GERMAN BORN, LONDON BOUND: GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
Over his lifetime, George Frideric Handel composed 42 operas—all but one in Italian, 25 oratorios, more than 120 cantatas, 18 concerti grossi, and 12 organ concertos, as well as immeasurable trios and duets, arias, chamber music, liturgical pieces, odes and serenades. His contributions to Baroque music were vast and he earned the praise of churches, nobility, and public patronage alike with his virtuosic combination of German-influenced lush harmonics, with structure, all while balancing strong emotiveness.
established a home there in 1711. London was full of successful playwrights, offering Handel a great amount of source material, yet opera was still foreign to audiences there. In 1719, the first Italian opera company, The Royal Academy of Music, was founded under Queen Anne’s patronage with Handel as the Master of the Orchestra, a position he held when he wrote Giulio Cesare.
Handel was born in Saxony on February 24, 1685. Handel showed an early interest and aptitude for music, yet his father forbade any “meddling with musical instruments” in the home, and pushed him toward the study of law. In spite of this, Handel persisted in his musical study, and at age 17, was appointed organist at his local church, launching his career. Soon after, he moved to Hamburg to play in the orchestra and while there, composed three operas—including his debut opera, Almira (1705) when he was only 19. Word of Handel’s talent solidified his career by ensuring a steady stream of commissions and wealthy patronage. He moved to Italy in 1706, establishing his opera career there as well, and subsequently introducing Italian opera to the London stage—his opera Rinaldo, when he Portrait of G.F Handel, by Balthasaar Denner, 1726
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GERMAN BORN, LONDON BOUND: GEROGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
