Handel: The Man and His Music
Handel: The Man and His Music
Georg Friedrich Handel is considered one of the first truly European composers. He was born in 1685 -- the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach -- in the German city of Halle. Handel also traveled extensively in Italy and drew on contemporary Italian, French and English influences in his music. He settled permanently in London at the age of 27 and later became a British subject.
Halle's Landmark
Handel was one of the few composers who enjoyed fame during his lifetime. The Handel monument is seen here in his birth city, Halle, which is located near Leipzig in eastern Germany. Some 100 special events are planned in Halle this year in honor of the 250th anniversary of Handel's death on April 14, 1759.
Handel's Birth House
Handel's birth house in Halle is now open to the public as a museum. This year, it's the focal point of the Handel Festival, which begins on June 4, 2009. The house has been reconstructed to resemble the original, built in typical Baroque style.
Music Meets Nature
These Handel busts are seen in a model of the gardens planned at Handel's birth house in honor of the anniversary year.
Halleluja
Handel's oratorio "Messiah" premiered in 1742 in Dublin. Its famous "Halleluja" chorus is one of the most frequently performed works of all time.
Musical Treats
The Handel Year, under the motto "Handel -- the European," is officially under the auspices of Queen Elizabeth II of England and German President Horst Koehler. Over 200 events at 50 different locations are planned. This truffle with the initials GFH was designed and created especially for the Handel Year.
Handel the European
As a composer, organist and church musician, Handel was multi-talented and well traveled. From 1707-1709, he toured Italy. Then he became the royal church music director in Hanover. In 1711, he traveled to London for the premiere of his opera "Rinaldo" at the Queen's Opera on Haymarket. The following year, he settled permanently in England and, starting in 1713, Handel received an annual pension from the royal house. He didn't acquire British citizenship, however, until 1727. At that time, he was living in Brook Street, where he would remain until his death in 1759. Today, the residence, pictured here, houses a museum on the composer.
Period Instrument
This cembalo, specially created by Michael Cole, is on display at the Handel House Museum in London. It is a replica of the keyboard instruments used during Handel's time. Cembalos produce sound by plucking the strings, while modern pianos are built with hammers which strike the strings.
A Place in the Park
This tapestry from the year 1750 depicts London's Vauxhall Gardens. The Handel Monument, erected in 1738, can be seen to the right.