Handel, George Frideric, German (until 1715) Georg Friedrich H�ndel 1685-1759
German-English composer

Handel was born in Halle, Saxony, the son of a barber-surgeon. He became organist of Halle Cathedral at the age of 17 while studying law at the university. After some experience playing in the Hamburg opera orchestra, and four years in Italy, he was appointed in 1710 to the court of the Elector of Hanover. He took frequent leaves of absence to try his fortune in London, introducing himself with the opera Rinaldo (1711). These frequent absences displeased the Elector, whose succession to the English throne as George I led at first to some awkwardness; the Water Music, composed for a river procession, is said to have been a peace offering.

Between 1713 and 1720 Handel was attached to the households of the Earl of Burlington and the Duke of Chandos. Later he devoted himself to the promotion of opera at the King's Theatre, Haymarket, under the auspices of the newly founded Royal Academy of Music. Attempting to satisfy the fickle taste of the fashionable London world with Italian opera was difficult, and his success varied. The Royal Academy of Music came to an end in 1728, was resuscitated temporarily, but collapsed again, after which Handel went into partnership with John Rich at his theatre in Covent Garden. Eventually he turned to a new form, the English oratorio, which proved to be enormously popular.

In 1735 Handel conducted 15 oratorio concerts in London. Despite a stroke in 1737, in the next five years he produced the oratorios Saul (1739), Israel in Egypt (1739), and the Messiah (1742), which had been first performed in Dublin. Samson followed in 1743, succeeded by Joseph and His Brethren (1744), Semele (1744), Judas Maccabeus (1747), Solomon (1749), and others; his last, Jephtha, appeared in 1751. His Music for the Royal Fireworks had appeared in 1749, only serving to enhance his reputation in the eyes of the British people.

A sociable, cultivated, cosmopolitan figure, and a very prolific composer like his exact contemporary J S Bach, he wrote for the most part in the current Italianate style, though in his settings of English words there are reflections of Henry Purcell. His output included 46 operas, 32 oratorios, large numbers of cantatas, sacred music, concerti grossi and other orchestral, instrumental and vocal music. Regarded as the greatest composer of his day, Handel was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Bibliography: D Burrows, Handel (1994); Christopher Hogwood, Handel (1985); Jonathan Keates, Handel: The Man and His Music (1985).