Barenreiter Handel G.F. - Dixit Dominus HWV 232 - Vocal Score

Summary of This Score

Composed around 1707 during Georg Friedrich Handel's Italian stay, Dixit Dominus (Psalm 109) stands as a major work of Baroque sacred music. Written when the composer was only about 22 years old, the piece already reveals remarkable mastery of writing, foreshadowing the dramatic scope and contrapuntal richness later found in his operas and oratorios. The core of the score notably rests on six choral movements of great polyphonic density, close in spirit to certain 17th-century German choral traditions.

This publication offers a complete revision of a frequently performed work. It replaces the former Urtext edition (BA 4002) from the "Halle Handel Edition" (published in 1960). The errors identified in the previous edition concern a small number of notes but especially essential performance elements: figured bass notation and text placement. These points have been corrected thanks to evidence provided by two previously unavailable sources, to offer a more reliable and coherent reading.

With its carefully prepared piano reduction, this score is particularly suited for choir conductors, accompanists, and musicians preparing rehearsals. It provides a solid foundation for approaching the work with stylistic rigor, musical precision, and reading comfort, while benefiting from a Latin text and accessible editorial apparatus.

Technical specifications

Musical Genre

Classical

Composer	Georg Friedrich Handel	Genre	Classical score (Baroque sacred music)
Arranger	Köhs, Andreas	Language	Latin (work); English and German (texts/notes)
Edition	BA 10704-90 (Urtext edition) - Scientific Editor: Marx, Hans Joachim	Pages	VII, 93
Instrumentation	Piano reduction