Part 2
Handel's organ concertos were written primarily for himself to play during the intervals of his oratorio performances; and they were designed for instruments tighter in weight than those in use today, and without pedals. Consequently many of them have been adapted in various ways to modem needs. The Concerto to be played tonight was arranged by Sir Henry Wood. It is known as the Hallelujah Concerto because of the opening theme of what in the original version was the first movement, but has been transferred by Sir Henry to the end. The second movement, an Andante, is taken from the Overture to Berenice.
When he was in Rome in 1880 Tchaikovsky wrote to Nadezhda von Meek to say that he had made a rough sketch of an Italian Caprice based on popular tunes. ' I think il has a bright future.' he added; 'it will be effective because of the wonderful melodies I happened to pick up. partly from published collections, and partly out in the streets with my own ears.' The Caprice does in fact begin with a cavalry bugle-call, which Tchaikovsky heard every evening in Rome while he was staying at an hotel that was next to the barracks of the Royal Cuirasseurs. The work, which js brilliantly orchestrated, was completed in Russia, where, no doubt, distance lent an added enchantment to the Italian scene. Harold Rutland