From the Archives: George Frideric Handel
The oldest surviving score of Handel’s Water Music. London: ca 1717-1719
MBM273, f.2r, Ouverture
Copyists’ manuscript in two different hands, one known as RM1 (one of a group of copyists working for Handel before John Christopher Smith became chief assistant in 1719) on ff. 2-39, and the other being D. Linike on ff. 40-72. This is the earliest known manuscript source for these works and the order of the movements is different from the three suites version which is generally performed today.
Handel’s Water Music is a suite for orchestra composed for a party held on the River Thames for the King in 1717. Water parties were a relatively frequent event in this period – there are six Royal water parties documented in 1715 alone – and could be used by the monarch to show himself to his people without too much formality. Handel’s suite of twenty-two pieces proved so agreeable to the King that he requested that it be played three times during the evening. The King was in one barge and the orchestra in another, accompanied by further boats with members of the Court and guests.
MBM273, f.43r, Hornpipe
The world’s first daily newspaper gave the following account of the event:
“On Wednesday Evening at about 8. the King took Water at Whitehall in an open Barge, wherein were also the Dutchess of Bolton, the Dutchess of Newcastle, the Countess of Godolphin, Madam Kilman¬seck, and the Earl of Orkney. And went up the River towards Chelsea. Many other Barges with Persons of Quality attended, and so great a Number of Boats, that the whole River in a manner was cover’d; a City Company’s Barge was employ’d for the Musick, wherein were 50 Instruments of all sorts, who play’d all the Way from Lambeth, (while the Barges drove with the Tide without Rowing, as far as Chelsea) the finest Symphonies, compos’d express for this Occasion, by Mr. Hendel; which his Majesty liked so well, that he caus’d it to be plaid over three times in going and returning. At Eleven his Majesty went a-shoar at Chelsea, where a Supper was prepar’d, and then there was another very fine Consort of Musick, which lasted till 2; after which, his Majesty came again into his Barge, and return’d the same Way, the Musick con¬tinuing to play till he landed.”
Further literature:
George Friedrich Händel, Hallische Händel-Ausgabe, Serie IV, Instrumentalmusik, Band 13, Neuausgabe von Terence Best und Christopher Hogwood (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 2007).
Terence Best, A newly discovered Water Music, in Händel-Jahrbuch, 52. Jahrgang (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 2006), pp.225-234.