In November 1990 the Handel Institute held its first Triennial Conference, whose subject, `Handel Collections and their History', reflects the great importance for Handel scholarship of the many collections of manuscript copies of his works which were assembled during and after his lifetime by friends and admirers of the man and his music. these collections, mostly written by the composer's own copyists, provide fascinating insights into the compositional history and chronology of his works and their later modification for performance or for subsequent revival; and much can be learnt about Handel's working methods. An international panel of distinguished Handel scholars was assembled for the Conference, and their papers, gathered together in this book, are at once a testimony to the extent and depth of modern Handel scholarship, and a major contribution to our knowledge of one of music's greatest masters.