Handel - Water and Fire • Collegium 1704
The curiously named album (props for the creativity) features, as we might imagine, Handel’s orchestral suites known as the Royal Fireworks Music and the Water Music (HWV 348-351). The music in question is always an interesting recording project, especially so by ensembles dedicated to historical practices given that these pieces were envisioned for outdoor performances.
Collegium 1704, under the direction of Václav Luks, here takes a break from their projects with vocal music to record the suites inside a church environment. The one element that likely sets this recording apart is the use of a variety of percussion, including castanets and tambourine. During the Bourée of the Water Music, a dry-sounding drum is used, which provides a bit of a different sound. The other element is the “mixture” of the brass and woodwind suites (HWV 349-350), interleaving their movements together. At the time of this review I was unable to access the recording booklet and therefore I’m unsure of any discussion around these performance decisions. The overall sound of the ensemble feels small, at least in terms of the weight from the string section.
The recording has some depth to it, with the drums and trumpets, especially, located behind the strings. The horn and trumpet playing, alongside the percussion is exciting and clearly conveys a festive spirit.
The switch to the G major suite (HWV 350) is like pulling us in with a far more intimate sound; it’s one of the few places you’ll actually hear the harpsichord (it’s not artificially amplified, as it sometimes is in recordings). It’s an interesting juxtaposition hearing what I’d say is outdoor and indoor music side by side, but given the reality of playing everything indoors, with indoor forces, the programming works, offering us variety.
There are some tracks among these pieces that I always gravitate toward (one being the Réjouissance in the Fireworks Music), if not to enjoy on their own, to compare to older recordings that I’ve liked. For this one example, I am remembering a recording that used a rather loud snare drum. At least it had a rattle.
These performances, while stated earlier as “festive,” do maintain some decorum, keeping the sound anchored to an indoor environment. Given the generous number of recordings of these works, I am certain I will still hold onto some favorite recordings—at least of the favored tracks,. But the thing to admire about this one, I think, is fact the gorgeous indoor sound. The variety of percussion, too, stands out as something you’d enjoy here. Luks chooses good tempos and all of his colorful instrumentalists (oboes, horns, trumpets) are technically assured players.
