Irish harpers are known to have played 18th-century European music—by Corelli, Geminiani and Handel—alongside their own Irish repertory. In these two sessions we will learn 18th-century harper, Dominc Mungan’s party piece, 'Let me wander not unseen', an aria from Handel’s pastoral ode, L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato. Composed in London in 1740, this is the work Handel introduced himself with at the first concert he directed in Dublin, in December 1741. The Irish harper chose his Handel repertory wisely: this haunting aria is perfect for a single-row harp that doesn’t have chromatic capabilities. We will look at Handel’s bass line, and a much simpler alternative that would keep the aria within the documented idiom used by 18th-century Irish harpers.

Part 1 of a two-part session