Handel Essay

George Frideric Handel was born on February 23, 1685 to George Handel and Dorothea Taust in Halle, Germany. Handel’s father prohibited him to use any musical instruments because he wanted him to study law. However, Handel secretly learned to play the harpsichord and pipe organ and became a talented performer. During a trip to Weissenfels that Handel and his father took to see Handel’s nephew, who was Duke Johann Adolf I’s valet, Handel was given the opportunity to play the organ. Everyone was impressed by his performance, and Handel and the duke were able to persuade his father to let Handel receive music lessons from Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, who played the organ for Halle’s Marienkirche. Handel received lessons on the harpsichord, oboe, organ, and violin. Handle complied with his father’s desire by attending the University of Halle and studying Civil Law in1702. He played the organ at the evangelical reformed church for one year before leaving to play the harpsichord and violin in the orchestra of the Hamburg Oper am Gansemarkt. In 1705, he produced Almira and Nero, which were his first two operas. Three years later, he produced two additional operas entitled Daphne and Florindo. He met Gian Gastone de’ Medici while in Hamburg, and he invited him to Italy. In 1706, Handel accepted his offer and journeyed to Italy and worked together with Antonio Salvi. His first opera that he composed for Italian performance was entitled Rodrigo, and it was performed in 1707 in the Florence’s Cocomero theatre. He wrote his first oratorio entitled Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno in 1707. He produced music for the clergy of Rome, including his popular work Dixit Dominus. Handel composed La resurrezione for Francesco Ruspoli in 1709, as well...

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...s left with four afflicted fingers on his right hand which deterred him from playing. However, he regained function rapidly. William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire asked Handel to go to Dublin to hold benefit concerts for hospitals in 1741. The first performance of Handel’s popular Messiah occurred in 1742 at the New Music Hall. The act of utilizing English soloist met its peak with Samson’s first debut. He wrote Music for the Royal Fireworksin 1749, and 12,000 people were present for the initial performance. He held a benefit concert of his work Messiah to raise money for the Foundling Hospital. This benefit concert was so successful each year a concerts was held to raise money for hospitals. Handel died at home at the age of 74 in 1759. Over three thousand people went to his funeral at Westminster Abbey, and his funeral received complete state honors (George).