Water Music

Water Music, known in German as Wassermusik, is a famous collection of orchestral movements. It was composed by George Frideric Handel. The work is usually published as three distinct suites. A suite is a set of musical pieces grouped together. These pieces are often based on different styles of dance. This music is significant because it was created for a specific royal event. It remains a major part of the orchestral repertoire today.

The structure of the music follows specific patterns. The collection begins with a French overture. This is a formal type of orchestral opening. Within the suites, you will find various dance movements. These include the minuet, the bourrée, and the hornpipe. The movements vary in speed and mood. Some are slow and steady, while others are fast and lively. Today, musicians can play these movements in many different orders.

Handel organized the music into three specific suites. The first is the Suite in F major, also called HWV 348. It contains an overture, a passepied, an air, a minuet, a bourrée, and a hornpipe. The second is the Suite in D major, or HWV 349. This suite features an overture, an alla hornpipe, a lentement, a bourrée, and a minuet. The third is the Suite in G major, known as HWV 350. This suite includes a sarabande, a rigaudon, a menuet, and a gigue. Each suite uses different musical keys to create unique sounds.

History tells us exactly how this music first reached the public. King George I requested a concert on the River Thames. The premiere occurred on July 17, 1717. This event was recorded in The Daily Courant, which was the first British daily newspaper. At about 8 p.m., the King and several aristocrats boarded a royal barge at Whitehall Palace. The rising tide helped move the barge upstream toward Chelsea. This allowed the party to travel without rowing.

The scale of this performance was quite large. The City of London provided a separate barge for the musicians. About 50 musicians were on this barge to perform Handel's work. Many Londoners also went onto the river to listen. The newspaper reported that the river was almost covered with boats and barges. The King was so pleased that he ordered the music to be repeated. He requested it be played at least three times during the trip to Chelsea. He also wanted it played on the return trip to Whitehall.

The performance lasted for many hours. The orchestra likely played from 8 p.m. until well after midnight. They only stopped once while the King went ashore at Chelsea. Over time, different versions of the music have appeared. In 1886, Friedrich Chrysander published an edition in Leipzig. He gave the work its German title. This edition also included an earlier 1715 version of some movements. That version was originally written for two natural horns, two oboes, bassoon, strings, and continuo.

Modern musicians continue to explore different ways to play these suites. In 1920, Hamilton Harty created a new arrangement for modern orchestras. This type of re-orchestration was common during that era. Some recordings even used Harty's specific version. Later, the conductor Charles Mackerras recorded a version using Harty's arrangement in 1956. However, he eventually returned to using Handel's original orchestration. There is also a chamber version known as the Oxford Water Music. This name refers to where the manuscript is located, not necessarily where it was played. It may have been intended for the band of the Duke of Chandos at Cannons.