Following the huge success of their Haydn Symphonies set, Marc Minkowski and his Musiciens du Louvre-Grenoble's fifth recording on Naïve is Handel's popular Water Music, commissioned by King George I for a big “river party” on the Thames that took place in July 1717. Minkowski and his band have performed this many times in concerts all over Europe and now they record it for the first time.

Handel’s Water Music was influenced by French, German and Italian music, which explains its lively, colourful, varied, dynamic and dancing character – and its enduring popularity with audiences ever since. This fresh interpretation gathers together the three suites – grouped according to instrumentation and key – that collectively comprise all the Water Music.

To complement the Water Music, Marc Minkowski has chosen to record the ‘Ouverture’ to Rodrigo (an opera recorded in full on Naïve’s sister label, Ambroisie – AM132), composed by Handel for his Italian audience some years before.

“This is the finest period instruments ensemble in the world." – Independent on Sunday