In 1730, publisher John Walsh issued
Sonates pour un Traversiere,
un Violon ou Hautbois con Basso Continuo, fraudulently using the
imprint of another publisher, Jeanne Roger. It contained twelve
sonatas, and became known as Handel’s “Opus 1”.
Walsh prescribed instruments for each sonata (either flute,
recorder, violin or oboe), though these did not necessarily reflect
the composer’s intentions. Of the twelve, this sonata appears third
(labeled
Sonata III), but it is the first in the set that is listed as a
violin sonata, hence the title listed here,
Sonata No. 1.
Sources:
1,
2,
and the first edition score listed above.