XV Handel solo sonatas (Chrysander)


XV Solos for a German Flute, Hoboy, or Violin with a Thorough Bass for the Harpsichord or Bass Violin was published by Friedrich Chrysander in 1879. The 72-page volume contains sonatas, for various instruments, composed by or attributed to George Frideric Handel. The words on the cover of the publication are: Sonate da Camera di G.F.Handel. The publication includes all the sonatas as published by Walsh in 1732; and those sonatas, as well as extras included by Chrysander, include the body of work that is known as Handel's "Opus 1".
In addition to the 15 sonatas indicated by the title of the publication, Chrysander appended the scores of four additional sonatas, making nineteen in all. The first sixteen sonatas were included as part of the HG volume 27. Sonata VI and the final four sonatas were included as part of HG volume 48.
The musical instrument mentioned at the start of each sonata does not always match the instrument for which the work was originally written by Handel, however Chrysander was aware that the sale of the publication would be enhanced by the inclusion of a wide variety of instruments.
Each sonata displays the melody and bass lines—with the expectation that a competent keyboard player would supply the omitted inner parts based on the figured bass markings.
Despite the title, there are five instruments mentioned in the work: the traversa, the flauto, the hoboy, the violin, and the viola da gamba.

Summary

The following table lists each of the sonatas included by Chrysander in his publication of 1879, as well as information about the instrument, the key, and the original sonata by Handel.
Sonata TitlePageInstrumentKey signatureHandel's sonata
Sonata Ia2FluteE minorFlute sonata in E minor.
Sonata Ib6FluteE minorFlute sonata in E minor.
Sonata II9RecorderG minorRecorder sonata in G minor.
Sonata III12ViolinA majorViolin sonata in A major.
Sonata IV15RecorderA minorRecorder sonata in A minor.
Sonata V19FluteG majorFlute sonata in G major.
Sonata VI22OboeG minorViolin sonata in G minor.
Sonata VII25RecorderC majorRecorder sonata in C major.
Sonata VIII29OboeC minorOboe sonata in C minor.
Sonata IX32FluteB minorFlute sonata in B minor. Chrysander published what is now considered to be Handel's Opus 1 No. 9b.
Sonata X37ViolinG minorViolin sonata in G minor. Probably spurious.
Sonata XI40RecorderF majorRecorder sonata in F major.
Sonata XII42ViolinF majorViolin sonata in F major. Probably spurious.
Sonata XIII47ViolinD majorViolin sonata in D major. Not published by Walsh—the designation of Opus 1 No. 13 is by Chrysander.
Sonata XIV51ViolinA majorViolin sonata in A major. Published by Walsh ca. 1730 as op. 1, no. 10—the designation of Opus 1 No. 14 is by Chrysander.
Sonata XV54ViolinE majorViolin sonata in E major. Published by Walsh ca. 1730 as op. 1, no. 12—the designation of Opus 1 No. 15 is by Chrysander.
Sonata XVI57FluteA minorFlute sonata in A minor. In this publication the work is sub-titled "". Of doubtful authenticity. Also known as "Halle sonata No. 1". No. 1 of Six Solos, Four for a German Flute … Compos’d by Mr Handel, Sigr Geminiani, Sigr Somis, Sigr Brivio.
Sonata XVII61FluteE minorFlute sonata in E minor. Doubtful authenticity. Also known as "Halle sonata No. 2". No. 2 of Six Solos, Four for a German Flute … Compos’d by Mr Handel, Sigr Geminiani, Sigr Somis, Sigr Brivio. Movements 1–2 from HWV 366; movement 4 = keyboard minuet in G minor.
Sonata XVIII64FluteB minorFlute sonata in B minor. Doubtful authenticity. Also known as "Halle sonata No. 3". No. 3 of Six Solos, Four for a German Flute … Compos’d by Mr Handel, Sigr Geminiani, Sigr Somis, Sigr Brivio.
Sonata67Viola da GambaC majorNo HWV number. For an unknown reason, Chrysander omitted the "XIX" from the title of the sonata. The bass is not figured. The work was also published in HG xlviii,112.