This recording of the Water Music of
Handel (or, this being a German disc, Händel) falls into the bin of revisionist interpretations of familiar works, and perhaps also that of German ensembles who feel they have to combat the reputation for conservatism of their musical culture by being radical. For the most part,
Concerto Köln makes its radical reading hold together. Tempos run from quick to extreme, but there's an energy and a rollicking quality that keep the music moving along, with some very unusual early horns in the complement of historical instruments making clear the degree to which these instruments were novelties in the England of 1717. In general, the sharp attacks and varied, slightly exaggerated articulation employed by the group makes the music's original outdoor performance easy to imagine. There is a lot of ornamentation, and some innovative treatments of notated ornaments, including a very unusual decision right at the beginning of the disc (
Concerto Köln, despite mention of other possibilities in the booklet, sticks with the usual division into three suites), but not enough to be really distracting. The balance among the instruments is carefully controlled, bringing out nice details of texture. The downside on this disc is the group's tendency to let its innovative spirit run away in a few instances. What is the point of having the Air in the first suite (track 7) be introduced by the harpsichord alone? To the crowd assembled on King George's boat floating down the Thames this would have simply sounded like an unaccountable pause in the music. The piecemeal introduction of the rest of the ensemble in the rest of that dance doesn't work, either, and there are a few other odd decisions of this type. Berlin Classics' engineering here is top-notch, however, and the disc can be recommended to collectors of historically informed performances.