Vauxhall Gardens: Music & Entertainment

During the 18^th century, the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens represented the height of fashion, and of vice, for the inhabitants of London. The great composers of the day, Handel, Arne, Abel and Boyce, all reigned supreme in the evenings of song and dance at this most chic of leisure destinations in the capital. During this course, we explore some of this enchanting music.

A Selected Bibliography:
Life in Georgian Britain (Pitkin guides). Michael St John Parker

The English Pleasure Garden: 1660-1860. Sarah Jane Downing

A Selected Discography:
Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks. Neville Marriner, cond.

A Vauxhall Gardens Entertainment. Emma Kirkby & London Baroque

Handel & Arne: Arias. Emma Kirkby & The Academy of Ancient Music

Gay/Pepusch: The Beggar’s Opera. Jeremy Barlow, cond.

Handel – Opera Arias & Cantatas. María Bayo, sop.

Mark Padmore – As steals the morn (Handel arias & scenes for tenor)

The Art of the Prima Donna: Joan Sutherland

The Three Baroque Tenors. Ian Bostridge, tenor

Dr Arne at Vauxhall Gardens. Emma Kirkby/Richard Morton

Arne: Alfred. Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra · McGegan