Musician Spotlight: George Frideric Handel

George Frideric Handel was a German-born Baroque composer that is well known for the creation of pieces across operas, anthems, concerti grossi, oratorios, and organ concertos. He’s a predecessor to the likes of Mozart and Beethoven, who likely took a lot of inspiration from Handel’s work.

Who was George Frideric Handel?

Handel was born in Halle on 23rd February 1685 and received his training in the same place before working as a composer in Hamburg and Italy. He eventually settled down in London in 1712 and it was here that he spent the majority of his career.

As a well-traveled individual, he was responsible for creating three commercial opera companies in order to provide the noble English folk with the beauty of Italian opera.

It seems that sometime around the ages of seven and nine, Handel’s musical talents were discovered after playing on a court organ in the palace chapel of the Holy Trinity, much to the surprise of everyone else in the venue.

What genre did Handel cover?

Handel was influenced by the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition and the composers of Italian Baroque and as such, it helped to create his own development of these influences. In 1737 however, he had a physical breakdown which actually caused her to change his direction creatively. His transition to English choral works became his main focus and upon gaining much success, he never composed an Italian opera again.

Major accomplishments

Some of his most notable and major accomplishments came with the success of Messiah in 1742. His orchestral Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks is something that also remains popular to this day. Take a listen to the most recognizable pieces of his work – the Hallelujah chorus of “Messiah”:

Handel had composed more than forty operas over a period of thirty years or so. A huge catalog of work to be done in such a short space of time. And since the late 1960s, Handel’s music has continued to grow in interest. It seems like many composers of this time, Handel was another to deal with health problems, being almost blind by the time he died in 1759.

His music helped influence many future composers so without Handel, we may not have had the likes of Beethoven or Mozart to enjoy. Many musicians have also paid homage to the composer over the years, so clearly he had a major impact on many.

Another talented musician who certainly captured the hearts and ears of many after his death. His legacy continues to live on even in today’s world.

What instruments did Handel use?

Even though he did work as a violinist, his skills on the organ and harpsichord are the instruments he came to use, and that earned him the attention to compose many of his operas. He often used trumpets in his composed music. Described as a ‘dramatic genius’ his talents in these instruments were certainly impressive.