Another of my favbourite recordings - this from the fifties London music scene Music for the Royal Fireworks: "For reasons of balance in the recording, the conductor decided to use a couple more oboes and bassoons than specified by Handel, because those instruments would be required to play almost continuously throughout the entire recording session.

The orchestra finally consisted of 12 first oboes, 8 seconds, 6 thirds; 14 bassoons, 4 contra-bassoons; 2 serpents, 9 horns, 9 trumpets, 3 pairs of tympani and 6 side drums

and, since it was impossible to get all those players together in the ordinary way, the recording was made late at night when musicians were free after concerts and opera engagements. In the event, most of London's leading wind and brass players, some still in evening dress from performing at the Albert Hall and the Festival Hall, and others in ordinary clothes from broadcasts or recording sessions, came to take part in that historic performance.

The orchestra was 'led' by oboists Terence MacDonagh and Sidney Sutcliffe, with Leonard Brain and Evelyn Rothwell (Lady Barbirolli) - the only woman in the orchestra - among the other oboe players.
The bassoons were led by Cecil James and the horns by the combined talents of Alan Civil and Barry Tuckwell; indeed, this was probably the only time these two leading horn players ever performed side by side in the same orchestra.
The trumpet players included Harold Jackson and Philip Jones, and the two serpents were played by Nigel Amherst, taking a break from his usual duties on the double-bass, and Eric Halfpenny."