Handel Halversen Passacaglia on Paper

February 20, 2012 at 10:27 PM

Oh, if only these two masterpieces could be merged. I like the playfulness of Itzhak and Pinchas in the first half, and seriousness of the chords in Kennedy/Harrell in the middle section at 1 min 49 sec. The transcription to viola suits my ear a bit better than the cello transcription, who's bright overtones blend slightly less than the violin and viola version. I enjoy the visuals of Itzhak/Pinchas. However, the end of the Kennedy/Harrell simply kicks butt. I have visions of their heads spinning off, and the ending is perfectly voiced and fantastic.

There's something cool about two held instruments playing in the Itzhak/Pinchas version, as the bows really fly in unison. I also don't mind the lack of low-tones. Pinchas pulls it off. Here's the score, for notation lovers: