The fugue subject in the second movement of Handel's Organ Concerto in A major, Op. 7, No. 2, is taken from a Ricercar by Gottlieb Muffat. Handel extends Muffat's subject by continuing the sequential progression one step further. He also uses Muffat's voice order and countersubject pattern. The Muffat ricercar used by Handel is found in only one source, a manuscript collection of keyboard music copied by Padre Alexander Giessel; like Muffat, Giessel was a pupil of Fux at the Minoritenkonvent in Vienna.

Works: Handel: Organ Concerto in A major, Op. 7, no. 2.

Sources: Muffat: Ricercar.

Index Classifications: 1700s

Contributed by: Felix Cox