[3/19/2011] Preview: Hitting some highlights of Handel's "Water Music" (continued)

The conclusion of Harty's Water Music Suite: first the Hornpipe, then the Andante espressivo [beginning at 0:52], the conclusion [at 4:38] leading into the Allegro deciso.


Now we're going to hear a modern recording of Harty's suite. Then we'll hear the six movements of the original from which Harty derived his six movements. The numbering is misleading, because Harty got two movements out of one of Handel's, and conversely drew on two of Handel's movements for one of his.


HERE'S THE HARTY WATER MUSIC SUITE

HANDEL: Water Music Suite (arr. Harty)
i. Allegro
ii. Air
iii. Bourrée
iv. Hornpipe
v. Andante espressivo
vi. Allegro deciso

London Symphony Orchestra, George Szell, cond. Decca, recorded August 1961


NOW HERE ARE THE ORIGINAL HANDEL MOVEMENTS --
ALL FROM THE FIRST (F MAJOR) WATER MUSIC SUITE

For our performances, we're going to turn to performers we heard last night in the Royal Fireworks Music:

* New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez, cond. CBS/Sony, recorded 1974
* Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman, dir. Telarc, recorded Jan. 2-4, 2002

Note that the numbering within the original Water Music Suites is fairly arbitrary, especially in the absence of an autograph manuscript. Just for the sake of some sort of consistency tonight (tomorrow all heck breaks loose), I've followed the Pearlman-Boston Baroque recording.

i. Allegro
v. Andante espressivo

Harty found a rousing opening in the opening section of No. 3, Allegro-Andante-Allegro -- that is, in A-B-A form, with the opening Allegro being repeated after the contrasting Andante central section. Then Harty used the Andante section for his fifth-movement "Andante espressivo." Note: The Boulez-New York Philharmonic recording presents the Allegro and Andante as separate movements.

Water Music: Suite No. 1 in F: No. 3, Andante-Allegro-Andante
["Allegro" and "Andante" separately] New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez, cond.
Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman, dir.

ii. Air

Most of Harty's "Air" comes from the corresponding movement of the F major Suite, No. 5,. But for a bit of 3/4 contrast in the middle, Harty interpolated the Trio of the minuet from the following movement of the F major Suite. You can hear this interpolation easily in the first part of the video clip; it's the point (4:41) at which the 78 side break occurs. It's at 1:25 of the Boulez "Minuet," 0:44 of the Pearlman. For the "Air" proper, note that the Boulez recording presents a shortened version.

Water Music: Suite No. 1 in F: No. 5, Air
New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez, cond.
Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman, dir.

Water Music: Suite No. 1 in F: No. 6, Minuet (only the Trio was used by Harty)
New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez, cond.
Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman, dir.

iii. Bourrée

The Bourrée and the following "Hornpipe" are taken more or less directly from the corresponding movements, Nos. 7 and 8, of the F major Suite.

Water Music: Suite No. 1 in F: No. 7, Bourrée
New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez, cond.
Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman, dir.

iv. Hornpipe

Water Music: Suite No. 1 in F: No. 8, Hornpipe
New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez, cond.
Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman, dir.

v. Andante espressivo
[see i. Allegro, above]

vi. Allegro deciso

This is either the concluding movement of the F major Suite, as I'm following the Pearlman-Telarc recording in calling it, or part of the succeeding D major Suite.

Water Music: Suite No. 1 in F: No. 10, Alla Hornpipe
New York Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez, cond.
Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman, dir.

IN TOMORROW'S SUNDAY CLASSICS POST

Surprise, surprise! It's Handel's Royal Fireworks Music and Water Music!


RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POST

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