Artists: George Frideric Handel
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George Frideric Handel Biography
Born in 1685, in Germany, George Frideric Handel showed a marked gift for music and studied organ, violin, and composition. Handel wrote his first opera in 1705, and quickly caught the attention of a Medici prince who invited him to Italy. Here he was patronized by cardinals and the nobility and wrote many oratorios, cantatas and operas.
The elector of Hanover hired Handel as Kapellmeister in 1710 but before taking up his duties, Handel visited London. Here he wrote his opera ‘Rinaldo’, which made his name and he stayed in England for the rest of his life. The elector of Hanover became George 1, and the king became one of Handel’s patrons after hearing a performance of his magnificent ‘Water Music ‘, in 1717. Handel was appointed musical director of the new Royal Academy of Music and great success followed with many works including the great oratorio ‘Messiah’ in 1741 and the ‘Royal Fireworks Music’ of 1749. In fact Handel had invented the oratorio as a form of performance. An oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble with various distinguishable characters and arias, but opera is musical theatre, whilst oratorio is strictly a concert piece. He had also become renowned as the greatest organist and harpsichordist in the world.
During his last decade, Handel gave performances in aid of the Foundling Hospital, which was also supported by other great names of the period including, William Hogarth, Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough.
Handel died in 1759, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, recognised in England as the greatest composer of his day.