New Catalog of Johann Adolf Hasse's Instrumental Works

Thursday, October 15, 2026

Wolfgang Hochstein – familiar to connoisseurs of 18th-century music as the author of the standard catalog of Niccolò Jommelli’s sacred compositions – has created yet another indispensable and long-overdue reference work: a thematic catalog of the instrumental works attributed to Johann Adolf Hasse (Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der unter dem Namen von Johann Adolf Hasse verbreiteten Instrumentalwerke, published in 2024 by Carus-Verlag in Stuttgart as volume 5 of the special series of Hasse-Studien, ISBN 978-3-89948-462-5). In his day, Hasse was known primarily as a composer of operas and sacred vocal works, and he likely considered himself first and foremost a composer of vocal music. Nonetheless, numerous instrumental works have been preserved under his name, including harpsichord music, chamber music (solo and trio sonatas), as well as several solo concertos, particularly for the flute. Some of these works were printed during the composer’s lifetime, for example by the well-known London publisher Walsh, who brought out collections of Hasse’s trio sonatas, flute concertos, and opera overtures. In addition, numerous other works have been preserved in manuscript form under Hasse’s name, particularly in Swedish collections, although the authenticity of these works cannot always be established beyond a doubt.

Johann Adolf Hasse, Concerto G major HocH G.38b for mandolin, 2 violins and bass, page 1. Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (D-B), shelfmark Slg Landsberg 313/8 (RISM ID-no. 1001081891). Image link (public domain).

This makes the new catalog all the more welcome, as it clears some paths in the thicket of the transmission of Hasse’s instrumental music. Only a very small number of works have survived as autographs or in dedication copies and can thus be unequivocally identified as authentic works by Hasse. In many cases, Hochstein also draws on the contributions of the international RISM community, frequently using their source descriptions as the basis for his work. Thankfully, the available sources for all compositions are cited along with their current RISM ID numbers, making it easy to find cross-references. Equally important are the numerous cases in which pieces traditionally attributed to Hasse, such as his “harpsichord works,” could be identified as arrangements of authentic opera overtures on the basis of their music incipits. At this stage, the numbers from Hochstein’s catalog – for which the RISM editorial team has introduced the short title HocH – are gradually incorporated into the relevant RISM source records.

Image on top: Johann Adolf Hasse, 6 Concertos set for the Harpsichord or Organ, Walsh, London, title page. Copy from the SLUB Dresden (D-Dl), shelfmark Mus.2477.T.1. Image link.

Catégorie: Nouveautés