FIREWORKS SELECTION

Georg Friedric Haendel (1685 – 1759) studied composition, organ, harpsichord, violin, and oboe. He lived in the most musically relevant European countries of his time (Germany, Italy, England) and worked at the service of various royalties, as well as for theaters, exploring all musical tastes. He favored the most brilliant features of music and composed in every musical genre of his age, and, to please the audience, he even sometimes made compromises on his artistic choices. The Suite for orchestra Music for the Royal Fireworks was commissioned in 1749 by King George II of England to commemorate the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, which ended a long and gory war. For the occasion, the Suite was performed by some 150 wind and percussion performers to comply with the royal request for an ensemble of military instruments. This transcription for symphonic band includes three movements of the Suite: Ouverture, Menuet, and La Rejouissance. The work is particularly interesting because the transcriber, even if he significantly modified the original score, managed to keep alive the wonderful sound effects that characterize Handel’s composition.