Handel was born in the German city of Halle on February
23, 1685. His father noted but did not nurture his
musical talent, and he had to sneak a small keyboard
instrument into his attic to practice. As a child he
studied music with Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, organist
at the Liebfrauenkirche, and for a time he seemed
destined for a career as a church organist himself.
After studying law briefly at the University of Halle,
Handel began serving as organist on March 13, 1702, at
the Domkirche there. ...(+)
Handel was born in the German city of Halle on February
23, 1685. His father noted but did not nurture his
musical talent, and he had to sneak a small keyboard
instrument into his attic to practice. As a child he
studied music with Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, organist
at the Liebfrauenkirche, and for a time he seemed
destined for a career as a church organist himself.
After studying law briefly at the University of Halle,
Handel began serving as organist on March 13, 1702, at
the Domkirche there. Dissatisfied, he took a post as
violinist in the Hamburg opera orchestra in 1703, and
his frustration with musically provincial northern
Germany was perhaps shown when he fought a duel the
following year with the composer Matheson over the
accompaniment to one of Matheson's operas. In 1706
Handel took off for Italy, then the font of operatic
innovation, and mastered contemporary trends in Italian
serious opera. He returned to Germany to become court
composer in Hannover, whose rulers were linked by
family ties with the British throne; his patron there,
the Elector of Hannover, became King George I of
England. English audiences took to his 1711 opera
Rinaldo, and several years later Handel jumped at the
chance to move to England permanently. He impressed
King George early on with the Water Music of 1716,
written as entertainment for a royal boat outing.
Sometimes mistakenly called an "oboe concerto," much of
the music for this orchestral work in two movements
dates from many years before -- the material had
appeared in Handel's operas Amadigi di Gaula (1716) and
Ottone, Rè di Germania (1723). Nevertheless, this
material is treated to some interesting and innovative
orchestration.
The first movement is scored for two oboes, two violin
parts which perform in unison throughout, viola, and a
continuo part specified for organ, bassoon, and string
bass. The theme begins with two sharp marcato notes and
then breaks into several joyously arching descents and
ascents. Suddenly the key changes into the parallel
minor (D minor) for three measures and then just as
disturbingly back into quickly ascending scale runs in
the major key.
Although originally written for Oboes(2) & Strings, I
created this arrangement for Woodwind Quartet (Flute,
Oboe, Bb Clarinet and Bassoon).
PARTITION