Handel, like many composers of the day, was not averse to re-using a good tune every now and then. Music in the eighteenth century had a much shorter shelf-life than today and popular tunes were only remembered for a month or two. Consequently when a composer wrote a something good he was loathe to abandon it and frequently ‘re-heated’ it.

Handel’s oratorio Esther is a case in point; nearly every number is plagiarised from his earlier works simply with new text added.

All the music in this programme has had more than one incarnation and is presented here in the less well-known version.
 
The version here of Handel’s famous Water Music probably dates from 1717-19, when Handel was working for the Duke of Chandos at Cannons (modern-day Edgware in London). It is known as the Oxford Water Music as it was found copied into part-books now housed in Oxford’s Christchurch Library belonging to the university music society. It was rediscovered and edited by Tatty Theo. This version of the Water Music predates all others and includes movements that were not published until much later in the century. The individual movements of the Water Music were probably written at different times and adapted by Handel to suit his various requirements.

Similarly, there are contemporary eighteenth century arrangements of opera and oratorio overtures and arias for trio sonata format. Handel also produced his own keyboard versions of these works. The 2 sets of trio sonatas that Handel composed also incorporate many of his most popular tunes of the day, for example from oratorios, Chandos Anthems and operas.

In homage to the Victorian revival of Handel’s works we include short pieces for cello and keyboard that were arranged and published at the end of the nineteenth century. These were popular salon pieces, using favourite Handel aria melodies such as Ombra Mai Fu from Xerxes.

The programme includes a selection of works by Handel, taken from the following list: