1710

Jun 4 NS

[Electress Sophia of Hanover to Sophia Dorothea, Princess Royal of Prussia, Herrenhausen, 4 June 1710]

I go [almost] every day to see our electoral princess {= Caroline, later Queen of Great Britain}, who is very well at the moment and no longer confined to bed. She is entertained by the music of a Saxon {= Handel} who surpasses every one who has ever been heard in harpsichord-playing and composition. He was much admired in Italy. He is very suitable to be [appointed] Master of the Chapel. If the king {= Frederick I of Prussia} took him, his music would be in much better shape than it is at present. He is going to Düsseldorf to compose an opera there.[1]

Jun 14 NS

[Electress Sophia of Hanover to Sophia Dorothea, Princess Royal of Prussia, Herrenhausen, 14 June 1710]

But there is not much to say from here except that the elector {= Georg Ludwig, later King George I of Great Britain} has taken on a Master of the Chapel named Handel, who plays marvellously on the harpsichord, in which the electoral prince and princess {= the later King George II and Queen Caroline} take a great deal of pleasure. He is quite a handsome man, and gossip says that he has been in love with Victoria. The electoral princess is so well that she walks every evening with me in the garden, which is a great pleasure for me.[2]

Jun 15 NS

[Electress Sophia of Hanover to Sophia Dorothea, Princess Royal of Prussia, Herrenhausen, 15 June 1710]

You have not [informed] me, my dear princess, whether the king has retained in his service the fine singer of whom Your Royal Highness spoke. The elector has taken into his service Henling [sic], who plays the harpsichord so well and who is (so they say) so learned in music. The electoral prince and princess are charmed with him and delighted that the elector has kept him. For myself, I do not know much about it: since I lost the late queen, my daughter, music makes me melancholy.[3]

Oct 4 - Dec 30

[Wednesday 4 October– Thursday 9 November]		The opera House open’d Oct 4^th. 5^th. & 7 then closd till 4 nov^r. cont^d till 18^th nov then closd.
Wednsday 22 Nov	Hydaspes Sig^a Elv Pillotta Schiavonetti Gioseppe Boschi.	The Opera commenced 22 nov^r. under the direction of A. Hill.
Saturday 25 nov	Hydaspes
Wednesday 29 nov	Hydaspes.
Saturday Dec^r 2	Hydaspes
Wednesday Dec 6^th	Pyr & Dem
Saturday Dec 9^th	Pyr & Dem Mad^e Isa^e Girardeu
Wednesday Dec 13	Pyr & Dem
Saturday Dec 16	Pyr & Dem New Cascade Scene after Italian Manner
Wednesday Dec 20	Hydaspes
Friday Dec 22	Hydaspes
Wednesday 27 Dec	Hydaspes
Saturday 30 Dec	Pyr & D[4]

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[1] Donald Burrows, “Handel and Hanover,” in Bach, Handel, Scarlatti Tercentenary Essays, ed. Peter Williams (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985), 35-60: 39; trans. from French.

[2] Donald Burrows, “Handel and Hanover,” in Bach, Handel, Scarlatti Tercentenary Essays, ed. Peter Williams (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985), 35-60: 39; trans. from French.

[3] Donald Burrows, “Handel and Hanover,” in Bach, Handel, Scarlatti Tercentenary Essays, ed. Peter Williams (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985), 35-60: 39; trans. from French.

[4] British Library, Egerton Ms. 2321, ff. 2r-5v.