionally, Minuet No. 23 exudes grace and elegance, while the understated beauty of No. 5 and 2 captivates effortlessly.

Alessandro Simonetto's interpretation, performed on a copy of a 1638 harpsichord by Johannes Ruckers (Antwerp), faithfully reproduces the scores with the addition of a few extra ornamentations. Simonetto succeeds in imparting both a dance-like and poetic character to the music.

The superb quality recording was made using two historic Neumann transistor microphones from the 1960s.