Telemann's Violin Concerto in B-flat Major and Handel's Overture in D, Ottone, and Sonata à 5 have significant interrelationships. Handel uses the orchestral ritornello opening of the third movement of Telemann's concerto for the fugue subject of his overture in D. Telemann's concerto works well as a source because its solo episodes hint at a fugal outline. Handel expands this subject into a formal fugue in his overture by changing and extending the countersubject. He uses the beginning of this subject again in the greatly extended fugue of the overture to Ottone. This practice of only using the beginning motive of a fugue without preserving other features is a common practice for Handel's borrowings. Although there are several other Handel works which use similar opening gestures, there is no evidence borrowing occurred in these cases. The borrowing between this Telemann concerto and these three Handel works is much more likely because of the personal correspondence and long history of borrowing between the two composers.

Works: Handel: Overture in D, HWV 337 (33-35, 37), Ottone, HWV 15 (33, 35-36); Telemann: Violin Concerto in B-Flat Major, TWV 51:B2 (33), Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 12 (36).

Sources: Telemann: Violin Concerto in B-Flat Major, TWV 51:B2 (33-35, 37-38); Handel: Sonata à 5, HWV 288 (33, 38-39); Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow: Keyboard Suite in B Minor (36).

Index Classifications: 1700s

Contributed by: Danielle Nelson