G.F. Handel: Fireworks

On this CD:

1. Music for the Royal Fireworks, for orchestra, HWV 351 Overture
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Bronwyn Fix-Keller
Conducted by Valentin Radu

2. Music for the Royal Fireworks, for orchestra, HWV 351 Bouree
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Bronwyn Fix-Keller
Conducted by Valentin Radu

3. Music for the Royal Fireworks, for orchestra, HWV 351 La Paix
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Bronwyn Fix-Keller
Conducted by Valentin Radu

4. Music for the Royal Fireworks, for orchestra, HWV 351 La Rejouissance
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Bronwyn Fix-Keller
Conducted by Valentin Radu

5. Music for the Royal Fireworks, for orchestra, HWV 351 Menuet I
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Bronwyn Fix-Keller
Conducted by Valentin Radu

6. Music for the Royal Fireworks, for orchestra, HWV 351 Menuet II
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Bronwyn Fix-Keller
Conducted by Valentin Radu

7. Organ Concerto in F major, Op.4/4, HWV 292
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Bronwyn Fix-Keller, Valentin Radu
Conducted by Valentin Radu

8. Water Music Suite, No.3 for orchestra in G major, HWV 350
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Bronwyn Fix-Keller, Colin St. Martin
Conducted by Valentin Radu

9. Water Music Suite, No.2 for orchestra in D major, HWV 349
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Bronwyn Fix-Keller
Conducted by Valentin Radu

Tracks:

Orchestra Tune-Up
Water Music, Suite No.1 In F, Allegro, Handel
Water Music, Suite No.1 In F, Bourree, (Handel)
Water Music, Suite No.1 In F, Passepied (Handel)
Water Music, Suite No.3 In G, Gigue (Handel)
Water Music, Suite No.1 In F, Menuet (Handel)
Water Music, Suite No.2 In D, Alla Hornpipe (Handel)
Water Music, Suite No.1 In F, Air (Handel)
Water Music, Suite No.2 In D, Allegro (Handel)
Blue Danube Waltz (Strauss)
Concerto In A (Telemann)
Water Music, Bourree (Telemann)
Water Music, Harlequinade (Telemann)
Water Music, Ebb And Flow (Telemann)
Contradance No.11 (Beethoven)
Contradance No.12 (Beethoven)
Nocturne No.6, K239, 1st Movement (Mozart)
Nocturne No.6, K239, 3rd Movement (Mozart)
La Mer (Debussy)
Music For The Royal Fireworks, Fanfare And Overture (Handel)
Music For The Royal Fireworks, Menuet Medley (Handel)
Music For The Royal Fireworks, La Rejouissance (Handel)

Product Description

The Baby Neptune Concert for Little Ears music CD is an imaginative 22-track, 39-minute concert celebrating the rhythm and motion of water. From the joyous melodies of Handel's Water Music to the timeless flow of Strass' Blue Danube Waltz, great classical compositions will immerse you and your little one in playful musical portraits. The Baby Neptune music CD features some of the classical scores heard in Baby Neptune Discovering Water, and more. Charming water themes from master composers are re-orchestrated for little ears by the Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra.Musical Selections:* Orchestra tune-up* Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F, Allegro, Handel* Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F, Bourree, Handel* Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F, Passepied, Handel* Water Music, Suite No. 3 in G, Gigue, Handel* Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F, Menuet, Handel* Water Music, Suite No. 2 in D, Alla Hornpipe, Handel* Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F, Air, Handel* Water Music, Suite No. 2 in D, Allegro, Handel* Blue Danube Waltz, Straus* Concerto in A, Telemann* Water Music, Bourree, Telemann* Water Music, Harlequinade, Telemann* Water Music, Ebb and Flow, Telemann* Contradance No. 11, Beethoven* Contradance No. 12, Beethoven* Nocturne No. 6, K239, 1st movement, Mozart* Nocturne No. 6, K239, 3rd movement, Mozart* La Mer, Debussy* Music for the Royal Fireworks, Fanfare and Overture, Handel* Music for the Royal Fireworks, Menuet medley, Handel* Music for the Royal Fireworks, La Rejouissance, HandelAge: birth +Award: Billboard Magazine Top Midline Classical Albums (#6) - 2004

Customer Reviews:

LOVE this Cd.......2007-03-08

Great music and soothing sounds for any babies and even older children. Our children really enjoy them in the car.

Excellent for babies and family.......2007-01-22

This CD is mandatory in the car and it relax everybody. It has classic music but without many sudden ups and downs. I would like to buy the whole collection next time.

A great CD for the car.......2007-01-04

We were given one from these series of CDs for babies and our daughter loves it, so we bought this one. It is a really nice collection of soft music and we usually play it in the car. A great addition to your baby's music collection.

Baby Neptune.......2006-03-18

I love all of the Baby Einstein DVD's, so the music CD has been just as good as the DVD's. I play it all the time when my son is in the car and it seems to calm him and keep his attention. I even listen to it in the car when my son is not with me. It is relaxing and soothing.

Baby Neptune Review.......2006-01-17

Our daughter loves the Baby Neptune CD. It makes for a relaxing musical interlude for long car trips.

Average customer rating:

A great introduction to Baroque music...
Good "best of" CD, but nothing more.
Phenomenal Collection of Music
Phenomenal Collection of Music
DEFINES "CLASSIC"

Pachelbel Canon and Other Baroque Hits

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Only Classical CD You'll Ever Need!
Beethoven: Greatest Hits
Pachelbel's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Canon
Mozart: Greatest Hits
Pachelbel's Greatest Hit: Canon in D

ASIN: B000003F5Y
Release Date: 1991-09-06

Tracks:

Canon
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3: Allegro
Messiah: Overture
The Four Seasons: Spring: Allegro (Danza pastorale)
Orchestral Suite No. 2: Menuet & Badinerie
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Guitar Concerto in D: Adagio
Xerxes: Largo
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2: Allegro Assai (Theme From 'Firing Line')
Orchestral Suite No. 3: Air On The G String
Royal Fireworks Music: Overture (excerpt)
Water Music: Hornpipe
Brandenberg Concerto No. 5: Allegro
Adagio
The Four Seasons: Winter: Allegro non molto
Rondeau (Theme from 'Masterpiece Theatre')

Customer Reviews:

A great introduction to Baroque music..........2005-10-04

This CD contains a great sampling of Baroque music. Some of the best known songs of the period are included. Listeners will likely instantly recognize many of the songs (you've likely heard them before, you just didn't know their names). An excellent rendition of Pachelbel's Canon starts off the CD. Then plenty of music from big names such as Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi fill out the disc's 72 and a half minutes of music.

The demographics of this disc point to an intended mainstream audience. For example, the track listing includes references to which songs served as themes for television shows. For example, Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 includes the byline "Theme from 'Firing Line'" and Mouret's Rondeau says "Theme from 'Masterpiece Theater'". So this collection does represent a popular collection of Baroque songs. And it plays that role very well.

Other standout tracks include: 2 movements from Vivaldi's justifiably famous "The Four Seasons", Bach's amazing "Air on the G String" and Handel's "Xerxes". The disc includes no vocal tracks. "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" from Bach's Cantata No. 147 gets performed on a solo organ (the original has vocals and a string arrangement). So those uneasy with "classical style singing" will find no problems here.

All in all, this disc serves as a good introduction to a great period of music history. It could also serve as a starting point for selecting a favorite composer or as a guide for building a classical music collection.

Good "best of" CD, but nothing more........2001-09-27

This CD does what it says it does: it gives you a brief, excellently recorded overview of the Baroque. But remember, this is just bits and pieces of a great store of music.

This CD will whet your appetite. You'll need to buy more, after you've heard the excerts of the great works here.

Phenomenal Collection of Music.......2001-09-19

Pachelbel's Canon in D is always good but the rest of the tracks shine as well. This is a superb collection of classical music. If you're new to classical music and love strings, purchase this CD. You'll be glad that you did.

Phenomenal Collection of Music.......2001-09-18

Pachelbel's Canon in D is always good, but the rest of the tracks shine as well. This is a superb collection of classical music. If you're new to classical music and love strings, purchase this CD. You'll be glad that you did.

DEFINES "CLASSIC".......2000-05-26

We have all heard the infinitely moving Canon in D by Pachelbel hundreds of times - it is not surprising that it has appeared, in one form or another, in commercials, films (most notably Ordinary People, which used the main theme as the underscoring for the entire film) - it is perfect, simple and incredibly, undeniably moving. But you are in for more treats on this basic Baroque sampler, which features many popular themes you may know, despite the fact that you may not be a hard-core classical music buff. The joy of each and every one of these cuts lies in their simple, enduring melodies and the gorgeous musical settings provided here. They sound fresh, new and as contemporary as anything you might hear on the radio. This album has a holiday after-effect as well; the fanfares, hymns and exciting instrumentation (horns, harps, strings galore) make you feel as if it is Christmas every day.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music

Average customer rating:

CD set is misnamed
Do not Buy
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
Seek better versions
It Is What It Is

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits
25 Classical Favorites
25 Romantic Classics
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

ASIN: B000003QWH
Release Date: 1994-06-09

Tracks:

Canon In D
'Brandenburg' Concerto No. 3: Allegro
The Four Seasons - The Winter: Largo And Allegro
Fanfare ('Masterpiece Theatre' Theme)
Camerata Romana: Air For The 'G' String
'Eine kleine Nachtmusik': Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 21 ('Elvira Madigan' Theme): Andante
Introduction To Symphony No. 5
'William Tell' Overture: Finale
'Aida': Triumphal March
On The Beautiful, Blue Danube Waltz
'The Nutcracker': Waltz Of The Flowers
'1812' Overture: Finale

Tracks:

Sabre Dance
'Light Cavalry' Overture: Finale
Carmen: The Toreadors
' Midsummer Night's Dream': Wedding March
Radetzky March
Symphony No. 9, 'Choral': Finale
'Prince Igor': Polovstian Dance No. 17
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Sleepers, Wake
Water Music: Hornpipe
Symphony No. 9, 'From The New World': Largo
Emperor Waltz
'Emperor' Quartet: St. Anthony's Chorale
'The Tales Of Hoffman': Barcarolle
L'Arlesienne: Farandole
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Mirlitons
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
'Rhapsody In Blue': Highlight
'Orpheus In The Underworld': Can-Can

Tracks:

Introduction To 'Also sprach Zarathustra'
Symphony No. 4, 'Italian': Saltarello: Presto
Piano Concerto No. 20: Romance
'The Valkyrie': Ride Of The Valkyries
'The Four Seasons' - The Spring: Allegro
Toccata and Fugue
Trumpet Voluntary
'Royal Fireworks Music': la rejouissance: Allegro
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio Sostenuto
London Festival Orchestra: Overture To 'The Barber Of Seville'
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio Sostenuto

Tracks:

Carmina Burana: Introduction To 'Carmina Burana'
Peer Gynt: Dawn From 'Peer Gynt'
Lohengrin: Prelude To 'Lohengrin'
'Lieutenant Kije': Troika From 'Lieutenant Kije'
Adiago For Strings
'Carmen': Habanera From 'Carmen'
'Double' Concerto: Allegro From 'Double' Concerto
The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture To 'The Marriage Of Figaro'
(Rondo) Alla Turca
Xerxes: Largo From 'Xerxes'
Symphony No. 5: Allegro vivace From Symphony No. 5
'Swan Lake': Scene: Enchanted Lake From 'Swan Lake'
Clair De Lune
Bolero

Customer Reviews:

CD set is misnamed.......2007-06-08

They should have titled this "classical music for people who love classical music" because most of the selections are typical classical music. The title suggests it would be lively selections of "light classical" music that is more upbeat, i.e. Sabre Dance, etc. I really don't hate classical music at all and have many classical CDs in my collection but I really wanted to hear more exciting selections. I won't be purchasing any more of this set but if you like traditional classical music these are good one.

Do not Buy.......2007-02-21

I do know it says classical music for people who hate it, but serioulsly you would have better luck never listening to classical music again. The recordings are awfull and do not do justice to any of the composers. Buy something else.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music.......2007-01-30

We love this set of CD's. I just got a new copy because my kids keeping taking our first copy with them so that they can listen at work or in their bedrooms but then I can never find them.

Seek better versions.......2006-12-09

If you are fairly new to classical purchases then compilation CD's can be useful for deciding what to buy next. Sometimes you only need a small taste of a piece to inspire you to buy a release with the whole performance on. The problem with this compilation however is that most of the versions are poor in performance or recording quality (or both) when compared to the best versions and the fact that the conductors aren't even credited on the track listing made me suspect that this would be the case. One of my favorite classical pieces is Tchaikovsky's 1812 festival overture but if the first CD version I had heard had been the finale excerpt that is on this compilation I may not have gone on to buy the whole thing. Luckily I heard Adrian Leaper's version first and Adrian's version is rather good.
My classical CD buying experience is limited to only a couple of dozen discs but I have found that the Naxos and Deutshe Grammophon releases are fairly safe. Avoid any release which does not name the conductors on the track listing or sleeve notes.

It Is What It Is.......2006-10-27

It's fitting that this page is fraught with the same kind of silly snobbery that turns people off from classical music (and necessitates collections like this) in the first place.

Any criticism of this compilation, which focuses on the quality of the performances or the fact that many tracks are excerpts, misses the point. This is not a collection for people who consider such things, nor does it purport to be. The idea is to package as many ultra-famous classical melodies as possible in one affordable collection and market it to people who have never purchased a classical recording. As such, top-tier performances are likely too expensive to be sold so cheaply and are unnecessary anyway. Those of us who already know and love a piece or two can forgive the compilers the inclusion of sub-par recordings, when we are exposed to so many other beautiful pieces for the first time.

It probably comes as a shock for some to hear that most people are not familiar with these classics. We may hear snippets on TV or movies, but are left with no idea as to the composer or historical context. With that in mind, it is extremely intimidating to begin buying classical. I suppose those among us, who so thoroughly dismissed the very notion of a boxed set like this, would have us begin by buying full albums by reputable interpreters. Surprisingly enough though, the majority of people would consider that a tad cost-prohibitive.

To conclude, this is a STARTER collection. It will either affirm a listener's feelings about classical music or lead to an interest in purchasing better recordings. Ideally, I suppose the interpretations would be better, but, for reasons mentioned above, that just isn't in the cards for a collection of this nature. If you're familiar with 50 different recordings of "The Ring" series, or have season tickets to the New York Philharmonic, then this probably isn't for you. For us cretins with limited foreknowledge of classical music though, it serves as a succinct introduction with little to complain about.

Average customer rating:

GREAT WEDDING MUSIC!
Good Music
A very complete selection of ceremony music!
Comprehensive Classical Selection
Just one note...

A Bride's Guide to Wedding Music

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Knot Collection of Ceremony and Wedding Music Selected by the Knot's Carley Roney
Bride's Guide to Wedding Music, Vol. II
The Ultimate Wedding Album
Bride's Guide to Wedding Music
The Complete Wedding Album

ASIN: B00005YD53
Release Date: 2002-02-19

Tracks:

Bach: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Vivaldi: Largo Winter
Bach: Air On A G String
Torelli: Trumpet Concerto
Bach: Sheep May Safely Graze
Handel: Let The Bright Seraphim
Handel: Pastoral Symphony
Boccherini: String Quintet, Minuet
Mendelssohn: On Wings Of Song
Liszt: Dream Of Love
Rachmaninov: Vocalise
Debussy: Claire De Lune
Satie: Gymnopedie No.1
Gluck: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
Debussy: Arabesque
Bizet: Intermezzo
Elgar: Salut D'amour
Debussy: Prelude A L'apres - Midi D'un Faun

Tracks:

Wagner: Bridal Chorus
Clarke: Trumpet Voluntary
Handel: Royal Fireworks Music, Overture
Gabrieli: Canzon V
Charpentier: Te Deum
Purcell: Trumpet Tune
Mussorgsky: Promenade
Pachebel: Canon In D
Handel: Larghetto
Vivaldi: Guitar Concerto In D Major, Largo
Handel: Water Music, Air
Macdowell: To A Wild Rose
Beethoven: Pathetique Sonata, Adagio
Melchior: Adagio
Gounod: Ave Maria
Schubert: Ave Maria
Franck: Panis Angelicus
Faure: Pie Jesu
Rachmaninov: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini
Schumann: Romance For Violin And Piano
Massenet: Meditation

Tracks:

Mendelssohn: Wedding March
Vivaldi: Concerto For Two Trumpets In B, Allegro
Telemann: Trumpet Concerto In D, Allegro
Vivaldi: Spring, Allegro
Telemann: Trumpet Concerto In B, Allegro
Handel: Concerto Grosso, Hornpipe
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.4, Allegro
Handel: Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba
Schumann: Piano Quintet In E Flat Major
Widor: Toccata
Dubois: Toccata
Walton: Crown Imperial
Bach: Cantata No.51. 'Jauchzet Gott In Allen Landen.' Alleluia
Mozart: Exsultate Jubilate, Alleluia
Handel: Water Music, Hornpipe
Chopin; Variations On A Theme From 'La Cenerentola'
Faure: Sicilienne
Offenbach: Barcarolle
Faure: Berceuse
Saint-Saens: The Swan
Brahms: Waltz In A Flat
Grieg: Wedding Day At Troldhaugen

Album Description

The process of choosing music for a wedding day can certainly be a daunting process for any couple. There are many choices and the questions can be endless. Traditional music or something off the beaten path? Will your Mom cry (and not in a good way) if you do not come down the aisle to the traditional Wedding March from Wagner, or are you eager to try something new? This collection is designed to give the bridal couple some key pointers to navigate the world of classical music for their wedding day. The package includes over 3 1/2 hours of music on 3 CDs for all portions of the wedding service, all from the Naxos classical label (known for high-quality recordings at inexpensive prices). Wedding day favorites are there, along with new discoveries and tunes you may have never considered for a wedding. All pieces are hand selected by professional wedding musicians and consultants. As a bonus, the 20 page booklet will lead you through the process of choosing music, from hiring musicians to sample programs. Everything you need to create your own unique personal wedding soundtrack.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT WEDDING MUSIC!.......2007-01-24

I used these CD's for my wedding, and I was so happy I did. You need to buy this CD if you like having a traditional wedding! :)

Good Music.......2006-07-05

I bought these CDs for my wedding, in ceremony and reception. Also, when I created my own wedding video, I used it as background music.

A very complete selection of ceremony music!.......2005-02-02

I am getting married in several months and we couldn't decide what music we wanted at our wedding ceremony. This three disk compilation reminded us of all the great ones- including new options we hadn't thought about. I really enjoyed hearing the organ and strings versions of the songs. If you're someone who hears a classical or baroque piece of music, but can't remember the name or the precise tune, this is a must-have to jog your memory and trigger the tear ducts!

Comprehensive Classical Selection.......2004-04-15

I searched all over for a CD set that had a somewhat comprehensive list of classical selections that are traditionally played at weddings. When I found this 3 CD set, I was very pleased. It contains 61 works from almost as many composers. This set might not contain the "best recording ever" of each of the selections, however it is very well done and the quality is very good. I used it primarily to choose the pieces that I wanted to have played by the church organist, and so the actual recordings were more for my consumption rather than for use in the ceremony/reception itself. However, I would not have hestitated to use the CD's in the wedding itself if needed. The book inside includes a list of suggested songs for various wedding styles (formal, outside, morning, etc.). From the classical neophyte to the seasoned classical music expert, this CD set will meet if not exceed expectations.

Just one note..........2003-06-07

I have not heard this album, so I cannot rate it as a whole. (The form made me include a rating, but disregard that.) However, I want to point out that track 36, the Pie Jesu from Gabriel Faure's Requiem is - well, from a requiem, a mass for the dead. The Pie Jesu is a lovely, gentle movement, and it has a beautiful and pure sound that does seem to fit the mood of a wedding. The Latin words, however, mean "Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them everlasting rest," where "them" refers to the dead.

Tracks:

No.1 Overture/No.2 Adagio Staccato
No.3 And No.4 Andante
No.5
No.6 Air
No.7 Minuet
No.8 Bourree
Hornpipe
No.10
No.11
No.12 Alla Hornpipe
No.13 Minuet
No.14 Lentement
No.15 Bourree
No.16
No.17 Rigaudon, No.18
No.19 Menuet, No.20
No.21, No.22
Ouverture
Bouree
La Paix
La Rejouissance
Menuets I And II

Amazon.com

There's no dearth of fine recordings of these works on the market, but this recording goes straight to the top of the list. Kevin Mallon leads a Toronto-based, 34-person-group of period instrumentalists called the Aradia Ensemble: it's a terrific, ear opening show. The music is, above all, joyful, with dance movements galore and plenty of giddy pomp. Mallon has rethought the tempi, almost all of which, he feels, should be quicker than we're accustomed to hearing. These tempi work most of the time, and if, for example, you overlook the fact that at his tempi, the alla hornpipe of the Water Music Suite No. 2 and the Rigaudon of No. 3 could only have been danced by a dancer on speed, and just listen to how effortlessly entertaining the music is, you'll love it. He's not rigid in his fleetness, however--the final movement of Water Music Suite No. 1 is relaxed and he slows it down even further for its last few seconds, giving it the stature it requires.

Mallon also adds side-drum and tambourines to a couple of the movements, and they add jollity and jauntiness; only a whiner would object. When the trumpets and horns ring out they don't blare and say, in La Paix from the Royal Fireworks Music, when he uses transverse flutes (as suggested in the original manuscript but never before recorded that way), the effect is magical, rather than just mellow. Try the overture of the Royal Fireworks, with brass blasting, drums being banged with wooden-headed sticks, but all at a military tempo that implies forward propulsion rather than combative stodginess. This is both a bargain and a terrific reading. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

best version ever ?.......2007-02-06

I ordered this CD before its release after hearing part of it on the car radio, and was so delighted with it that I told anyone who might listen. So it was a bit of a relief to read reviews such as the one above by Robert Levine. It is great to hear this fine music played with such joy and innovation, they dance through the dance movements, and sometimes add drum and tambourine. If you can hear this Fireworks Music, what a grand joyfull noise they make, without beating on your imaginary timpani and side drum, then there is a chance you might be dead.
This is an excellent recording of excellent music at a super-bargain price, very highly recommended. Look out for other period instrument recordings by Mallon and the Aradia Ensemble.

Sparkling, vibrant and authentic.......2006-06-16

This has got to be one of the finest recordings available of Handel's famous WATER MUSIC and MUSIC FOR THE ROYAL FIREWORKS.

Performing on period instruments, the top-notch Aradia Ensemble, under the inspired direction of Irishman Kevin Mallon, delivers a recording that is a much needed breath of fresh air for admirers of this familiar music.

Citing the "lugubriousness" of other recordings, Mallon speeds up the tempi for both the WATER MUSIC and ROYAL FIREWORKS making those scores spring to life like never before. The quicker tempi may not sit well with some so-called purists, but only the most rigid won't be happily tapping their feet while listening. (Much of this is dance music, after all!)

To augement the period authenticity of the music, Mallon, in a stroke of artistic brilliance, adds purcussion to several tracks of this recording.(During Handel's time, it was common practice to include percussion in dances and overtures.) You've never heard a more rousing OVERTURE from THE ROYAL FIREWORKS until you've heard it with those regally pounding drums.

Additionally, this is the first recodring of FIREWORKS to properly include a transverse flute. The effect, of course, is pure magic and again lends an air of authenticity.

To top it all of, the great sound engineer, Norbert Kraft, has done it again for Naxos. The sound here is rich and natural, as is usally the case for this label.

Enthusiastically recommended for those who want to hear two well-known pieces again for the first time.

Fresh and beautiful readings.......2006-05-20

For years I've had the CD of these Handel compositions, recorded by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. That CD won a rosette from the Penguin Guide to Classical Music, but I couldn't stand listening to it anymore. The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra performance of these compositions was almost too-perfect and I found it seemed boring and too-structured.

Enter this recording, which I learned of when looking at things over at the Arkiv Music website. This recording on the Naxos label was a minimal investment (Naxos is a super resource for great music at low cost). What a delight to find such a high quality recording, played in a fresh and beautiful way. No, it is not note-perfect as the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra plays it. But, it is lovely and refreshing to hear, a delightful experience that has life rather than mechanical reproduction of notes. An excellent investment!

Average customer rating:

A lifesaver!

Baby Einstein: Music Box Orchestra

Manufacturer: Buena Vista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Compilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music

CDs Under $7 | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music

All Bargain Titles | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Baby Einstein: Traveling Melodies
Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics
Baby Einstein: Playtime Music Box
Baby Galileo
Baby Neptune

ASIN: B0009AJK3E
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

Tune Up And Fanfare Based On Themes From 'The Magic Flute'
Piano Sonata In C Major, K545, 1st Movement
Piano Sonata In C, K330, 1st Movement
Concerto For Flute And Harp In C, K299, 1st Movement
Sonata IN D For Two Pianos, K448, 1st Movement
Tune Up And Fanfare Based On A Theme From Tocata In D
Flute Sonata In E Flat, BWV 1031, 3rd Movement
Brandenburg Concerto No.6, BWV 1051, 3rd Movement
Goldberg Variations, Canons, BWV 988
Brandenburg Concerto No.2, BWV 1047, 3rd Movement
Symphony No.1, Op.21, 1st Movement
The Ruins Of Athens, Turkish March, Op.113
Sonatina In G
Music For The Royal Fireworks, Fanfare And Overture
Prelude No.7 In A, 'The Polish Dance', Op.28
On The Beautiful Blue Danube, Op.314
Nocturne In F Sharp No.2, Op.15

Customer Reviews:

A lifesaver!.......2006-01-14

Our baby loves it! We tried this CD in the car and are now avid roadsters again. This and the other soothing CD "Nursery Lullaby" are the best! Wish we tried it earlier!

Handel: Water Music; Music for the Royal Fireworks

Average customer rating:

Ditto to S. Heinen
Wonderful recordings!
A Little Help from Handel
Good, but ...
Trippy, Light, Pleasing, Good for a Variety of Occasions

Handel: Water Music; Music for the Royal Fireworks

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, etc / Karajan, Berlin PO
Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan / Karajan
Bach - The Complete Brandenburg Concertos / Pearlman, Boston Baroque
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos (Complete)

ASIN: B000001GG0
Release Date: 1992-10-13

Tracks:

Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: 1. Ouverture (Adagio) - Allegro - Lentement - Allegro da capo
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: 2. Bourree
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: 3. La Paix. Largo alla Siciliana
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: 4. La Rejouissance. Allegro
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: 5. Menuet I
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: 6. Menuet II
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 1. Ouverture
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 2. Adagio e staccato
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 3. Allegro
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 4. Andante
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 3. da capo
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 5. Presto
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 6. Air. Presto
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 7. Minuet
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 8. Bourree. Presto
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 9. Hornpipe
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 10. (Without Indication)
Suite in G major, HWV 350: 16. (Without Indication)
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 17. Rigaudon. Presto - 18. (Without Indication) - 17. da capo
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 19. Menuet - 20. (Without Indication) - 19. da capo
Water Music - Suite In F Major, HWV 348: 21. (Without Indication) - 22. (Without Indication) - 21. da capo
Suite In D Major, HWV 349: 11. Allegro
Suite In D Major, HWV 349: 12. Alla Hornpipe
Suite In D Major, HWV 349: 13. Minuet
Suite In D Major, HWV 349: 14. Lentement
Suite In D Major, HWV 349: 15. Bourree

Customer Reviews:

Ditto to S. Heinen.......2007-02-24

I heard this recording today on NPR (WABE 90.1 Atlanta) while out running errands. I could not concentrate on anything but the music and finally just pulled into a parking lot, cranked it up, leaned back and closed my eyes. I just got home and ordered one for my mega system in the house. Can't wait!

Wonderful recordings!.......2006-11-10

I first heard this recording of Water Music on NPR and knew immediately that I must have it! The tempo, the phrasing, the orchestration--it's all just perfect. As a former trombone player, I cannot imagine an all woodwind version of this piece. The Orpheus brass sound wonderful!

I haven't listened to many other versions of these pieces, but I cannot imagine anyone being dissatisfied with this one.

A Little Help from Handel.......2006-07-28

Whenever I listen to this timeless music by Handel, it always puts me in a pleasant mood, even when I'm having a rough day. Handel had a knack for composing subtle yet uplifting melodies that stay in your head long after you have turned your stereo off. The Suite in G Major is particularly beautiful. While this recording is not one of the more definitive versions available, if you are just getting interested in classical music, this disc is a perfect introduction to some the greatest music from the Baroque era!

Good, but ..........2004-09-15

... not definitive. A much better rendition can be found in Savall's set.
Why I am telling this? At first hearing this is a quite enjoyable recording. There is great clarity (surely a very small orchestra), good articulation and many times a sense of freedom expressed in clever improvisation in many places (the flute parts are remarkable in this aspect).
In general the aproach is energetic and light. BUT ...
sometimes I found them playing mechanically. And some arrangments (eg the first suite's hornpipe and bourre)are boring, lacking variety.
This, together with a truly lack of grandeur, I would say "majesty", aparts them from beeing a serious competitive reading. Listen to "Fireworks": the timpani parts are so boring: they don't join the tuttis like the Gardiner set, so you find silences that spoils the "majesty" I expressed before. And there are not other percussion instruments (listen to Leppard).
Another example? look at the overure of suite 1. I don't think that Gardiner is the best but he really adds a sense of "theatre" that is absent in this set: Look at sincopation in Gardiner's hands that is replaced by stupid thrills by the Orpheans musicians: it's obvious that Handel is thinking in a solemn begginning of an Opera, when the curtain rises and the public is eager to listen to dramma and emotions. It's also obvious that the Orpheans never went to an Opera theater, judging from this absolutely superficial passage.
It's like Handel made of plastic. Light, sound pleasing, but superficial.

Trippy, Light, Pleasing, Good for a Variety of Occasions.......2003-02-07

In music, I tend to review mostly modern music, principally rock. However, once upon a time I was a huge fan of classical music. That led to The Moody Blues, and then to progressive rock, which remains, of course, one of my favorite kinds of music. Though my tastes have changed, I still listen to classical music from time to time.

Many people are familiar with Handel's "Messiah", which is often heard in a variety of venues around Christmas. Of course, Handel created many other fine works, and in his day both "Music for the Royal Fireworks" and "Water Music" were played for some of the largest audiences ever for a Handel concert.

The music ranges from dance music to faster works punctuated with strident horns and drums that perhaps were to serve as interludes between the dances, or perhaps to be general entertainment. In any case, while there is a certain amount of similarity between each of the movements within each of the suites, there is sufficient variety to enable even a modern-day enthusiastic to make use of this music as a background to a formal party, perhaps carefully choreographing the dance numbers for a waltz. An interesting combination may be to create a mix of this work and rock to shake up a formal party and enable dances from a waltz to the semi-anarchy of the latest dance craze. While it would be easy to encourage a minuet, I'm not sure whether there are that many party-goers that know how to do a minuet, so while that might be interesting, it might also encourage everyone to stay off the dance floor.

The music is well played, not overblown or overdone. Given the temptation to "heighten" an arrangement by clever mixing or over-dubbing, this CD keeps the arrangement relatively simple and straight-forward, preferring to play the music perhaps as it might have been heard in Handel's time. The quality of the music and sound combine to make this CD a very excellent CD to have in your classical music collection.

Tracks:

Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: I. Overture: Largo - Allegro
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: II. Adagio E Staccato
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: III. Allegro - Andante - Allegro
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: IV. Presto
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: V. Air
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: VI. Minuet For The French Horn
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: VII. Bourree
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: VIII. Hornpipe
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: IX. (Allegro)
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: X(F). (Allegro)
Water Music - Horn Suite In F Major: XI(F). Alla Hornpipe
Water Music - Flute Suite In G Major: XV. (Menuet)
Water Music - Flute Suite In G Major: XVI. Presto
Water Music - Flute Suite In G Major: XVII. Menuet
Water Music - Flute Suite In G Major: XVIII. (Menuet)
Water Music - Flute Suite In G Major: XIX. Country Dance
Water Music - Trumpet Suite In D Major: X(D). Allegro
Water Music - Trumpet Suite In D Major: XI(D). (Alla Hornpipe)
Water Music - Trumpet Suite In D Major: XII. Trumpet Minuet
Water Music - Trumpet Suite In D Major: XIII. Lentement
Water Music - Trumpet Suite In D Major: XIV. Air
Water Music - The Alchymist: Overture
Water Music - The Alchymist: Prelude - Minuet
Water Music - The Alchymist: Saraband - Borree - Aire - Borree
Water Music - The Alchymist: Minuet - Aire - Jigg

Tracks:

Water Music - The Musick for the Royal Fireworks: I. Overture
Water Music - The Musick for the Royal Fireworks: II. Borree
Water Music - The Musick for the Royal Fireworks: III. La Paix
Water Music - The Musick for the Royal Fireworks: IV. La Rejouissance
Water Music - The Musick for the Royal Fireworks: V. Menuets I & II
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.1 In B Flat Major: I. Ouverture
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.1 In B Flat Major: II. Allegro ma non troppo
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.1 In B Flat Major: III. Allegro
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.1 In B Flat Major: IV. Largo
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.1 In B Flat Major: V. A Tempo Ordinario
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.1 In B Flat Major: VI. Alla Breve Moderato
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.1 In B Flat Major: VII. Minuet
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.2 In F Major: I. Pomposo
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.2 In F Major: II. Allegro
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.2 In F Major: III. A Tempo Giusto
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.2 In F Major: IV. Largo
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.2 In F Major: V. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.2 In F Major: VI. A Tempo Ordinario
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.3 In F Major: I. Ouverture
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.3 In F Major: II. Allegro
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.3 In F Major: III. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.3 In F Major: IV. Adagio
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.3 In F Major: V. Andante larghetto
Water Music - Concerto A Due Cori No.3 In F Major: VI. Allegro
Water Music: Aria 1 For Wind Band
Water Music: Aria 2 For Wind Band

Amazon.com

This is a fine Handel compilation that provides a nice overview of his orchestral music with brass instruments, as well as his only incidental score (music written to accompany the action of a play). Christopher Hogwood uses the arrangement that Handel made of the Fireworks Music for normal-sized forces, including strings, which were absent from the original. All the music is played with a fine sense of style, and a goodly bit of the "pomp and circumstance" that Handel above all others knew how to capture in music. At two discs for the price of one, this is an extremely good deal. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Water Music is so soothing..........2007-01-11

I love this album. Too often when I've tried classical albums the music has not been soothing, but this is very relaxing. If you are looking for great music to relax by or listen to in the car, this is it.

A Noble Performance.......2006-03-11

I have listened to numerous renditions by different performing artists, for several years, of both Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks. The first time I listened to this CD played by the Academy of Ancient Music I felt I was listening to a high class performance. There is something about the clear sound of the instruments and the tempo and dedication to detail that this group of artists put into its performance that it really inspires me into the wonderful world of the baroque classical music and somehow it transports me to the time when Handel himself was composing and directing these beautiful masterpieces. And the bonus is also the beautifully played Duo A Cori concertos. I recommend it!

Towards the higher end of the pack.......2004-03-11

Reading the liner notes, I am reminded that the occasion for which the water music originally was composed was royal river outing that started in the evening and lasted until 4:00 AM (Take THAT you modern clubhoppers!). The music was played three times through the course of this trip. I doubt there were many teetotallers. Soo...royal oarsmen, wine goblets overflowing with the best claret, tipsy nobleman and...hey! don't hit that river barge! Watch where you're goin' mate!

As such, I'd expect a little roughness in performances (especially for the 3:30 AM gig). Ill-tuned horns and all, I think Hogwood delivers about as faithful a rendition as is currently available. There are certainly more "refined" versions of the water music. I think these better resemble the follow-on peformances for the genteel, perfumed ladies seeking money for the foundling hospital. That's the beauty of Orpheus and Pinnock versions.

Hogwood gets 4 stars for getting close to the river ride. I will admit that my view has been biased by the fabulous 1976 rendition by Jean-Claude Malgoire which hasn't been bettered in this respect. No English band can shake a stick next to drunken French horn players. But Hogwood is a good near-term substitute until Sony wakes up and dips further into their vaults.
Additionally, the Fireworks music is fabulous; the due cori very nice, with similar touches of earthiness. All in all a good outing, and for decent prices.

Recommendable........2004-02-19

I have recently returned to these two CDs (which I bought and listened to for a while some three years ago) and found that they were not quite as bad as I remembered. The tempi are very well sprung, the spirits are high and the "Water Music" in particular is played with some delicacy and finesse (which I hardly take for granted from Hogwood's early recordings). The roughness of the result is mainly due the scratchy tone of the strings and inaccurate tuning of the horns.
If you are a period-instrument enthusiast this Double-Decca, because of its low "duo" price, could have some edge against such strong competitors (which I haven't listened to) as Pinnock, Gardiner and Savall. And at the same "duo" price you can get also Hogwood's wonderful performances (with the Handel&Haydn Society) of Handel's Concerti Grossi Op.6. However, if you care more for variety of dynamics and lightness of touch than for period-instrument sound, I recommend you instead to get all the twelve op.6 Concerti AND the "Water Music" AND the "Musick for the Royal Fireworks" (but not the "Alchymist" suite, the "Concerti a due cori" and the two "Arias for Wind Band") at "trio" price in superlative, "historically-correct" and mellower sounding performances by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

Bravo Mr. Handel.......2003-02-20

A Great Master's Mastery, Masterly Mastered by a Master!!
Translation?? In any speak, this is classic Handel, played at it's best, by the one who should know!!!

Hogwood's genious as a foremost expert on my personal favourite composer, can never be overestimated, and here, presented in a medium of works we all know and can relate to, are a showcase of his awesome skills and brand of 'Mastery'!!

One feels obliged to pay homage to composer and conductor alike, for without either, we could not see the creation of this CD, in what is a pinnacle of art and high standard in performance.

Tracks:

Water Music: Variant in F, HWV 331/1
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: I. Ov: Largo - Allegro
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: II. Adagio E Staccato
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: III. Allegro
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: IV. Andante
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: III. (Without Indication) (Da Capo)
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: V. Presto
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: VI. Air
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: VII. Minuet
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: Bouree
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: IX. Hornpipe
Water Music: Ste No.1 in F, HWV 348: X. (Without Indication)
Water Music: Ste No.3 in G, HWV 350: XVI. (Without Indication)
Water Music: Ste No.3 in G, HWV 350: XVII. Rigaudon/XVIII. (Without Indication)
Water Music: Ste No.3 in G, HWV 350: XIX. Menuet/XX. (Without Indication)
Water Music: Ste No.3 in G, HWV 350: XXI. (Without Indication)/XXII. (Without Indication)
Water Music: Ste No.2 in D, HWV 349: XI. Allegro
Water Music: Ste No.2 in D, HWV 349: XII. Alla Hornpipe
Water Music: Ste No.2 in D, HWV 349: XIII. Minuet
Water Music: Ste No.2 in D, HWV 349: XIV. Lentement
Water Music: Ste No.2 in D, HWV 349: XV. Bouree
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: I. Ov
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: II. Bouree
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: III. La Paix
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: IV. La Rejouissanjce
Music For The Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: V. Menuets I & II

Amazon.com

These digital recordings from 1983 and 1991 make a fine bargain at mid price. John Eliot Gardiner and his period instrument ensemble produce a lovely, smooth sound in these very well played performances, which use Handel's versions for strings and winds. Balances are fine; playing and recording collaborate to produce a treasurable clarity in which every line registers. For those who like their Handel sounding vital yet genteel, this is an ideal release. For those who want something more raucous, and at an even lower price, Jean-Claude Malgoire's CD on Sony will be preferable. Malgoire's scrappy band, La Grande Ecurie et la Chambre du Roy, plays less well than Gardiner's, with edgy horn sound and less precise ensemble throughout. Yet their performances are dancier and more exciting than Gardiner's. Since these recordings complement each other, revealing different aspects of Handel's music, the ideal choice would be to have both, which their respective manufacturers have cooperated in making an affordable decision. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Authenticity Versus Arrangements.......2006-11-10

I have heard and played several different arrangements of Handel's Water Music and Royal Fireworks, but none do justice to the original music. John Elliot Gardiner is known for his authentic interpretations of baroque music because he uses period instruments. What makes this version stand out is the exquisite phrasing and dynamic constrast used in the different musical phrases. The music demands the listener's attention because of the fine way the dynamic contrasts are brought out in the music. This professional presentation encourages the listener's engagement of the music through the way the melodies and harmonies intermingle.

Gardiner's Handel is a gem.......2006-09-27

This recording is everything one could want in a performance of the Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks: genteel yet exciting, allowing the dance rhythms to dance but not getting out of control, well-paced, neither too fast nor too slow. Gardiner and his band also do seem very "at home" with this music; as another commenter has suggested, it may be they experience a certain Englishness in Handel and find it congenial. Whatever the reason, the playing is superb (I love the horns in the F-major Water Music suite), the interpretations are spot-on, and the whole experience is quite enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Ultimate "Water Music" On Record.......2005-09-27

When it comes to George Frederic Handel's music, both orchestral and operatic, the words that best describe the tone and overall impression of the music are elegant, regal, grand and sublimely beautiful. Handel's music was very popular, sometimes I feel much more so than the rigid music of Bach, which was far more complex and less "relaxing" than Handel's. The leisurely, beautiful and grand style of his Water Music is in fact what he is most known for. This is music fit for European royalty as it was indeed first performed for the King of England's boat ride on the Thames river. This is now reduced to elevator music or Muzak in five-star hotels and restaurants, or even cellular phone ringtones. The Water Music on this recording sounds absolutely brilliant, with no sterile moments or broad, boring tempi. The perfection of this particular recording is to be commended. Sir John Elliot Gardner and his English Baroque Soloists know the music like the palm of their hands. Maybe it's because he feels the music is, in part, English in spirit, since Handel spent most of his career in London, though he was born in Germany. Gardener is actually slower in his tempi when compared to other works he conducts, particularly in operas. His specialty is Baroque and it shows in this recording.

The Suites are all played with finesse, with chamber-like elegance and with no riotous frenzy or fast pacing. It is a slow ride down the Thames. We are seduced by the sounds of flutes, violin strings, and trumpet. The famous Trumpet Suite has never sounded better than in this recording. The Minuets and Bourres are all masterfully performed and the English Baroque Soloists let us hear every detail of the music. There are still other fine versions out there, but few outshine this one. A second choice would be Sir John Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields. Or perhaps an Orchestra that specializes in period instruments and in the Baroque repertoire. If you love more of this type of music by Handel, I also recommend his 12 Concerto Grossi. Bach's Brandenburg Concerti certainly exceed the Water Music in beauty and in musical mastership but the Water Music continues to be a popular work featured in Classical Music radio, television, movies and even movie theater bathrooms!

A splended HIP recording........2003-01-23

These two recordings seem to be both lauded and hated, but I for one love them. The balance of the ensemble is great, bringing out all the wonderful colors that Handel could do better than any other Baroque composer (discounting Monteverdi 125 years beforehand).

While simple at times, Water Music is a great collection of wonderful, tuneful music. Gardiner often takes this music at what one might call breakneck speed, but it works. Addtionally, he adds a couple "varients" as a bonus, which are really just a couple of the movements played in a different key -- nice to have.

The Royal Fireworks music was in fact originally without strings -- here it's played in the string version. Here too the tempos are on the fast side, especially in the final movement. And once again, it works great.

One thing to note about this recording is that, as with many HIP Baroque performances, the instruments are tuned lower. So if one compares it with a modern instument recording, it will sound lower. For this music especially this seems to work well -- the higher tone seems brighter (it's a physics thing that I can't get into here) and this music needs the more open tone that the larger (relative) intervals give with the lower tuning.

So I can easily recommend this disk to anyone who enjoys this music, and likes/doesn't mind HIP. If you need modern instruments, stay away, but otherwise this is a great addition to anyone's collection.

I say again... Gardiner is the best of all time!.......2002-11-25

The combination of the Water Music as well as the Royal Fireworks on the same cd, makes this WELL worth the price. The interpretation of both these works is unsurpassed. Of course all recorded on period instruments! GET THIS CD. You will not be sorry.

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