Music for the Royal Fireworks
- Composed by: Handel
- Composed: 1749
- Duration: about 10 minutes
Movements:
- Overture
- Bourrée
- La Paix
- La Réjouissance
- Menuets I & II
His majesty ... and several others of the nobility, were at the library to see the fireworks. ... The whole band of musick … perform’d at his majesty’s coming and going, and during his stay. ...
At half an hour after eight, the works were begun by a single rocket from before the library, then the cannon within the chevaux de frize were fired; two rockets were afterwards discharg’d at the front corners of the inclosure, when 101 pieces of cannon … were discharged; after which a great number of rockets of different forts, ballons, &c. were discharged, to surprizing perfection.
About half an hour after nine, in discharging some of the works from the pavilion … it set fire to the same, and burnt it with great fury to the ground; and had not the carpenters made a breach by cutting away two arches, and removing the timber, and some water-engines which were in readiness been play’d, in all probability the whole fabric would have been consumed. Messengers were going to and from his majesty all the time of this misfortune; and when it was brought under, a present was made to the most diligent in stopping the flames.
— The Gentleman’s Magazine, reporting on the fireworks show at which Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks was first performed on April 29, 1749