Prom 7 (18.7.12): Handel – Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks

[Caliban]

delightful sounds (I thought) from the flutes in the G major Water Music Suite
no flute players seem to be acknowledged in the programme notes, would someone have been doubling up?

Sure it wasn't someone listening outside your window and whistling along?

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

delightful sounds (I thought) from the flutes in the G major Water Music Suite
no flute players seem to be acknowledged in the programme notes, would someone have been doubling up?

Yes, some of the oboists and two bassoonists swapped over to treble (and later descant) recorder for those two movements.

[mercia]

Yes, some of the oboists and two bassoonists swapped over to treble (and later descant) recorder for those two movements.

ah thanks
recorders, yes I had a feeling I was wrong with flutes
looking forward to seeing this concert - it sounds as if it was as much fun to watch as to listen to

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Swapping from oboes/bassoons to recorders does not present embouchure adjustment problems. However, when baroque/classical musicians were expected to switch from oboes to flutes, that must have been quiate a different matter. I've tried it myself in concerts (to save the promoters some money) and I find playing the flute, following a spell on the oboe, to be quite horrendous. Does anyone else have a similar experience?

[Bryn]

Well, I was there and enjoyed every minute if it. Mind you, I've known (and loved) the Niquet/ Glossa recording for some time now, so had reasonably accurate expectations. I wonder if Bryn was there? I'm sure he was planning to be.

http://www.classicalsource.com/db_co...w.php?id=10314

I was indeed, just one step behind the rail, a little to the right of centre (facing the platform). It was everything I expected and, contrary to the tired comments of modern valved and hand in bell horn players, I recognised what fine natural, intentionally un-'corrected' tuning was in play. There's none so deaf a will not hear, (or read the online programme notes) what? As for those shoes! What a card that Niquet is.

Oh, my one minor disappointment was that there were but 18 oboes, not the 26 Handel was after. From my position in the Arena, the strings somewhat drowned the double reeds.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I managed to catch it in Listen Again. Really exciting sounds, though I had a tough time finding the right page on my score, as there's no "set" order of movements as no Handel manuscript survives. The tuning of horns . Somehow, it seems inappropriate for the oboes and strings to be bang in tune, while the horns play the same notes - almost. I know that's the way it was "then", but it doesn't have to be now, except as an interesting experiment.

[Caliban]

I recognised what fine natural, intentionally un-'corrected' tuning was in play

How wonderful it must be to possess such heightened powers of perception!

Do you ever get vertigo when assuming that lofty position, Bryn?

[Bryn]

How wonderful it must be to possess such heightened powers of perception!

Do you ever get vertigo when assuming that lofty position, Bryn?

It is not as if Niquet's approach to these Handel works had not already been a topic of discussion here, well before the Prom. The CD and SACD issues are both accompanied by copious information about the instruments used. Similar information is contained within the texts of the online programme notes for the concert, i.e. "recognised" as in "comprehended". My recognition was based on repeated listening to the CD and SACD issues over the past few years. No 'rocket-science' is involved. Just a follow-through of curiosity. I find is quite insulting towards last night's performers than their intonation is called into question without the little investigation of the circumstances that is involved in reading the programme notes.

[bluestateprommer]

... too much of this sounded a shambles to my ears. Great gusto, great strings and no doubt the energy and visual spectacle carried it along if you were there. But the massed winds and massed horns too often sounded competely out to sea, like the bad old days of 'historic instruments' (and 'authentic' perhaps to the sort of performance that happened on the Royal Barge when these were first performed). Plenty of energy and some rough edges: fine...

Having caught this on iPlayer, I'm with caliban and waldhorn as to their overall impression. All the press reviews (which have been pretty well nigh uniformly rah-rah - hmmmmm) have noted the energy of the conductor, which I don't think anyone doubts. However, the frequency of brass blats was enough to make me cringe more often that I really wanted to. Ensemble Matheus, they're not. However, since this was a free Prom, for those in the RAH, one can't complain of value for money.

[pilamenon]

Having had a second listen, I can't agree with the nay-sayers. Quickly got accustomed to the sound of the fruity winds, and found every suite a delight. A thoroughly enjoyable concert.