George Frideric Handel was commissioned to write the music for lavish celebrations commanded by King George II to mark the end of the War of the Austrian Succession.
Notable Performances
A public rehearsal of Handel's Fireworks Music in Vauxhall Gardens drew an audience of over 12,000 people, causing a three-hour traffic stoppage on London Bridge.
Critical Reception
The official fireworks display in Green Park was a 'fiasco' with technical problems and an accidental fire, overshadowing Handel's musical contribution.
Compositional Technique
The Concerti a due cori (Concertos for two choirs) are arrangements of Handel's earlier works, primarily choruses from his oratorios.
Recording & Production
This recording was made in the cloister of the former Jesuit College of Catania, Sicily, to recreate the sound of an outdoor performance.
Composition History
King George II initially objected to any music for the fireworks and later insisted on only martial instruments, leading to a dispute with Handel over the instrumentation.
Compositional Technique
The Concerti a due cori feature a double concertino of wind instruments (oboes, bassoons, horns) and a string ripieno, employing a variant of the concerto grosso technique.
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