Water Music, G.F Handel

Composed by:

George Frideric Handel. Written for King George I who was having a party on the the river Thames in London.

Minuet musical features:

Repeating notes, Mainly step movement, ornamentation, upper treble clef range, homophonic.

About:

The music was divided up into three groups called suites. The hornpipe and the minuet are parts of the suite. The king asked for it all to be played 3 times.

Hornpipe:

3/2 - 3 minims per bar. D major. Fairly fast. Ternary form A B A (Da Capo).

Minuet:

3/4 - 3 crotchet beats per bar, D major, Moderate, Binary form repeated A B sections.

What is a suite?

A suite is a collection of pieces of music.

Hornpipe musical features:

Mainly homophonic, ornamentation, syncopated melody, violins and oboes answered by trumpets and horns. Contrasting B section, mainly strings - Bminor , Timpani used.