Handel: Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks

by Christopher Hogwood

Overview

This Handbook covers Handel's best known public music, the Water Music, written at the outset of his English career, and the Music for the Royal Fireworks, the last and largest of his orchestral creations. The genesis of the two orchestral suites is examined in its political as well as musical context. Practical questions of performance style and interpretation are balanced by an enquiry into Handel's compositional processes, and the relationship of these pieces to his other large-scale orchestral compositions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521544863
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	11/10/2005
Series:	Cambridge Music Handbooks
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	166
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.39(d)

About the Author

Christopher Hogwood conducts repertoire ranging from the baroque to contemporary, always with the prevailing philosophy of revealing the original sound-world of the composer. Founder and director of The Academy of Ancient Music since 1973, he continues to work internationally with both period-instrument and modern ensembles. He has more than 200 critically acclaimed recordings to his name. Central to Hogwood's musical approach is the connection between musicology and performance: his editorial projects frequently follow initial research through to performance or recording. He is currently engaged with editing keyboard music from the Fitzwilliam Museum for Musica Britannica, the complete keyboard works of Henry Purcell for the Purcell Society, Mendelssohn's seven great concert overtures for Barenreiter and the original version of La Revue de Cuisine to be recorded by the Czech Philharmonic (Supraphon). His many publications include a survey of patronage through the ages (Music at Court), biographical studies of Haydn, Mozart and Handel, a history of the trio sonata, and Music in Eighteenth-Century England (Cambridge, 1983). Hogwood's academic positions include Honorary Professor of Music at the University of Cambridge, Fellowships at Jesus and Pembroke Colleges, Cambridge, and Visiting Professor at the Royal Academy of Music. He also teaches regularly at Harvard University.

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. The character of the man; 2. Politics and power; 3. Water Music; 4. The 'indebtedness' of Handel; 5. The Concerti a due cori; 6. Politics and peace; 7. Music for the Royal Fireworks; 8. Handel in other hands; 9. Performance parameters; Appendix: Sources of shared material; Notes; Select bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

'Hogwood is a reliable and well-informed guide to this repertory. … It is a fascinating document.' Early Music

'Christopher Hogwood is one of the leading exponents of this period of music, and there is much to enjoy in [this book] … that explores both the Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks. … anyone interested in delving more deeply into this intriguing period in the development of English music, can do little better than investing the modest amount in Hogwood's book.' Newsletter, Ipswich Arts Association

From the Publisher