The Water Music and the Music for the Royal Fireworks mark two chronological extremes of Handel's career in London. The first was written in his earlier years in England. presumably by 1717 to entertain a royal party sailing up the Thames, while the second was commissioned to celebrate the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1749. Both occasions called for outdoor music, a form in which Handel was to demonstrate a particular skill during the years that he provided music for the gardens at Vauxhall. Popular legend has it that Handel had offended the Elector of Hanover by his prolonged absence without leave in London and that a reconciliation was brought about through the Water Music, composed to accompany the new King's journey by barge from Whitehall to Chelsea to entertain the court during supper and to escort the royal party back again down the Thames. The story, given early currency, is now generally discounted, since no overt reconciliation with King George seems to have been necessary. It is clear, however, from a number of contemporary accounts, that Baron Kielmansegge, whose wife was reputedly 1he King's mistress, paid for a band of 50 musicians to play music newly commissioned from Handel to entertain the King during an evening party on the Thames on 17th July, 1717.
Precisely how much of the music performed was by Handel and how much of it now preserved in the three suites known as the Water Music is not clear. It is reasonable to suppose that the collection represents much of the music played in 1717 although the order of its performance is unknown. The present recording does not divide the Water Music into the three suites that later editors have arranged largely from a study of the principal sources and from the instruments apparently involved. The first eleven numbers, however, correspond with what has been described as a Horn Suite, because of its particular use of French horns, played by musicians from Bohemia, where horn technique far surpassed anything then known in England. The movements that correspond with the second and third suites, the former distinguished by its use of trumpets and the latter by its suggestion of indoor music for the music for the Chelsea supper with the gentler sound of recorders, are not separated, so that the complete work ends with a trumpet minuet after the parer of country dances with recorders that here immmediately precede it.
The Thames water-party of 1717 was successful enough The Royal Fireworks of 1749. however, may have achieved musical distinction but were a pyrotechnic disaster The fireworks display was planned for an April everang m 1749. in Hyde Park. to celebrate the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle that had ended the War of the Austrian Succession in the previous year, confirming the Empress Maria Theresa on the throne of Austria Handel was able to offer a public rehearsal of his Royal Fireworks music at Vauxhall Gardens. a commercial venture in which he had been revolved since 1732, A hundred musicians were involved, playing to an audience of more than 12.000. A week later the music was performed in Hyde Park a prelude to the event and a possible accompaniment to the King's prior inspection of the elaborate "machine" that was the centre-piece of the display. The fireworks themselves were disappointing and during the evening the pavilion to the right of the main structure caught fire. The Royal Fireworks Music had already succeeded admirably at Vauxhall. Handel was to add string parts to the original score, that had by royal command, been limited to a massive band of wind instruments, and to present the work as part of a charity programme given towards the end of May in aid of Thomas Coram's Foundling Hospital which was to benefit even more considerably from the oratoria Messiah.
George Frideric Handel