Until the end of the 17th century, solo sonatas with basso continuo for violin dominated the musical repertoire. The violin was considered the preferred instrument of the Baroque era, but wind instruments such as the oboe, recorder, and flute were gaining in importance and becoming competitors. Around 1650, innovative woodwind instruments were developed in Paris, inspiring composers to write solo pieces for these instruments. During the 1670s, the recorder and oboe arrived in England, while the flute followed only after 1700.
In the 1680s, the recorder was particularly popular among amateur musicians, while the oboe was preferred in orchestral settings. From the 1720s onward, the flute became increasingly popular among amateurs and gradually displaced the recorder. Handel composed solo sonatas for various instruments, but much uncertainty remains regarding the authenticity and performance practice of his works.
The majority of musicians in the 18th century knew Handel's sonatas exclusively from the Op. 1 editions published by Roger and John Walsh. Only later were additional works included by the Handel Society, some of which were subsequently identified as forgeries. Musicologists such as Terence Best and David Lasocki were able to prove that one Walsh edition was a forgery.
Handel's solo sonatas are characterized by their high technical demands and endurance, making them more suitable for virtuosos and public performances than for amateurs. Thanks to their contrapuntal richness and expressiveness, they remained popular well into the 18th century and are considered significant works of the Baroque era.