Water Music
Under the direction of their American-born leader Jeanne Lamon, the players of Tafelmusik give a bold, energetic, superbly realized account of Handel's maritime masterpiece that immediately goes to the top of the list. They offer a mixed version of the score, with the movements from the D major and G major suites interleaved, rather than sailing straight through the three published suites (in F, D, and G)--which is perfectly fine since there is no extant manuscript and no reason to assume Handel wouldn't have approved. What sets this reading apart is the liveliness of the musical interplay and the sheer virtuosity of the brass and wind playing. The recording is vibrantly engineered, with an excellent sense of space and wonderful presence.--Ted Libbey