Francisco Tárrega - Coral de Haendel (Score Video)

Georg Friedrich Handel supposedly wrote this chorale which, as far as we know, survives only in the form of this guitar arrangement by Francisco Tárrega. This piece was never published during Tárrega’s life, but posthumous editions title this arrangement “Coral de Haendal” (Chorale of Handel), or simply “Chorale”. The first known copy was drawn by Miguel Llobet and is titled "Motivo de Haendel arreglado para guitarra por Francisco Tárrega". This title, containing the term “motivo”, or, in English, motive or motif, opens the possibility that this could be Tárrega’s embellishment and completion of a fragmentary motif of Handel rather than an arrangement of a complete piece, as is generally the accepted case.
Exactly when and how Tárrega found this music is impossible to know, but I have dated this manuscript to the mid to late 1890s based on Llobet’s activity as a copyist while studying under Tárrega at conservatory. This decided date falls after he had toured much of Western Europe, so it is possible for him to have encountered it sometime during his travels. This date also places its copying to about 140 years after the death of Handel in 1759, which is a long time for a piece to survive before being lost without a trace. Perhaps the attribution to Handel is a misnomer. Perhaps it is still out there buried in some library or private collection. Regardless of its origin and fate, we are lucky to possess Tárrega’s version of this work.
music: classicalguita...
Chapters:
0:00 A section
1:09 B section

[@FerdinandusAustralis]

Great playing! The piece sounds so serene and warm that quiets all worries. And thank you very much for the historical comment.

[@RomanticGuitarist19]

I'm very happy you enjoyed it. It's a fascinating little gem of the guitar repertoire.

[@christophermartin1456]

Lovely