"There is good evidence that at Covent Garden Theatre in his mature years Handel directed his oratorio performances from a keyboard which controlled both a harpsichord and an organ, as desired. The present realisation has this in mind, allotting choruses to the organ and most, though not quite all of the arias to the harpsichord. Nevertheless, the harpsichord part has been deliberately conceived without strong idiomatic characteristics and where necessary it might be played (crisply and cleanly without sustaining pedal) on a piano. Without too much adaptation, which any discreet player will know how to make, it could alternatively be played on the organ. But unless a small continuo organ is available, placed close to the orchestra and soloists, a piano (failing a harpsichord) would be better for the solos than an organ situated at a distance".--T.p. verso.