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It's unlikely that George I ever witnessed performances that live up to this one. They are sparkling; tempos are well judged and there's a truly majestic sweep to the opening F major French overture;... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010
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Simon Standage (violin), Elizabeth Wilcock (violin), Trevor Pinnock (director & harpsichord) The English Concert Recorded: 1983-04-21 Recording Venue: Henry Wood Hall, London Show 6 remaining tracks for Handel: Water Music Suite No. 1 in F major, HWV348 Hide 6 tracks for Handel: Water Music Suite No. 1 in F major, HWV348 Trevor Pinnock (director & harpsichord) The English Concert Recorded: 1983-04-21 Recording Venue: Henry Wood Hall, London Show 7 remaining tracks for Handel: Water Music Suite No. 2 in D major, HWV349 Hide 7 tracks for Handel: Water Music Suite No. 2 in D major, HWV349 The English Concert Trevor Pinnock Recorded: 1984-08-15 Recording Venue: St. John's Smith Square, London
2010
It's unlikely that George I ever witnessed performances that live up to this one. They are sparkling; tempos are well judged and there's a truly majestic sweep to the opening F major French overture; that gets things off to a fine start but what follows is no less compelling with some notably fine woodwind playing, so often the disappointing element in performances on period instruments.
In the D major music it's the brass department that steals the show and here, horns and trumpets acquit themselves with distinction. Archiv Produktion has achieved a particularly satisfying sound in which all strands of the orchestral texture can be heard with clarity. In this suite the ceremonial atmosphere comes over particularly well, with resonant brass playing complemented by crisply articulated oboes.
The G major pieces are quite different from those in the previous groups, being lighter in texture and more closely dance-orientated.
They are among the most engaging in the WaterMusic and especially, perhaps, the two little 'country dances', the boisterous character of which Pinnock captures nicely.
2011 edition
They play on period instruments with great zest, especially so in the Fireworks Music. Speeds are consistently well choen. One test is the famous 'Air', which here remains an engagingly gentle piece.