DV. HANDEL, George Friderick: Suite #5 in E Major for Harpsichord -- Mvmnt. 5: Air et 5 Variations ("L'harmonieux forgeron") / THE SWINGLE SINGERS

DV. HANDEL, George Friderick (1685-1759)

Suite #5 in E Major for Harpsichord -- Mvmnt. 5: Air et 5 Variations ("L'harmonieux forgeron")
Kenneth Gilbert, harpsichord
(4:11)

THE SWINGLE SINGERS
(2:23)

Nicolas de Larmessin II (1638-1694)

Ah, the "harmonious blacksmith."

The story is that Handel once took shelter from the rain in a smithy, and was inspired to write the tune upon hearing the hammer on the anvil; or that he heard the blacksmith singing the tune, which nicely corresponds to the fact that many Baroque composers acquired their melodies in this fashion.

Neither story is true.

The most likely history is that a man named William Lintern was a blacksmith's apprentice from Bath who later took up music and was the harmonious blacksmith, especially because he later actually published it under that name.