It was a tremendous success, and not long after Handel was reemployed by the King, and retained as music master to their daughters by Queen Caroline. For arrangements, new editions, etc. The Water Music is a collection of orchestral movements, often published as three suites, composed by George Frideric Handel. Fortunately, a tactful friend secured a commission for Handel to write music for a royal water party on the Thames on the 17th of July, 1717. The Water Music dates from Handel’s first years in England, where he arrived in 1710, officially on leave from recent employment in the Elector of Hanover’s court. The Story of the Water Music 4. Handel composed his wonderfully jolly Water Music around 1717. and it was first performed on 17 July that year, after George I requested a concert on the River Thames. In 1717 he composed the famous Water Music which was well liked, but in the what have you done for me lately department, it only brought Handel some temporary recognition and remuneration. see (or create) separate pages for individual works linked in the General Information section below. He returned again in 1712 and stayed permanently after ingratiating himself with Queen Anne, who awarded him a lifetime pension of 200 pounds a year — enough to live on. Water Music was commissioned by King George to accom­pany a grand royal barge jaunt up the River Thames in July 1717. Eager to please his royal mas­ter, 32-year-old Handel composed a lavish, 3-part suite for 50 musicians (a huge group then), including loud horns and woodwind instruments so that the sound carried across the water. 8 Great Suites, HWV 426-433 (Handel, George Frideric) This page is only for complete editions and multiple selections from the collection here. Handel's Water Music is made up of three orchestral suites, written for an outdoor performance for King George I on the Thames. The Water Music is scored for a relatively large orchestra, making it suitable for outdoor performance. Handel's hourlong Water Music comes in three suites of tunes — an ingenious blend of popular styles of the day. Handel's Water Music was composed for ___a party on the River Thames ___a swimming party ___gondoliers in Venice ___the opening of a bridge in London 5. Many townsmen also gathered by the River to enjoy and dance to this lovely performance. July 17 2017 marked exactly 300 years since Handel's Water Music had its premiere. "Handel is definitely the non-Brexit … ___2 ___5 ___3 ___1 6. While King George I and his party sailed up Thames on a barge, another barge with a huge orchestra on board floated alongside to perform Handel’s suites. How many Water Music suites did Handel write? 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