George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was born on Febuary 23, 1865 in Halle, Germany. Halle is a city in upper Saxon, on the Saale rive about 150 kilometers southwest of Berlin. He was very interested in music at an early age. Although his father discouaraged his interest in music, his mother provided alot of support for him, and he led a life of music. At the age of twelve George was the assistant organist at the cathedral of Halle. Although Handel was able to show that he could master multiple intruments, his father wanted him to become a lawyer. When he was 17, his father made him go to the University of Halle to study law. Within a year, Handel left the university in 1703 to go to Hamburg to study music. In Hamburg he played the violin in the opera orchestra. He also composed two operas for the Hamburg theatre. Later, in around 1706, George went to Italy, where he stayed until 1710. While he was there, he traveled alot. He went to places like Florence, Venice, Rome, and Naples. While in Italy Handel met some people that would become a big influence on his musical career. He played for several patrons in this time. Handel then returned to Germany to become the musical director of the elector of Hanover.
Later that same year, he visited England, and he never resumed his position for Hanover. In 1714, Handel’s former employer, became King George I of England began to bestow special favors on George, who was now living in his permanent home in England. His home was in London, and in 1727 he became an English citizen. While in England, Handel continued to compose in his Italian style, but he also began incorperating the style of English music, especially English coral music. Handel became the leading composer and director of Italian operas in England, and may be considered the most important composer of the entire baroque period. Later in his life, Handel stopped writing Italian operas, and began to focus on English oratorio. He started these in around 1740. Most of his oratorio were based on the old testament. Handel’s oratorios were three-act dramatic works, sort-of like operas, but they were profermed in concert without staging or action....