TITLE: Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749)
- Arranged by Boudreau
COMPOSER: George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Handel was born February 23, 1685 in Halle, Germany. In 1694, he began his musical studies with organist Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow. In 1705, Handel traveled to Italy where he met Corelli, Scarlatti and many other famous composers. In 1710, he visited England for the first time and settled in London. He was granted a pension by Queen Anne, and was also patronized by King George I. Handel became an English citizen by choice, and was trained in the Italian style of music.
The Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, which ended the war of the Austrian Succession, and gave some advantage to England, prompted elaborate victory celebrations. Handel provided the Fireworks Music to accompany a pyrotechnic display in London's Green Park in the presence of King George II. The celebrations were ordered by the King in 1748. The King requested that Handel compose for war-like instruments and to eliminate "fiddles" in his instrumentation. Handel used many musicians quadrupling many of the parts of his work for the outdoor performance. Over fifty-five musicians, played at the event. Unfortunately, many of the fireworks did not ignite during the performance, and the scaffolding that was built for the great display caught fire. Handel's music was still a success. There are many arrangements and editions of this work. However, the most authentic would be the instrumentation used by Boudreau.
MOVEMENTS: Five
PERFORMANCE TIME: 18' 03"
INSTRUMENTATION: 16 Instruments
EDITIONS: Available for Purchase
COMPOSITION SKETCH AND MUSICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The Ouverture was originally scored for winds alone. Handel added strings in his subsequent revisions. This movement is in a slow-fast-slow-fast structure. The opening broad lento consists of a theme presented in a grandioso style. The following allegro section begins with a full brass sound. This is contrasted by the next section with a softer woodwind section, building to the return of the previous allegro.The Bourree in D minor is in binary form. The third movement, La Paix, which means "the peace", features a lyrical melody composed in 12/8 meter. The next movement, La Rejouissance, is marked allegro. This section features a trumpet theme with side drum accompaniment. The final minuet and trio is a stately dance that employs the percussion section to imitate fireworks and cannons.
SELECTED RECORDINGS:
| Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | CDM/810 |
| Savall performs Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Auvidis/8512 (1993) |
| Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and others | ZYX/1001 |
| Handel: Music No1-6 | DM/1023 |
| George Frideric Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | HCT/8801 |
| , Bateson, Boyce and others | Columbia River/1171 |
| Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and others | Madacy/7680 |
| Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and others | V/9251 |
| Handel: Concertos for organ in Bf | Denon/17031 (1992) |
| Stokowski performs Beethoven, Brahms, Stokowski and others | BMG Classics/68443 (1961) |
| Handel: Music No1-6 | Exl/4214 |
| Kuentz: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Disques Pierre Verany/730047 |
| George Frideric Handel: Music No1-6 | Hyperion/66350 (1989) |
| George Frideric Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Public Music Inc./1033 |
| Koch performs Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Berlin Classics/009305 |
| George Frideric Handel: Solomon HWV67 | Archiv Produktion/447279 (1984) |
| Mozart, Schubert, Haydn and others | Laserlight/15895 |
| Mozart, Schubert, Haydn and others | Laserlight/35895 |
| Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Stanley and others | Laserlight/15668 |
| Handel: Music No1-6 | Vox/8042 |
| Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Virgin Veritas/45265 (1996) |
| Handel: Music No1-6 | Archiv/453451 (1996) |
| George Frideric Handel: Judas Maccabaeus HWV63 | Vox/8205 (1985) |
| Handel, Dowland, Purcell and others | Nimbus/5546 (1994) |
| Handel: Music No1-6 | Decca/400059 |
| Vivaldi, Telemann, Richter and others | Michele Audio/1010 |
| Handel, Corelli, Bach and others | Laserlight/35885 |
| George Frideric Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Seraphim/69025 |
| George Frideric Handel: Messiah HWV56 | RCA/61558 |
| Wagner: Lohengrin | Intersound/2522 |
| George Frideric Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Deutsche Grammo/435390 (1990) |
| Handel: Water Music Suites for orchestra No1-3 | Sony/48285 (1985) |
| Handel: Water Music Suites for orchestra No1-3 | Vanguard Classics/4017 |
| Mozart, Vivaldi, Chopin and others | Otello/1014 |
| Vivaldi: Concerto for violin & strings in E | Stradivarius/33301 |
| Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | L'Oiseau-Lyre/455709 (1980) |
| Handel: Music No1-6 | Quintessence/2005 |
| Vivaldi, Pachelbel, Clarke and others | BMG Classics/68653 |
| George Frideric Handel: Concertos for organ in Bf | Denon/79943 (1992) |
| Vivaldi, Bach, Handel and others | Intersound/3080 |
| Handel: Concerti Grossi in F | Gemini Collection/615 |
| George Frideric Handel: Concerti Grossi in Am | Laserlight/15661 |
| George Frideric Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Intersound/3604 |
| Handel: Judas Maccabaeus HWV63 | Sony/63269 (1990) |
| Lippincott performs Karg-Elert, Strauss, Campra and others | Gothic/49072 |
| George Frideric Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Donau/8118 |
| Handel: Solomon HWV67 | RPO/9004 |
| George Frideric Handel: Solomon HWV67 | Philips/434154 |
| George Frideric Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Digital Concerto/671 |
| Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | L'Oiseau-Lyre/400059 |
| George Frideric Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Regency Music/81210 |
| Handel: Samson HWV57 | Newport Classic/85579 |
| George Frideric Handel: Concerto a due Cori No1 | Sony/63073 (1997) |
| George Frideric Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Point Classics/267115 |
| Handel: Messiah HWV56 | ASV/6188 |
| Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Supraphonet/111109 |
| George Frideric Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Argo/414596 |
| George Frideric Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Pro Arte/911 |
| Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and others | Intersound/3800 |
| Handel: Music No1-6 | CBS/38480 |
| Handel: Concerto a due Cori No2 | Archiv/415129 (1984) |
| Handel: Water Music Suites for orchestra No1-3 | Lydian/18118 |
| Handel: Concerti Grossi in Am | Philips/454363 (1971) |
| Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Classical Heritage/1205 |
| Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Intercord/830815 |
| Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Philips/454608 |
| Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Wagner and others | Madacy/8020 |
| Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Art of Classics/885904 |
| Handel: Water Music Suites for orchestra No1-3 | Naxos/550109 (1988) |
| George Frideric Handel: Concerto a due Cori No1 | Novalis/150102 |
| Handel: Messiah HWV56 | Novalis/150108 |
| George Frideric Handel: Water Music Suite for orchestra No1 | Philips/442388 |
| Handel: Music No1-6 | Allegretto/8042 |
| Handel: Water Music Suites for orchestra No. 1-3 | Excelsior/31058 |
| Handel: Music No1-6 | Telarc/80038 (1978) |
| Handel: Concerti Grossi in Am | Archiv/4231492 (1984) |
| Academy Of Ancient Music performs Vivaldi, Bach, Bach and others | L'Oiseau-Lyre/433523 |
| Lassus, Scheidt, Gabrieli and others | Calig/50837 |
| Strauss, Vivaldi, Handel and others | RCA/68109 |
| George Frideric Handel: Judas Maccabaeus HWV63 | Vox Turnabout/7100 |
| Handel: Water Music Suites for orchestra No. 1-3 | hänssler/98939 |
| Mouret, Pachelbel, Vivaldi and others | Classical Heritage/1208 |
RELATED WEBSITES:
Handel's Biography - http://www.intr.net/bleissa/handel/home.html
Handel's Biography - http://www.hearts-ease.org/conservatory/l-baroque/handel/bio.html
Handel Midi Files Site - http://www.odyssey.net/subscribers/scior/gfh.html