Handel's Water Music on EM Late

[ardcarp]

Sunday 22nd May

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07bvjcv

From Musicaa Britannica:

When George I planned his barge party, he asked Handel to provide music in the form of an orchestral composition for about 50 musicians. Handel responded with Water Music, which, according to one eyewitness, engaged an ensemble of flutes, recorders, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, horns, violins, and basses. (The observer made no mention of the timpani that are customarily included in contemporary performances, but percussion may have been added after the limiting factor of a barge-borne performance was eliminated.) The king was so delighted with the new work that he asked to hear it over and over—for a total of four performances, lasting about an hour apiece.

The Akademie fur Alte Musik gave a lovely poised performance; but one wonders, given the original 50 musicians on barges (the story we all know so well), whether Hamilton Harty's version...and tempi...might be closer to the reality?

[Tony Halstead]

Sunday 22nd May

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07bvjcv

From Musicaa Britannica:



The Akademie fur Alte Musik gave a lovely poised performance; but one wonders, given the original 50 musicians on barges (the story we all know so well), whether Hamilton Harty's version...and tempi...might be closer to the reality?

No, not at all.
The Harty version is at best an ARRANGEMENT for instruments that Handel would not have recognised!

[ardcarp]

I know I know. I wasn't being literal...just surmising that the original performance might have been slower and clunkier than we are now used to.