Notes on the interpretation of a Larghetto by Handel

Abstract

This text presents the English translation of the article entitled Notas sobre a interpretação de um Larghetto de Handel [“Notes on the interpretation of a Larghetto by Handel”], written by Laura Rónai and originally published in Per Musi, Belo Horizonte, vol. 42, 2025. The original article is available in open access under DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2317-6377.2025.50959, eISSN 2317-6377. It discusses interpretative aspects of Baroque music through the lens of Historically Oriented Performance, using as a case study the Larghetto from the Sonata in E minor for flute and basso continuo, HWV 379, by George Frideric Handel. The translation was carried out by the author herself, a professor at the Villa-Lobos Institute of the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), with the aim of expanding the international readership of the work and making it accessible to musicians, researchers, and performers who do not read Portuguese. The English version remains faithful to the content, structure, and academic tone of the original text, while incorporating minor stylistic adjustments to accommodate the rhetorical conventions of English-language scholarly writing. By opting for a self-translation, the author ensures the preservation of her intended meaning and the alignment between musical concepts and their expression. The translation also seeks to foster international dialogue on Baroque performance practices and to support musicians interested in historical ornamentation and stylistic awareness.