“Water & Fire: Handel Revisited”, presenting Handel’s most iconic music arranged for five saxophones and grand organ.
 
Eric Sleichim (founder/leader of Bl!ndman) and Dutch organ player Reitze Smits arranged the Water Music Suite and Music for the Royal Fireworks, for saxophone quintet (BL!NDMAN [sax] + Eric Sleichim, once again on alto for this album) and grand organ. Saxophone(s) and organ have already been combined several times in new music. The sound, as well as the dynamics of the instruments, mix splendidly, in the louder passages as well as in the quieter parts. The monumental character of Handel’s orchestral score is emphasized in this unique instrumentation.
Handel’s iconic orchestral suites flank the opening movement of Jean-Féry Rebel’s Les Elémens, a musical punch-in-the-face long ahead of its time.

Contents:
- Handel arr. Smits & Sleichim - Water Music Suite (selection)
- Rebel arr. Sleichim - Les Elémens: Le Cahos
- Messiaen - La Nativité du Seigneur: 4. Le Verbe
- Handel arr. Smits & Sleichim - Music for the Royal Fireworks (selection)

Artistic direction: Eric Sleichim
Arrangements: Eric Sleichim & Reitze Smits

Reitze Smits (organ)

BL!NDMAN [sax]:
- Koen Maas (soprano saxophone)
- Pieter Pellens (soprano saxophone)
- Eric Sleichim (alto saxophone)
- Piet Rebel (tenor saxophone)
- Raf Minten (baritone saxophone)

Water & Fire: Handel Revisited is a production of BL!NDMAN and Stichting Voor de Wind