Description

The Musick for the Royal Fireworks (1749) had originally been composed, as instructed by King George II, for a large complement of “martial instruments only”: nine trumpets, nine horns, 24 oboes, 12 bassoons, one contrabassoon, three pairs of kettledrums, and military drums. This is the spirit—without a trace of strings—in which is presented this festive version of the work. As for Orazio Vecchi’s comedy Le Veglie di Siena (1604), it is a succession of madrigals that relates three night games (literary and musical) organized in Siena by the members of the Academy of the Intronati.