- In 1734, London publisher John Walsh published a collection of six concerti grossi as Handel’s Opus 3. It is probable that Handel had no prior knowledge of this publication and that Walsh simply pirated several Handel orchestral works, sorted them into sets of movements, and called them “6 Concertos.”1
- At the time, Corelli’s concerti grossi were popular in England, and it is likely that Walsh thought creating a Handel pastiche would make him an easy buck.2
Sources
- Anthony Hicks, “Handel [Händel, Hendel], George Frideric,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed October 17, 2019, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000040060.
- Blair Johnston, “George Frederick Handel: Concerti Grossi (6), Op.3, HWV 312-17,” AllMusic, accessed October 18, 2019, https://www.allmusic.com/composition/concerti-grossi-6-op3-hwv-312-17-mc0002356923.