Handel on Two Harpsichords

 

Nicholas and Graham Jackson will perform Handel’s Suite for Two Harpsichords in G minor along with Nicholas Jackson’s arrangement and completion of the ‘Chaconne’ and the ‘Passacaille’

Description

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Harpsichordists Nicholas Jackson and Graham Jackson perform works for two harpsichords including Handel’s Suite for Two Harpsichords. Only the first harpsichord part of this work exists, but Thurston Dart (1921-1971) wrote a reconstruction for the second part. The Suite has four movements, the fourth of which is a Chaconne which Handel did not appear to complete. Nicholas Jackson has added a further 24 bars to complete it and this concert will see its first performance. Handel’s grandiose Passacaille is also adapted to two harpsichords.

Other works include JS Bach’s ‘Art of Fugue’ which contains two mirror fugues for two harpsichords which are re-workings of two three-part fugues. Welsh composer Tomkins’ ‘Fancy’ is one of the first known keyboard pieces in duet form. Other works include Mozart’s Fantasia K 594 and Scarlatti’s pupil Soler who wrote six concertos for two organs or harpsichords to play with his pupil the King’s son Prince Gabriel.

Programme
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Passacaille in G minor arr. for two Harpsichords by Nicholas Jackson

Suite for Two Harpsichords in C minor (Chaconne completed by Nicholas Jackson)
Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Chaconne

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Contrapuncti 12a & 12b for two harpsichords
‘The Art of Fugue’

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1792)
Duet Sonata in C Major K19d
Allegro, Minuet, Allegretto

Fantasia in F minor K594 for a Mechanical Organ inside a Clock
Adagio, Allegro, Adagio

Thomas Tomkins (1573-1656)
A Fancy for 2 to play

Padre Antonio Soler (1729-1783)
Concerto No.6 in D major for two Harpsichords
Allegro, Minuet and four Variations