Music on the water

When exactly “Music on Water” was written, it is unknown, the composition is attributed to the period from 1715 to 1717.

According to one version, the work was written in 1715 and was supposed to contribute to the reconciliation of the composer with the English king George I (former Hanover elector Georg Ludwig), in the service of which was Handel. Handel did not carry out his service too zealously, allowed himself long absences, which led to the king's discontent.

However, documents indicating the actual performance of a work relate to 1717 . On July 17, the king took a walk along the Thames , during which "Music on the Water" was performed. Near the royal barge there was a barge with fifty musicians playing various instruments: trumpets , horn , oboes , bassoon , flutes , violins , violas and double basses . The king was so delighted with the music that he ordered the concert to be repeated twice before dinner and once after it. The people on the banks of the Thames and in boats on the water also took part in the royal fun.

“Music on the water” consists of three suites. The exact order of the parts within the suites is unknown; in specific authentic interpretations, parts of different suites sometimes (for example, performed by the baroque orchestra “Le Concert des Nations” of Saval ) are mixed. It was likely that when the music sounded for the king, the slow, often quiet parts were performed when the barges of the king and the orchestra were nearby, and the loud, lively parts were when the bars sailed away from each other.

Suite in F Major (HWV 348)

(two oboes, bassoon, two horns, strings and basso continuo)

1. Overture: Largo. Allegro
2. Adagio e staccato
3. Allegro
4. Menuet
5. Air
6. Menuet
7. Bourrée
8. Hornpipe
9. Allegro

Suite in D Major (HWV 349)

(two oboes, bassoon, two trumpets, two horns, strings and basso continuo)

1. Allegro. Adagio.
2. Alla Hornpipe (the most famous part)
3. Menuet
4. Lento
5. Bourrée

Suite in G Major (HWV 350)

(block and conventional flutes, strings and basso continuo)

1. Sarabande
2. Rigaudon
3. Menuet
4. Gigue

The work includes about 20 plays, mainly of a dance character. The solemn overture is followed by a variety of stylized dance parts: minuets , burr , hornpipes , rigodon , several slow parts with the designation "aria", etc.

The composition of the orchestra: two flutes, two oboes, bassoon, two French horns, two trumpets, two solo violins, strings, and a champagne.

A characteristic feature of the orchestration is the numerous brass solos: flute, oboe, bassoon, French horn.

“Music on the Water” is one of Handel’s most popular and frequently performed compositions. Among the academic interpretations, the records of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karayan (in the orchestra of Hamilton Harty) and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields conducted by Marriner stand out . Among the authenticists are the records “English Baroque Soloists” ( Gardiner ), “Le Concert des Nations” (Saval), “English Concert” ( Pinnock ), “Linde-Consort” ( Linde ) and many others. other