I'm surprised no-one has put in a good word for (Sir) Charles Mackerras,
whose early Vanguard Royal Fireworks Music was the first one made with
(seemingly) all the wind players in London that night.  It's the most
joyful noise I've ever heard.  Sir Charles made another recording for EMI
some years later but the earlier one had much more fun about it.  One gets
the sense that no-one at the session itself had ever heard such a noise!
I do agree that once heard in this version, everything sounds tame
thereafter.  Did either of these ever appear on CD?

And for the record, Sir Charles made very fine recordings of Messiah
and Israel in Egypt.  Not original instruments but HIP enough for light
textures and plenty of bounce -- as well as the necessary Handelian
grandeur.

And, of course, there's always Sir Tommy, too.....

Eric Kisch