George Frideric Handel - Music for the Royal Fireworks

As the old saying goes, George the Second is best known for George the Third.  That doesn't give him his due, because he was responsible for this magnificent music.  The 18th Century was consumed by a whole series of inconclusive wars between France and Great Britain, and 1749 saw the end of one of the innumerable, bloody squabbles, namely the War of the Austrian Succession.

Handel was the most famous "English" (actually German) composer of his day in 1749.  When the dress rehearsal for this was performed in Vauxhall, it caused a three hour traffic jam as Handel's many London admirers scrambled to hear His Majesty's music.  They should have waited until the premiere, which was a disaster.  An enormous picture of the King collapsed, setting the concert hall on fire.

We don't have any record of what George's grandson and successor, George III, thought of the spectacle.  Likely not as destructive to Royal interests as a certain unpleasantness that would occur thirty years later.

And so my wish for you is that you have a spectacular Fourth of July.  Without the whole concert hall burning down thing.