George Frideric Handel

George Frideric Handel was born on 23 Born February 1685 in Halle.

Georg Friedrich Handel was taught by Friedrich W. Zachow at the organ. He started to study law but turned to the same music. It was not until he was seventeen in 1702 organist of the cathedral and palace church hall. Handel left a year later went to Hamburg and Halle. There he found a job as concertmaster at the Opera House. In Hamburg he wrote his first opera in 1705 with the title “Almira.” Two years later, Handel took a trip to Italy, and he stayed for two years in Florence and Rome. During this period he produced operas, oratorios and sacred cantatas. In 1709 took place in Venice, the world premiere of his fifth opera, titled “Agrippina” instead, which earned him considerable public approval.

Handel studied Italian opera and found many thoughts for his own work. Especially the Italian nobility, was thrilled with the compositions of the Germans. In 1710 came George Frideric Handel returned to Germany. He matured in Hanover, where he was Kapellmeister electoral. That same year he traveled to London. There he composed his work “Rinaldo”. Handel chose England as a residence and matured there. Also on the island of his work among the nobility and the royal family has been recognized, earning him an annual pension. In England, he wrote his oratorio “Esther” and in the period 1717-1720, the eleven Chandos Anthems for soloists, chorus and orchestra, which he dedicated to the Duke of Chandos.

In 1719, Georg Friedrich Handel in the King commissioned the opera house “Royal Academy of Music”, where his opera “Radamisto” (1920), “Giulio Cesare” (1724), “Tamerlo” (1724) and “Rodelina” (1725 ) were premiered. There, he celebrated his most successful performances. In 1727, Handel took on British citizenship. At this time a town movement on the island was much that was in contrast to the nobility and their entire conversation. This also affected the Italian operas of Handel, yet loved the full sympathy of the rest of Europe. With a performance of “Beggar’s Opera” by John Gay Handel reached the climax of this period.

In 1728 the Royal Opera House was facing economic, it was followed by the closure. Even Handel’s rescue attempts failed. The composer went to a smaller theater. But with his health breakdown in 1737 was accompanied by the final collapse of this company. In the thirties, Handel focused on other genres, such as the oratorio and instrumental music, without giving up opera composition. In the years 1733 and 1739 he made the oratorio “Athalia,” and “Saul”. In the field of instrumental music pieces made, the relevant standards in this genre of the 18th Century continued.

The concertos of Opus 4 for organ and harp (1736) and the twelve conserti Grossi Opus six (1739) are among his most vital concert works. Georg Friedrich Handel was world well-known in 1742 with its resulting oratorio “The Messiah”, which premiered in Dublin. It is one of the most vital works of this genre. The title of “Samson” (1743) and “Solomon” (1749) are among Handel’s oratorios vital. In 1717 he made his “Water Music” which he wrote for the accession of George I.. That same year he made the Fireworks Music. Both instrumental pieces developed into the most played instrumental tracks of his time. In 1751, made the oratorio “Jephtha.” Also in 1751 Handel suffered from blindness.

Handel’s operas are characterized by a flexible and dramatic realization of recitative, aria and chorus Atioso. His work influenced subsequent generations of composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gioacchino Rossini. Handel gained significance as the culmination of the Italian opera and oratorio in the Baroque. Above all from the genus of the oratorio benefited composers like Joseph Haydn and Felix Mendelssohn.

George Frideric Handel died on 14 April 1759 in London.