Fire Water

With Water & Fire, B’Rock Orchestra and Dmitry Sinkovsky present Handel’s Water Music alongside his Music for the Royal Fireworks. Both spectacular works were written for royal open-air ceremonies, and may well have been drowned out by the noise of pyrotechnics and the waves of the Thames. Still, after Handel’s lifetime, they quickly became audience favourites. B’Rock performs these captivating suites with an ensemble that approaches the ca. 50 musicians that Handel originally employed, conveying the pomp and splendour of the occasion while also highlighting the coloristic richness and refinement of the score.

“WATER & FIRE - Handel revisited”, presenting Handel’s most iconic music arranged for 5 saxophones and grand organ. Eric Sleichim (founder/leader of Bl!ndman) and Dutch organ player Reitze Smits arranged the Water Music suite and Music for the Royal Fireworks, for saxophone quintet (BL!NDMAN [sax] + Eric Sleichim (once again on alto for this album) and grand organ. Saxophone(s) and organ have already been combined several times in new music. The sound, as well as the dynamics of the instruments, mix splendidly, in the louder passages as well as in the quieter parts. The monumental character of Handel’s orchestral score is emphasized in this unique instrumentation. Handel’s iconic orchestral suites flank the opening movement of Jean-Féry Rebel’s Les Elémens, a musical punch-in-the-face long ahead of its time.