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The Gods Go A-Begging: Ballet Suite: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score

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The Gods Go A-Begging: Ballet Suite Cover Image
The Gods Go A-Begging: Ballet Suite: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score

The Gods Go A-Begging: Ballet Suite: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score

By George Frideric Handel, ed./arr. Thomas Beecham

Item: 36-A934701
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Description
The operas of George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) had fallen into almost total neglect while the composer still lived, and most of the 42 surviving stage works never had many performances, as opposed to Handel's oratorios. Any occasional attempt to revive the operas resulted in curiosity but not a proper revival. The great English conductor Sir Thomas Beecham (1879-1961) was among the few who was familiar with Handel's operas, owning thirty-seven of the forty-two surviving scores, which he annotated extensively, and which he used to frequently program individual arias. In an effort to make the concert-going audience aware of Handel's opera again, Beecham arranged/orchestrated several concert suites and ballet suites over the course of several decades, using modern instrumental forces, a decision many critics found to be inappropriate. One of the ballet suites, The Gods Go A'Begging (Les Dieux Mendiants), was commissioned in 1928 by Serge Diaghilev for his Ballets Russes. The simple plot of the ballet introduces a shepherd who comes across a nobleman's picnic, where he ignores the attention given to him by two ladies, choosing to instead dance with a serving maid. The picnic party's indignation abates when the shepherd and maid are revealed to be gods in disguise. Following its July 1928 premiere at His Majesty's Theatre in London, the ballet became a staple of the Diaghilev company until the impresario's death, though other ballet companies did adopt the work themselves later. Movements: 1. Introduction (Overture to Act II of Admento); 2. Allegro (or First Dance or Fugato) (from Overture to Teseo); 3. Minuet (from Alcina); 4. Hornpipe (from Concerto Grosso, Op. 6/7); 5. Musette (from Il Pastor Fido); 6. Ensemble (or Second Dance) (from Organ Concerto, Op. 4/4); 7. Larghetto (or Dream) (from Alcina); 7a. Tambourine (from Alcina); 8. Gavotte (from Alcina); 9. Dramatico (from Terpsicore); 10. Bourrée (from Rodrigo). Instrumentation: 2(1st d.Picc).2(2nd dEH).2.2: 4.2.0.0: Timp.Perc(1): Hpschd/Hp(opt.): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set): Pno Cond. and Vn Cond. included in set along with full score. Reprint edition.

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Orchestra Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 8-88-852007-4
ISBN13: 979-888-852-0079
UPC: 676737653767
SKU: 36-A934701
Instrumentation: 2(1st d.Picc).2(2nd dEH).2.2: 4.2.0.0: Timp.Perc(1): Hpschd/Hp(opt.): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set): Pno Cond. and Vn Cond. included in set along with full score.

More about this title

About the Composer: George Frideric Handel

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was a master of both opera and oratorio, though history has been kinder to his sacred choral works than his stage compositions. During his lifetime, he composed 42 operas that ranged across the full spectrum of drama, mythology, and contemporary politics, yet these works fell into obscurity even as he continued writing them. His genius lay in crafting memorable melodic lines and understanding orchestral color in ways that influenced composers for generations.

Handel's operatic catalog remained largely unknown to concert audiences for centuries until conductors like Thomas Beecham recognized the wealth of material embedded in those scores. What makes Handel's music enduring for orchestras is its balance of structural clarity and emotional directness; his melodies sing naturally within ensemble textures, and his harmonic language, while rooted in the Baroque, speaks clearly to modern ears.

Why we love this

Beecham's arrangement captures the theatrical elegance of Handel's melodic invention without demanding the specialized vocal forces of a full opera production. The ballet suite format gives you concert-worthy music that feels fresh and colorful, with enough rhythmic vitality and orchestral variety to hold an audience's attention without venturing into the modern idiom. This is sophisticated fare that remains fundamentally accessible, perfect for orchestras looking to program something with historical weight but genuine performability.

What to expect

Graceful and witty, with the kind of melodic generosity that makes even simple harmonic progressions feel inevitable. There's a pastoral lightness throughout, as befits a story of gods disguised as country folk, but Beecham's orchestration adds color and occasional grandeur that keeps the music engaging across a full concert work.

Who it's for

Orchestras seeking repertoire that bridges Baroque style and modern concert hall expectations will find this suite invaluable. It works well for programs pairing classical works with newer pieces, or for ensembles looking to explore operatic material without staging requirements.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the woodwind solos against the string section; Beecham's orchestration often layers a solo oboe or flute over sustained strings, and clarity here reveals the elegance of the original Handel melodies.
  • Treat the harpsichord continuo as an active voice in the ensemble rather than mere accompaniment. Even when it's optional, including it adds textural definition that prevents the fuller orchestration from becoming muddy.
  • Shape the rhythmic figures with lightness and precision. The pastoral character relies on dancing, buoyant rhythms rather than heavy articulation; let the natural swing of the melody speak.
  • Watch the orchestral balance in passages with both flute and violin soloists. These moments work best when neither overshadows the other, maintaining the conversational quality Handel favored.

How to use it

This suite functions beautifully as a centerpiece for a concert exploring Baroque opera or as a palate-cleansing contrast between heavier Romantic works. The dramatic narrative embedded in the ballet's structure gives it enough substance for featured programming without requiring the commitment of mounting a full production.

Skills your students will build

  • Playing Baroque phrasing within a full modern orchestra setting
  • Balancing melody-driven textures with independent inner voices
  • Responding to light, dance-like rhythmic articulation
  • Reading from a complex full score with multiple divisi passages
  • Coordinating with continuo and optional keyboard voices

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