BaL 25.03.23 - Handel: Water Music

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

10.30am
Hannah French has been listening to a wide range of recordings - old and new - of Handel’s festive Water Music, whittling them down until she can herald the ultimate version to buy, download or stream.

Available versions:-

Budapest Strings, Bela Banfalvi *
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum *
Zefiro, Alfredo Bernadini
Brunswick-Hanover Chamber Orchestra
Consort of London, Robert Clark *
Collegium Aureum
Concerto Köln
Il Fondamento, Paul Dombrecht
Festspielorchester Göttingen, Laurence Cummings
L’Arte dell’Arco (on period instruments), Federico (SACD)
English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Gibson *
London Mozart Players, Jane Glover
Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
Haydn Sinfonietta Wien, Manfred Huss (SACD)
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Georg Kallweit *
King’s Consort, Robert King*
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helmut Koch
Berliner Philharmoniker, Rafael Kubelik
Les Violons du Roy, Bernard Labadie
Tafelmusik, Jeanne Lamon
Berliner Philharmoniker, Fritz Lehmann
Orchestra of St Luke’s, Charles Mackerras
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan *
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan *
La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy, Jean-Claude Malgoire *
Aradia Ensemble, Kevin Mallon
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner (Philips)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Neville Marriner (Hanssler)
Bath Festival Orchestra/Yehudi Menuhin *
Les Musiciens du Louvre-Grenoble, Marc Minkowski
Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger *
Berliner Philharmoniker, Riccardo Muti
Le Concert Spirituel, Herve Niquet (SACD)
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
English Concert, Trevor Pinnock
Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, Simon Preston *
Hannoversche Hofkapelle, Anne Röhrig (SACD)
Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra, Budapest, János Rolla *
Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Frigyes Sandor *
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Gerard Schwarz
Capella Istropolitana, Bohdan Warchal
Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, August Wenzinger *

(* = download only)

[Bryn]

It will not surprise anyone here that I particularly favour Le Concert Spirituel/Niquet. It was originally issued as a CD, prior to the SACD version listed. I first got the CD but was sufficiently taken with the performance to also get the SACD when that was released. Their Proms performance was also very special for which I managed to get to the front of the Arena. Niquet and Le Concert Spirituel's approach to period tuning from the unstopped natural horns raised a few hackles here, at the time of the Prom.

[Barbirollians]

It will not surprise anyone here that I particularly favour Le Concert Spirituel/Niquet. It was originally issued as a CD, prior to the SACD version listed. I first got the CD but was sufficiently taken with the performance to also get the SACD when that was released. Their Proms performance was also very special for which I managed to get to the front of the Arena. Niquet and Le Concert Spirituel's approach to period tuning from the unstopped natural horns raised a few hackles here, at the time of the Prom.

Pinnock HIPP
Menuhin non HIPP for me .

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, great music for sure..... but do I ever want to hear it again...?
I'm not sure about that....what about the Telemann instead?

Radio 3 doing a BaL on the Handel?
Oh, give me a break...

This is so, so over....

[Pulcinella]

There's a version with the NYPO conducted by Boulez that never fails to raise a smile: contained in the big Sony Boulez box, it's also available to download, or differently coupled as a Presto CD:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/search?search_query=Handel%20boulez%20water%20gomberg

[Bryn]

There's a version with the NYPO conducted by Boulez that never fails to raise a smile: contained in the big Sony Boulez box, it's also available to download, or differently coupled as a Presto CD:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...ater%20gomberg

What bizarre pricing for the download at Presto. If you only want the Water Miusic it will cost you around three times the cost of the complete 'disc worth'.

[Pulcinella]

Pinnock HIPP
Menuhin non HIPP for me .

Snap!
Plus Boulez for amusement.

I also have an old CfP release with the Virtuosi of England, under Arthur Davison.

Surprisingly, perhaps, it hasn't featured as a BBC MM CD.

[cloughie]

Is the good old ASMF Marriner Argo recording no longer available?

I assume the Hamilton Harty Suite will not be in the mix?

[Pulcinella]

Is the good old ASMF Marriner Argo recording no longer available?

I assume the Hamilton Harty Suite will not be in the mix?

It's available as a Presto CD and download:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8050124--handel-music-for-the-royal-fireworks-water-music-suites

Looks like there are other ASMF versions too (Philips and Warner).
Philips: https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...1-3-hwv348-350
Warner: https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...el-water-music

[smittims]

I've always been puzzled as to why Boulez recorded the Water Music in the mid-1970s, when he wasn't recording even Mahler, but only what was then avant-garde music, Schoenberg and Webern. I wondered if he stood in for someone indisposed, as he did in his earlier recording of Beethoven's Fifth.

My favourite Water Musics remain Boyd Neel's early 1950s recording of the Arnold version, and Thurston Dart's late 1950s Oiseau-Lyre stereo set with his Philomusica of London. . I also like Menuhin's HMV recording, probably made as a spin-off from his Bath Festival years.. I had forgotten Marriner made a recording.

[Bryn]

I've always been puzzled as to why Boulez recorded the Water Music in the mid-1970s, when he wasn't recording even Mahler, but only what was then avant-garde music, Schoenberg and Webern. I wondered if he stood in for someone indisposed, as he did in his earlier recording of Beethoven's Fifth.

My favourite Water Musics remain Boyd Neel's early 1950s recording of the Arnold version, and Thurston Dart's late 1950s Oiseau-Lyre stereo set with his Philomusica of London. . I also like Menuhin's HMV recording, probably made as a spin-off from his Bath Festival years.. I had forgotten Marriner made a recording.

What's the story regarding the Boulez recording of Beethoven's 5th? What I recall from the time of its original release is his adoption of the thesis of one of his students regarding the third movement repeat.

[MickyD]

Yes, great music for sure..... but do I ever want to hear it again...?
I'm not sure about that....what about the Telemann instead?

Radio 3 doing a BaL on the Handel?
Oh, give me a break...


This is so, so over....

Well, personally, I never tire of it, especially if it is in exciting performances such as the Niquet version cited by Bryn. Another recording that I enjoy is that of Marc Minkowski. And of course, if you really want your ears tickled, there is always that outrageous Harnoncourt/VCM account which caused such a stir many years ago (and which seems to be missing from the list).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I assume the Hamilton Harty Suite will not be in the mix?

I was tempted to include it as an appendix, but I only listed complete recordings of the work.

Like smittims, I’m familiar with the early Boyd Neel recording, having immersed myself in the Ace of Clubs LP.

[RichardB]

I haven't listened to this piece for a while, but the last recording I get to know well was Zefiro, where the Handel is split into two with the Telemann in between, a very nice programme. I know everyone is mad about Niquet, but it doesn't do much for me, I prefer it as an "indoor" piece to something blasting across the Thames! The first recording I heard was Wenzinger, a very early semi-HIPP effort, which I have fond memories of, though if I heard it now I probably wouldn't like it any more.

[makropulos]

I've always been puzzled as to why Boulez recorded the Water Music in the mid-1970s, when he wasn't recording even Mahler, but only what was then avant-garde music, Schoenberg and Webern. I wondered if he stood in for someone indisposed, as he did in his earlier recording of Beethoven's Fifth.

Even weirder: that's Boulez's second recording of the Water Music. He did it in the 1960s with The Hague Residentie Orchestra for Concert Hall. So I think he must have been genuinely fond of it –though to be honest I'm not sure that entirely comes across...