Händel: Original Scoring, Period Instruments

[JoshLilly]

I was wondering if there are any performances of some of G.F. Händel's orchestral music using the original scoring and, if so, are there any of those that use period instruments? I have a period instrument performance of his Music for the Royal Fireworks, but it is of the indoors re-scoring (the original version doesn't employ string instruments). The original score called for 24 oboes, 11 bassoons, 9 trumpets, 9 French horns, 3 kettledrum pairs, 1 contrabassoon, and assorted drums. Yikes!

Did his other famous outdoors music, Water Music, originally call for string instruments? Anyways, I'd like to know if there's any original version of that. I have some Trevor Pinnock recordings of Händel organ concerti, I'll have to check and see how authentic that is. It's a 2-CD box, so might be a complete set; I can't remember how many of those Händel wrote. Anyway, on my favourite of those concerti, I was disappointed by tempo choices in a few movements. I also have a Gardiner CD of the Op.3 concerti grossi, and I'm very pleased with that, but I'm not clear on the authenticity.

[lukeottevanger]

I was wondering if there are any performances of some of G.F. Händel's orchestral music using the original scoring and, if so, are there any of those that use period instruments? I have a period instrument performance of his Music for the Royal Fireworks, but it is of the indoors re-scoring (the original version doesn't employ string instruments). The original score called for 24 oboes, 11 bassoons, 9 trumpets, 9 French horns, 3 kettledrum pairs, 1 contrabassoon, and assorted drums. Yikes!

Did his other famous outdoors music, Water Music, originally call for string instruments? Anyways, I'd like to know if there's any original version of that. I have some Trevor Pinnock recordings of Händel organ concerti, I'll have to check and see how authentic that is. It's a 2-CD box, so might be a complete set; I can't remember how many of those Händel wrote. Anyway, on my favourite of those concerti, I was disappointed by tempo choices in a few movements. I also have a Gardiner CD of the Op.3 concerti grossi, and I'm very pleased with that, but I'm not clear on the authenticity.

Pinnock has recorded the mammoth original Fireworks score you describe - I have this disc, and it is like no other listening experience! Samples here The Amazon review lists it as having 'nine horns, nine trumpets, 21 oboes, 21 bassoons, three snare drums and three timpani' but the disc itself lists the instruments as you do, with the exception of 12 bassoons instead of 11

[FideLeo]

Andrew Menze will tell you that Water Music indeed had strings in its original scoring. Just check out his BBC documentary (on DVD) in which the Academy of Ancient Music actually went so far as to perform the suites
in situ in a barge on the Thames.

BTW, Pinnock actually used Robert King's edition to record the Fireworks Music in original scoring.   King had
recorded it himself also for Hyperion.   Archiv DG, however, has more immediate sound.