Ok, here is the history as best I can remember it:
Music for the Royal Fireworks was written for a Gala Event celebrating the signing of the Aix-au-Chappelle Treaty. As a gala had already been done in Europe, the fireworks folks came over to England to supervise the event.
A huge "machine" was built(probably a grand facade of some sort that covered up the fireworks). The performance was begun with the massed firing of 40 cannon. The Overture was played and then the first round of fireworks went off. Shortly after, a fire broke out in the North Pavilion of the "Machine" and spread, destroying most of the rest of the fireworks. The music was never completed. Originally, the fireworks were to be shot off at intervals throughout the evening with no regard for the music. By all accounts, the fireworks that did fire were less than satisfactory and the crowd was more than a little put off(News accounts of the day, from the Perlman/Boston Baroque cd booklet).
On an interesting side note, Handel NEVER intended the piece to be performed by winds alone, but was coerced into the idea by the concert promoter who, on orders of the King(George II?) wanted music performed by "warlike instruments". When Handel revived the piece later in the year, it was performed in it's original form for the standard orchestra of the time along with a single serpent player. That part was later excised from the publishers score(Handels original is thought to be lost). On the Boston Baroque Recording, Doug Yeo plays a mean serpent, Martin Perlman(conductor) felt the part was intergral to the sound.
Chuck"who thinks Klaus already knows most of this stuff, but couldn't help himself"Jackson
Royal Fireworks
-
Chuck Jackson
- 5 valves
- Posts: 1811
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 8:33 pm
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
