George Frideric Handel

George Frideric Handel (German Georg Friedrich Händel), (February 23, 1685 – April 14, 1759) was a German Baroque music composer who lived much of his life in England, a leading composer of concerti grossi, operas and oratorios. His best-known works are Water Music, Music for the Royal Fireworks and especially Messiah, an oratorio set to texts from the King James Bible. He was also deeply influential on many composers after him, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Biography

Handel was born at Halle in Saxony. He displayed considerable musical talent at an early age, by the age of seven he was a skillful performer on the harpsichord and organ, and at nine he began to compose music. However his father, a barber-surgeon to the court of Saxe-Weissenfels, opposed George Frideric pursuing a musical career, preferring him to study law. Nevertheless, the young Handel was permitted to take lessons in musical composition and keyboard techniques from Friedrich Wilhelm Zachau, the organist of Liebfrauenkirche, Halle.

Related Topics:
Halle - Saxony - Harpsichord - Organ

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In 1702, in obedience to his father's wishes, he began the study of law at the University of Halle, but after his father's death the following year, he abandoned law for music, becoming the organist at the Calvinist Cathedral. The following year he moved to Hamburg, accepting a position as violinist in the orchestra of the opera-house at Hamburg. Here his first two operas, Almira and Nero, were produced early in 1705. Two other early operas, Daphne and Florindo, were produced at Hamburg in 1708. During the years 1707-1709 Handel traveled and studied in Italy. His Rodrigo was produced at Florence in 1707, and his Agrippina at Venice in 1708. Two oratorios, La Resurrezione and Il Trionfo del Tempo, were produced at Rome in 1709 and 1710, respectively.

Related Topics:
1702 - Law - University of Halle - Violinist - Hamburg - Opera - Almira - Nero - 1705 - Daphne - Florindo - 1708 - 1707 - 1709 - Italy - Rodrigo - Florence - Agrippina - Venice - Oratorio - La Resurrezione - Rome - 1710

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In 1710 Handel became Kapellmeister to George, Elector of Hanover, afterward George I of Great Britain. He visited London in 1710 and settled there permanently in 1712, receiving a yearly income of £200 from Queen Anne. In 1726 Handel's opera Scipio (Scipione) was performed for the first time, the march from which remains the regimental slow march of the British Grenadier Guards. He was naturalised a British subject in the same year.

Related Topics:
Kapellmeister - Hanover - George I of Great Britain - London - Queen Anne - 1726 - Scipio - March - Grenadier Guards

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In 1727 Handel was commissioned to write four anthems for the coronation ceremony of King George II. One of these, Zadok the Priest, has been played at every coronation ceremony since. Handel was director of the Royal Academy of Music 1720-1728, and a partner of J. J. Heidegger in the management of the King's Theatre 1729-1734. Handel also had a long association with the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, where many of his Italian operas were premiered. Handel gave up operatic management entirely in 1740, after he had lost a fortune in the business. In 1751 he became blind, and died some eight years later in London. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Related Topics:
1727 - King George II - Zadok the Priest - Royal Academy of Music - J. J. Heidegger - King's Theatre - Royal Opera House - Covent Garden - 1740 - 1751 - London - Westminster Abbey

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