Handel vs. Scarlatti - Legendary Harpsichord Battle on the Passacaglia in G minor

[@antoinemarsaud]

Thank you for this video! It insprired me to look up the music sheet and to play it myself: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooHSi3Wfo6eig9k

[@LittleGreenMartian-js8wv]

Two best things about this video: - The music - The way Handel says Scarlatti

[@DJTechno94]

ScahhhhlÆtteh

[@billbull1JB-EH]

LMAO 😂

[@stefanbernhard2710]

He didn't handle it well...

[@M13113M]

IDiddddddd

[@dieterschindler6409]

Händel would have said "Scarlatti" in a very different way. For sure he didn't have the accent of the English upper class of the early 20st century. ( Received Pronunciation). He most probably spoke English and Italian with a thick German accent.

[@billbull1JB-EH]

Waaaay before the electric guitar, these dudes where already friggin shredding speed licks on the harpsichord \m/

[@brendapompeo]

😂😂 so true

[@MDE_never_dies]

I love how structurally these lines could easily pass as guitar solos

[@AshenElk]

Scarlatti is the original grunge master.

[@percyvolnar8010]

Yeah, but this is NOTHING compared to Chopin and Liszt. Those 2 dudes were truly shredders and apparently, they had smoke for one another.

[@christopherlau3996]

The equivalent of a guitar solo battle during those times. Super awesome!

[@Calligraphy-dilipaweeratunga13]

For those who are confused; Younger looking one =Handel Other guy=Scarletti Narrator=Handel Scarletti won the harpsichord battle but Handel thinks he did, we all saw who struggled here. However Handel won the organ battle.

[@TravaillesDuChanson]

Yea that was documented according to someone's account who was there.

[@vintagegoldenage]

thank you SO much for clarifying this, haha, I always thought scarlatti was the younger guy just because Handel said that he won and the older-looking guy definitely won :) plus I haven’t seen the whole film, just this excerpt…

[@Calligraphy-dilipaweeratunga13]

@@vintagegoldenage 💗💗💗😁💗

[@Selford]

Si Scarlatti gano con ventaja para mi

[@mmmonster6891]

why they bering born in same year looks so different in age?

[@karlthomas2360]

An epic musical performance that will live on through history. God Bless both composers.

[@INDIGOBLUE555]

Sincerely I wonder whether Scarlatti was so relaxed and smiling amid the contest.... As for Händel he seemingly looks aware of the italian virtuoso to be in a class of his own 💫

[@AudieHolland]

I can only explain by what the scene shows me. Scarlatti being the senior, already established name, Händel being anxious to prove himself and giving the damned best play on the keyboards he has ever shown. But to old Scarlatti, he has seen it all, he almost plays with his opponent. His worthy opponent, which is why he is smiling in such a friendly manner.

[@INDIGOBLUE555]

@@AudieHolland That's possible...Though I haven't knowledge of what kind of relashionship was going on between them.Honestly listening to Handel while recalling the challenge I wouldn't say he was feeling that friendly.

[@AudieHolland]

@@INDIGOBLUE555 Movies always need drama, even if there was none historically. Don't know about Handel and Scarlatti, but have you watched 'Amadeus?' Now how would that movie have fared if they followed the historic truth, that Mozart and Salieri were esteemed colleagues and not out to destroy each other?

[@INDIGOBLUE555]

@@AudieHolland Yes I agree....I've to get some infos about the Händel - Scarlatti relashionship....U don't even know whether they subsequently met again or kept in touch.

[@СтефанияВишняк]

@@INDIGOBLUE555 Scarlatti was always crossed himself when he remembered Handel playing the harpsichord.

[@fdr100100]

Whoever played these are genius best version ive heard excellent tempo phrasing and passion

[@TravaillesDuChanson]

Yea I find this recording to be the best that I've heard, I've heard others try to mimic it but still falls short.

[@peterquennellnyc]

@fdr100100 "Whoever played these..." Peter Stanger. From IMDB: "In "God Rot Tunbridge Wells" Peter Stanger not only acted the part of a magnetic Scarlatti in the famed "harpsichord playoff" between Scarlatti and Handel in Italy when they were both 22 - he also recorded both of the parts on the harpsichord for the BBC production."

[@peterquennellnyc]

@@TravaillesDuChanson Yes. Watch the Handel & Scarlatti keyboard shots and you will see Peter Stanger's hands, ruffles, and (beige) sleeves in both. The world can always use more harpsichordists, but Peter Stanger was kept busy as a conductor and teacher, nice if he had recorded more.

[@TravaillesDuChanson]

@@peterquennellnyc I would love to see a Renaissance of this music come back pardon the pun. From the music I have played for harpsichord from both composers I can tell Scarlatti had endless ideas, just look how many sonatas he wrote. I love Handel too, but I appreciate each composer for different reasons.

[@astrosci1109]

2:45 it's where the magical part begins . I love it.

[@Jewish_Israeli_Zionist]

For a German, Handel has a very thick British Posh accent here.

[@thehorselesshussar9813]

Because he became English!

[@Jewish_Israeli_Zionist]

@@thehorselesshussar9813 But he was an expat from Germany, and it's pretty difficult to fake a new accent. Impressive (it's an actor I know, but still).

[@INDIGOBLUE555]

Yes I agree although after living in England for decades it might be possible....even for a german.

[@gabrielpaludo6913]

​@@INDIGOBLUE555 unlikely, as writers from those times such as Charles Burney always mention Handel having a heavy german accent, and even some difficulties with the English language, during his lifetime.

[@INDIGOBLUE555]

@@gabrielpaludo6913 Interesting indeed, thanks !

[@TravaillesDuChanson]

The amazing thing about this video is that it's history and of course we only get it from "Handel's perspective" I can only imagine how privileged it would have been to be in such a place in such a high society taking part in such a historic concert of that time. Just the amount of time to get ready getting dressed would have taken hours

[@dap6339]

In this competiton one had to play a certain phrase of melodies and the other must repeat it precisely or better by ornamenting it. The proponent in this case was Scarlatti and the opponent was Händel. We do not know whether they would also exchange the positions or not i.e. Händel as a proponent and Scarlatti as an opponent or repeater.

[@comradeotaku]

we have to give some creative license to the movie creators, especially since this film was about händel and so they probably thought it would make more sense to put one of his works as the star of scene.

[@elaineblackhurst1509]

It is unknown exactly what Handel (sic) and Scarlatti played at this contest in Rome in 1709; it is likely they just played extempore whatever came into their heads. At the contest between Mozart and Clementi in Vienna in 1781, they were mostly asked to play specific pieces with some extempore work.

[@elaineblackhurst1509]

@@comradeotaku Your probably right; you may find my observation above of interest.

[@elaineblackhurst1509]

@@peterquennellnyc Not sure why you’ve stuck an umlaut on Handel’s name; do you to be consistent insist on an Italian Lulli ?

[@peterquennellnyc]

@@elaineblackhurst1509 Because in German it is Georg Friedrich Händel. Get a life.

[@Leon-Jpianist]

1:18 scarlatti reaction is good😂😂 Really😊they are the greatest virtuoso composers ever

[@Prometeo4760]

Que viva la música de Scarlatti el padre de la composición para clave el era un dios de la música que su nombre sea recordado por la eternidad

[@alexanderkohler6439]

Here, we have one of the rare occasions in cinematography where the filmed hand movements of the artist on the instrument actually match what is being played.

[@ЕленаГладкова-ф7з]

The music in the film is performed by my great friend Andrei Gvarilov. And you also see his hands on the harpsichord there!

[@4AM_DJ]

Сколько было репетиций перед съемками?

[@victorheredia7185]

The goatsss!

[@vintagegoldenage]

my favorite video on youtube?!??

[@tsirtosky1439]

Umm sir, the ultimate crescendo & arpeggiated 16ths segment was superb!! It caught me offguard… Standing ovation!

[@mfa2807]

Блестяще, спасибо❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@andreamastacchi3339]

I really love Handel's vain attitude at 1:59 🤣

[@septima_de_dominante]

Yep 😂😂

[@De_mitaSiburian-uw7xs]

😆

[@DenUchit]

Is it Handel? I thought it's scarlatti, because he younger

[@HistoryUwu]

​@@DenUchitHandel is the young one

[@DenUchit]

@@HistoryUwu Interesting. They were both born in 1685. But Scarlati usually looks younger in portraits.

[@rockyramsy]

The way Handel is shaking his head is like he's saying "Maybe you were expecting the Adam's family"

[@archielam9651]

The one whos shaking the head isnt handel its scarlatti

[@alteisenfahrer]

Johan Halvorsen (1864 - 1935) did adapt that passacaglia composed by Händel for Violin-Viola duo, what a fantastic composition and what kind of fun (am viola player) to perform it

[@peterquennellnyc]

The world needs viola players! Was that a tough choice?

[@suelamullaj7068]

Grande!!!!!!!!!!!

[@xZyrux]

Scarlatti won, fatality at 2:52

[@loganofficial153]

If the battle was with bach it would be different, and we will all knew who would have won

[@justgettingby7725]

And we know Handel never wanted to meet Bach. Could this be why?

[@dominiekschrijvers1424]

@@mariasechi8537 Well, I'm not so sure about that. Best regards, Louis Marchand.

[@dominiekschrijvers1424]

@@mariasechi8537 OK, let's agree on the fact that such harpsichord contest would result in a fair draw 🙂.

[@peterquennellnyc]

@@justgettingby7725 "And we know Handel never wanted to meet Bach." I think that's not proven, though? They just missed twice but seemingly not deliberately so. Handel was more famous in his life, Bach's bosses kept him on a short chain in Liepzig, grinding away. I saw Bach's tomb, right around when the Berlin Wall came down. I was the only one in the cathedral except for a woman practicing on the organ, the huge one at the back (there are two). Awesome stuff!

[@colehazlitt1495]

Scarlatti could probably hold his own up against Bach

[@marlonsaulhernandezgordill9019]

Maravilloso

[@indradhanush5444]

Handel the great ❤❤❤ Love you sir Your student 👩‍🎓

[@indradhanush5444]

Wig... Sir

[@stainedglasssparrow9636]

Never forget to wear your wig when online sir.

[@alvarogaleano7863]

¡Excelente!

[@marilenapetrella5285]

1) Handel (born Georg Friedrich Haendel) and DOMENICO Scarlatti were both born in 1685 (J.S. Bach as well); so there isn't a younger and an older composer. 2) prince Rùspoli met Scarlatti in 1702, who offered a cantata to the prince. 3) the contest took place in the palace of Cardinal Ottoboni (ex aequo) 4) Scarlatti was ALESSANDRO Scarlatti's son. 5) Alessandro largely influenced his time and also Handel. 6) Scarlatti (without any name) is ambiguous.

[@SoulRobot33210]

Wait, that scarlatti in the video is Alessandro o Domenico

[@luigidaporto3413]

​@@SoulRobot33210 Domenico Scarlatti

[@igorrromanov]

The outcome of the battle was paritet on harpsichord with the slight Scarlatti's edging and his complete undoing on organ. But this is related to performance only. For Scarlatti and his father this encounter resulted in psychological tragedy. It was enough for Domenico to hear the first sounds of Dignare to understand that whatever he was doing up until this minute is simply nothing.

[@andresllorente5852]

2:20 the lady face is saying: "I'm so bored". LOL

[@hugomiguelderodas]

Great my friend 😂

[@jamespython5147]

2:31 There's one note missing in the copy. It should end on an upper note, but it doesn't.

[@1827641]

I really like this version of Handel's Passacaglia in G minor. I would love to find the sheet music of the piece with the improvised addings and the cadenza

[@danawinsor1380]

This is a wonderful scene, though I regret to make one comment: Handel spoke with a pronounced German accent throughout his life. Still, having a competition playing variations on this theme is a clever idea.

[@annemetteholm]

Trevor Howard had a good, dramatic voice! Perfect here!

[@WarriorOfWriters]

Why do they look different ages? They were born in the same year.

[@iambach.]

Drugs :c

[@mortache]

The mustache adds 10 years lol

[@marcraider]

Booze

[@alexswag3k454]

Maturity.

[@davidalejandromeryruiz4139]

Probably Alessandro Scarlatti not Domenico.

[@victorheredia7185]

No superó estás interpretaciónes

[@markoadzic7355]

... the waggle of the wigs ... I could almost smell the powder in the air, heavily saturated with perfume & scent, and enjoy the baroque embroidered jabots, rich and ornate, noticably trembling with each and every move the musicians make... The waggle of the wigs, or 50 sCents of Italian Baroque...

[@ms.annthrope415]

Don't forget that perfume was invented to drown out the stench of unbathed bodies. So on top of Chanel °5 is the reek of putrid arm pits and stink of unwashed ass. Sorry if I destroyed your fantasy world. 😂

[@markoadzic7355]

​​​@@ms.annthrope415 I know, and absolutely agree with you (now, where did I put my deodorant...) You're right, or, rather, historically accurate - I just have a daily need for at least a pinch of fantasy, or a pinch of “daydream” (-:

[@ma1513]

Heavy metal competition of the XVIII century

[@Kkk-f9j]

Mükemmel müzik...❤🌹❤🌹❤🌹❤🌹❤🌹

[@clydevandoni5066]

El duelo en clave existió , y lo ganó Scarlatti , pero hubo otro duelo en orgel de iglesia , lo ganó Heandel es la historia real

[@Kchkchkch8415]

Scarlatti won harpsichord battle, Handel won organ battle

[@INDIGOBLUE555]

@@Kchkchkch8415 That's what I also know about this challenge.

[@Puddin-Tamir]

I love it

[@poplife123]

Apparently after this whenever Scarletti heard Handel's name he made the sign of the cross.....draw your own conclusions 😂

[@feralbluee]

You can definitely tell which player is the best. He has more life and zest in his playing. You just know. It’s much easier, but the difference between Mozart and whoever he was, can’t remember his name, poor guy, and I just saw a bit from the film yesterday! that is so interesting - I can hear the music played though ? Huh! 🌷🌱

[@Mrs.Karen_Walker]

Antonion Sallieri.

[@katerinaaqu]

Hahaha another person to forget poor Salieri 😂😂😂 But well Salieri was an amazing composer for his time too. He just was cursed by history to live at the same time and region as Mozart hahaha

[@alonsogato]

Pero scarlatti ganaría por mérito propio con una de sus composiciones propias ,esta es muy buena de Handel pero scarlatti es un monstruo en calidad y cantidad

[@catherinearroyo5359]

Gascinating ❤❤❤❤❤

[@krigry32]

even though more than 300 years have passed since this competition I still have to put an effort into playing this piece better than those dudes. Händel and Scarlatti I am in awe!

[@marcorval]

Handel is so schooled here. It's kind of a masterclass on how to play harpsichord creatively - the piece they're playing is essentially the samw but Scarlatti experiments with rubato, phrasing, and adds some flourishes here and there while Handel plays comparatively stiffly.

[@Marcelman30]

Is that a film? What is the title, pls?

[@PrinceAlhorian]

Scarlatti got Handeled 😂 The OG synthbattle

[@BBRocker75]

¿Perdón mi ciela? Handel got Scarlated!

[@catherinearroyo5359]

​@@BBRocker75😂😂😂😂 indeed ❤

[@PrinceAlhorian]

@@catherinearroyo5359 Let's agree to disagree... Yeah that's right... I'm Bach!

[@kratospchbus7625]

The best hapischord player in the history vs the best hapischord player of baroque era

[@PointyTailofSatan]

Then Bach shows up and Handel and Scarlatti run and hide in a closet.

[@AloysiusEmanuel-.-]

😂😂😂😂

[@Mrs.Karen_Walker]

BS. Bach would have lost within minutes. This whole 20th century glorification of Bach which is very rife in the snobby pretentious classical music world is so outdated. Bach was not the best composer in the universe like all those pretentious dimwitz, including you, like to claim needs to stop. Bach is pretty damn good... but he was JUST ONE of the many many amazing composers. Bach was not good at virtuoso playing. Scarlatti would have crushed Bach in no time. Claiming that Bach was the best just shows lack of musical knowledge. Claiming Bach was the best is just sad parroting and pretentiousness.

[@davidgonzalez-herrera2980]

The only people who can probably scare Bach is any Renaissance master and probably Rameau (Rameau only in terms of muscial theory)

[@indradhanush5444]

In your dreams ..sir

[@PereGolese]

Bach? Are you kidding me? Never heard of David Guetta or Richard Clayderman?

[@davidgonzalez-herrera2980]

Looks like he couldn’t “handle” it

[@georglawall6022]

Sorry, it's nice but at a bit cheap to let them go through Handels Passacaille from Suite 7 as if they where students. These where two great composer and improvisers. They where friends till the end of their days and this must have been an extraordinary event full of creativity and virtuosity! The complete suite on guitar kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJ3SoGmCisaIjqc

[@peterquennellnyc]

But very powerful in the movie because of the repetitions. In reality they probably each played longer pieces. For me the movie (which I have) is a fail though, it didn't at all convey the extraordinary arc that led to the Messiah and really closed Handel's career out on a high point.

[@georglawall6022]

Handel was a giant and they? @@peterquennellnyc

[@peterquennellnyc]

@@georglawall6022 "they" meaning Handel Scarlatti duelling. He was giant #1 at the Italian operas, then they faded and were lampooned and he had health & money problems, then came the Messiah, which set him up as giant #2 after initial disinterest in London.

[@georglawall6022]

Sorry, misunderstanding! 'They' referred to the filmmakers! There where many masterworks after Messiah! They where not successful at that time and for 2 centuries ... this is my Messiah: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZPMf2utZ5qpsNE @@peterquennellnyc

[@carloscorralesn1982]

Heavy Metal !!!

[@victorheredia7185]

❤😮

[@annemetteholm]

Is this movie available on CD´s?

[@edilbertoduarte9221]

who produced the video. it is awesome

[@jannesdesmet]

❤❤❤

[@johncho8766]

He definitely won

[@vitaliyfenom6742]

👍👍👏👏😊😊

[@babygirl4169]

1:48 2:17 2:31 2:45

[@josephzaarour6649]

Händel's hands are sus in the last variation

[@marcosa.santos1009]

I'm always wandering what is happening with our culture...

[@JuanHV2000]

Seems like Handel is having a difficult time here.

[@mxm3158]

I think you got mixed up. It's Scarlatti who was struggling

[@ogechter]

But in reality, Heandel losed the harchbishop contest, but won the organ contest

[@comradeotaku]

​​@@mxm3158the younger looking actor in this is händel (even though both händel and scarlatti were both born in the same year), and to me, it looked like he was more frustrated in his facial expressions during the duel than scarlatti's actor

[@louisnieuwelink]

Handel also was to scared to face Bach😂😂 He was a good composer but not a good instrumentalist

[@noname_anonymovich]

@@louisnieuwelink I don't think that they knew each other. Also, composing is a more important skill than performing imho.

[@ivanguerrero9229]

¿Se supone que Haendel improvisaba y Scarlatti lo copiaba? Si fue así, increíble los 2

[@masterbrick6282]

What is the name of the movie

[@Carvin0]

Did the contest use only a Handel piece? Surely, equity demands use of a piece by Scarlatti too. How about K. 141?

[@JohnnyBrook]

Crossroads before roads were a thing.

[@LUDW1G-V4N-BEETH0VEN]

Name movie? Please

[@franciscomoya9909]

Alguien sabe cómo se llama la película una gran canción

[@Apyyre]

What are these bip sounds at 3:20/3:21 ?

[@davidgonzalez-herrera2980]

Those are the bass notes being struck on the lower tessatura range of the harpsichords keyboard. The timbre you are hearing is a refraction cycle and waves oscillating and multiple of these frequencies are combined with those lower frequency bass notes creating harmonic rations and creating melodic chords being arpeggiated. The sound timbre source occurs from the cause and effect reaction from the humanoid known as Domenico Scarlatti puts force on the key and a string is plucked inside the harpsichord resulting in this sonority that you observed through the cochella and trochanter inside the organism known as your ear. This information is processed by your peripheral nervous system that uses neurons that transmit the information recieved through chains of neurons linked thru synapes were complex chemeica reactions are occuring such as diffusion of elements and these process on cellular/molecular level result in the information being transferred to the central neervous system through the dendrites and the axon terminal, nodes of ranvir, schwan cells and finally into the nucleus of the multi-celled neuron type. After all this, then your mind hears that note, the bass note. I don’t have absolute relative pitch, but I can find out the exact bass notes probably played. Most likely G2 or since its in G minor, or D2 on the lower tesatura.

[@sananzafar1867]

​@@davidgonzalez-herrera2980 Bro u covered whole Nervous system chapter

[@eduardofloressousa4346]

Scarlatti you in Madrid and you Handel to London ajajjjaj

[@dianacasfri4464]

What movie its please, thanks

[@AudieHolland]

Read the description please

[@vitamin3076]

I DID

[@giovanni.forgione]

Where can I watch the movie?

[@sananzafar1867]

TUBI

[@vaanteryan]

Why is one younger than the other, because they were the same age?

[@tonks-jf2zr]

日本語で失礼します ヘンデルとバッハは音楽的にも巨人ですが 食欲と性欲も桁外れの、生物としても巨人のイメージがあるので はさまれるとスカルラッティが気の毒

[@arthurstreeb-greebling1088]

At the end of his days Beethoven rated Handel above all others, Bach and Mozart included. I can't say I disagree with that assessment...

[@avecesar4244]

Who is Haendel? The one with the moustache?

[@sananzafar1867]

Naah bro The younger one is the great Händel

[@hugomiguelderodas]

​@@sananzafar1867 yes. The old one is Scarlatti,who composed hundreds of harpsichord sonatas

[@ciaronsmith4995]

How music should be.

[@PointyTailofSatan]

What is funny here is that what they are playing is actually quite simple. It's just a pile of rolling chords. Loud doesn't mean something is difficult. lol

[@MDE_never_dies]

The Chad 2:53 vs The Virgin 3:00

[@dommdumm3738]

What is this from

[@peterquennellnyc]

The movie? "God Rot Tunbridge Wells."

[@jjgghhjk]

Scarlatti by far.

[@guglielmoappulo]

I DIIIIDDD

[@thomasromano9321]

Well, both are incredible virtuosi, but Scarlatti wins.

[@yuk_notkim7658]

After all, Scarlatti actually won in the harpsichord when they met.

[@ChristianCostanzo-o4z]

Handel win 2:31

[@okiniksnolbaj2869]

Bach enters the room...

[@Mrs.Karen_Walker]

and would loose within minutes.

[@pepehaydn7039]

Of Course. Bach is extremely OVERRATED.

[@okiniksnolbaj2869]

​@@pepehaydn7039Yeah sure, every musicologist says something different but pepehaydn knows better, because he once played a piece of him, failed terribly, and is now one of the guys who hate Bach.

[@東明政]

どっちがヘンデル？

[@kihuu4055]

Younger

[@archielam9651]

Which one scarlatti which one is handel?

[@yuk_notkim7658]

The one with the mustache is Scarlatti, and the one looking like Tom Holland is Handel.

[@saovicente9562]

this real?

[@TheGuitarSauce]

Yes. Just too bad they didn't have 4k back then.

[@saovicente9562]

@@TheGuitarSauce lol

[@Mrs.Karen_Walker]

Yes ..... this is a life recording from the 18th century.

[@Stereozentrum]

Scarlatti won.

[@Pablo_Anunnaki]

Who was who???

[@talete8998]

Scarlatti mustaches

[@stewartmillen7708]

Handel looks like John Cleese! 😅

[@FaizalHamzah-p1v]

😆

[@lordsharshabeel]

They are both disqualified for not preparing their cadences with a dissonant suspension.

[@stefanbernhard2710]

Monty Python

[@tomcatvsmigbello8716]

2.55 Scarlatti fatality