Bl!ndman & Reitze Smits - Water & Fire: Handel Revisited (2017)

“WATER & FIRE - Handel revisited”, presenting Handel’s most iconic music arranged for 5 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.

Tracklist:
1 Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: I. Ouverture (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
2 Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: II. Adagio e staccato (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
3 Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: III. Allegro (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
4 Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: IV. Andante (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
5 Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: III. Allegro bis (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
6 Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: VI. Air (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
7 Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: IX. Hornpipe (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
8 Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: X. Andante (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
9 Water Music Suite No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349: XI. Allegro (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
10 Water Music Suite No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349: XII. Alla Hornpipe (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
11 Water Music Suite No. 3 in G Major, HWV 350: XVI. Andante (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
12 Water Music Suite No. 3 in G Major, HWV 350: XX. Largo (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
13 Water Music Suite No. 3 in G Major, HWV 350: XVI. Andante bis (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
14 Water Music Suite No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349: XXII. Minuet (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
15 Les elémens: I. Le cahos (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim)
16 La Nativité du Seigneur: IV. Le verbe (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim)
17 Ciaconne, HWV 310: II. Andante larghetto, e staccato (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim)
18 Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: I. Ouverture (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
19 Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: II. Bourrée (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
20 Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: III. La raix (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
21 Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: IV. La réjouissance (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)
22 Water Music Suite No. 1 in D Major, HWV 348: I. Ouverture Reminiscence (Arr. for Saxophones & Organ by Sleichim & Smits)