The Water Music Suites were composed by George Frideric Handel, commissioned by King George I for a royal grand barge procession on the River Thames on 17th July 1717. This spectacular event was designed to enhance the king’s public image, to assert his dominance and outshine his ambitious son, the heir apparent. The royal party and the gathered public were delighted, and the king ordered the Suites be repeated four times throughout the journey on the Thames. The festive event was deemed a triumph, earning Handel great acclaim and helping to assure the king’s image of power and magnificence.
The Water Music was performed by musicians on a barge accompanying the king’s vessel. Each of the three suites had their own character and instrumentation. For Suite 2, Handel’s choice of the ‘exalted’ key of D major enhanced the sound of the instruments and reinforced the regal nature of the music. The horns and trumpets were likely played in antiphonal style, a call-and-response effect between different groups of instruments, a popular tradition in Baroque music.
My arrangement revitalises a celebrated work of the classical canon, inviting guitarists to explore the rich potential of this beloved and popular work.
This arrangement was created for the 2025 Summer School of the Classical Guitar Society, Sydney.
My gratitude goes to all 70 members of the guitar orchestra, who premiered four of these movements in the final concert on 10th January 2025, at Ascham School, Edgecliff (Sydney). Their dedication and enthusiasm in performance was very much appreciated.
