Wednesday 8 April 2020

An easily-missed gem from Handel's Water Music


Starting at 2: 25 - it is the ninth and last movement of the first suite in F-Major.

This is easily missed because it is one of the inner movements from a longish suite; and therefore easily forgotten by the time you get to the end. Also because it is subtle and small scale compared with some of the other movements.

Also, because of the above; it is often/ usually given perfunctory musical attention by conductors; skipped-through quickly, with a fast dance tempo - treated as merely a jolly diversion...

But here it receives loving and lyrical attention to its gorgeous scrunching harmonies and the long line of its unfolding structure; in a wonderfully detailed performance directed by Neville Marriner with The Academy of St Martin the Fields (that team-up who have never been - and never shall be - surpassed in the baroque repertoire).

Note added: Here's another Handel movement I especially love. Go to 56:55 :


1 comment:

a_probst said...

So right. The No. 5 is often overlooked. When I, like most listeners, think of the Op.6 Concerti Grossi I tend to remember the at first Bach- then Vivaldi-like No. 3 and the final Allegro of the No. 1 (at 8:37).

These stood out to me decades ago when my sister brought home a vinyl set of the entire Opus 6 (Alexander Schneider and his chamber orchestra).