ABSTRACT
Introduction In the preface to his edition of Handel’s keyboard suites-the so-called Eight great suites, 1720-Rudolf Steglich wondered why such great works “that really belong to the masterworks of keyboard music are not given by contemporary performers the place they deserve in homes and concert halls.” His answer was: “Because today Handel’s notation, under many aspects, is not properly understood in Handel’s terms any more”.1 At the end of his preface, Steglich painstakingly supplied no less than 32 musical examples in an attempt to help the reader understand what he means by “Handel terms”. His example 30 shows the realization of Handel’s notation of the Sarabande of the seventh suite in G minor. My Example 9.1 shows the first eight bars of the sarabande on three staves: the two lower staves show Handel’s notation, the upper staff shows Steglich’s realization.
