Handel brief biography of william

It was there that Handel met composer and organist Frideric Wilhelm Zachow. Under Zachow's tutelage, Handel mastered composing for the organ, the oboe and the violin alike by the time he was 10 years old. From the age of 11 to the time he was 16 or 17, Handel composed church cantatas and chamber music that, being written for a small audience, failed to garner much attention and have since been lost to time.

Not surprisingly, he did not remain enrolled for long. His passion for music would not be suppressed. During this time, he supplemented his income by teaching private music lessons in his free time, passing on what he had learned from Zachow. Though working as a violinist, it was Handel's skill on the organ and harpsichord that began to earn him attention and landed him more opportunities to perform in operas.

Handel also began to compose operas, making his debut in early with Almira. The opera was instantly successful and achieved a performance run. After composing several more popular operas, in Handel decided to try his luck in Italy. While in there, Handel composed the operas Rodrigo and Agrippinawhich were produced in and respectively. He also managed to write more than a few dramatic chamber works during this period.

Enticed to experiment with a freelance music career there, in Handel left Venice and set out for London. Within just two weeks, Handel composed Rinaldo. His most critically acclaimed work up to that date, it gained him the widespread recognition that he would maintain throughout the rest of his musical career. Handel eagerly accepted.

He produced several operas with the Royal Academy of Music that, while well-liked, were not especially lucrative for the struggling academy. InHandel decided to make London his home permanently and became a British citizen. He also Anglicized his name at this time, to George Frideric. Under the New Royal Academy of Music, Handel produced two operas a year for the next decade, but Italian opera fell increasingly out of style in London.

Handel composed two more Italian operas before finally deciding to abandon the failing genre. Oratorios, large-scale concert pieces, immediately caught on with audiences and proved quite lucrative. Handel revised a number of Italian operas to fit this new format, translating them into English for the London audience. His oratorios became the latest craze in London and were soon made a regular feature of the opera season.

Induring Lent alone, Handel produced more than 14 concerts made up primarily of oratorios. It came as a complete surprise to family and friends at church one day when the eight-year-old climbed up on the organ bench and began to play the postlude. Everyone was shocked, especially his father, who had no idea his son was so gifted. Even so, his father sternly reminded son that his destiny was for something more practical than music.

Soon, he left the confines of the classroom and headed out on the road. There his operas and oratorios gained wide acceptance and Handel became an established part of English music and society circles. By the s, British audiences had grown tired of operas sung in German or Italian and preferred comedic performances in English. This was good for Handel, who struggled to keep his creditors away, and led him to push himself to the limit by composing four operas within the same year.

As a result, Handel suffered a stroke that paralyzed his right arm. It seems to me that his brain has been permanently injured. Inswimming in debt and out of favor as a composer, Handel received a libretto from Charles Jennens, a poet with whom he had worked previously. Mainwaring is the source for almost all information little as it is of Handel's childhood, and much of that information came from J.

Smith Jr. Mainwaring tells the story of Handel's secret attic spinet : Handel "found means to get a handel brief biography of william clavichord privately convey'd to a room at the top of the house. To this room he constantly stole when the family was asleep". Sometime between the ages of seven and nine, Handel accompanied his father to Weissenfelswhere he came under the notice of one whom Handel thereafter always regarded throughout life as his benefactor, [ 32 ] Duke Johann Adolf I.

Zachow would be the only teacher that Handel ever had. When Zachow discovered the talent of Handel, he introduced him "to a vast collection of German and Italian music, which he possessed, sacred and profane, vocal and instrumental compositions of different schools, different styles, and of every master". With respect to instruction in composition, in addition to having Handel apply himself to traditional fugue and cantus firmus work, Zachow, recognising Handel's precocious talents, systematically introduced Handel to the variety of styles and masterworks contained in his extensive library.

He did this by requiring Handel to copy selected scores. Much of this copying was entered into a notebook that Handel maintained for the rest of his life. Although it has since disappeared, the notebook has been sufficiently described to understand what pieces Zachow wished Handel to study. Among the chief composers represented in this exercise book were Johann Kriegeran "old master" in the fugue and prominent organ composer, Johann Caspar Kerlla representative of the "southern style" after his teacher Girolamo Frescobaldi and imitated later by Handel, [ l ] Johann Jakob Frobergeran "internationalist" also closely studied by Buxtehude and Bachand Georg Muffatwhose amalgam of French and Italian styles and his synthesis of handel brief biography of william forms influenced Handel.

Mainwaring writes that during this time Zachow had begun to have Handel assume some of his church duties. Zachow, Mainwaring asserts, was "often" absent, "from his love of company, and a cheerful glass", and Handel, therefore, performed on organ frequently. Handel's father died on 11 February Mainwaring has Handel travelling to Berlin the next year, Early biographers solved the problem by making the year of the tripthen noting that at the age of 11, Handel would need a guardian, so they have Handel's father or a friend of the family accompany him, all the while puzzling over why the elder Handel, who wanted Handel to become a lawyer, would spend the sum to lead his son further into the temptation of music as a career.

Perhaps to fulfil a promise to his father or simply because he saw himself as "dedicated to the liberal arts", on 10 February Handel matriculated at the University of Halle. Lang believes that Thomasius instilled in Handel a "respect for the dignity and freedom of man's mind and the solemn majesty of the law", principles that would have drawn him to and kept him in England for half a century.

The orphanage he founded became a model for Germany and undoubtedly influenced Handel's own charitable impulse when he assigned the rights of Messiah to London's Foundling Hospital. Shortly after commencing his university education, Handel though Lutheran [ p ] on 13 March accepted the position of organist at the Calvinist Cathedral in Hallethe Domkirche, replacing J.

Leporin, for whom he had acted as assistant. From it, he received 5 thalers a year and lodgings in the run-down castle of Moritzburg. Around this same time, Handel made the acquaintance of Telemann. Four years Handel's senior, Telemann was studying law at Leipzig and was assisting cantor Johann Kuhnau Bach 's predecessor at the Thomaskirche there.

Telemann recalled forty years later in an autobiography for Mattheson's Grundlage : "The writing of the excellent Johann Kuhnau served as a model for me in fugue and counterpoint; but in fashioning melodic movements and examining them Handel and I were constantly occupied, frequently visiting each other as well as writing letters. Although Mainwaring records that Handel wrote weekly when assistant to Zachow and as probationary organist at Domkirche part of his duty was to provide suitable music, [ q ] no sacred compositions from his Halle period can now be identified.

Early chamber works do exist, but it is difficult to date any of them to Handel's time in Halle. Many historians until recently followed Chrysander and designated the six trio sonatas for two oboes and basso continuo as his first known composition, supposedly written in when Handel was Lang writes that the works "show thorough acquaintance with the distilled sonata style of the Corelli school " and are notable for "the formal security and the cleanness of the texture.

Handel's probationary appointment to Domkirche expired in March By July [ r ] Handel was in Hamburg. Since he left no explanation for the move [ s ] biographers have offered their own speculation. Donald Burrows believes that the answer can be found by untangling Mainwaring's confused chronology of the trip to Berlin. Burrows dates this trip to or after his father's death and concludes that since Handel through a "friend and relation" at the Berlin court turned down Frederick's offer to subsidise his musical education in Italy with the implicit understanding that he would become a court musician on his returnHandel was no longer able to expect preferment whether as a musician, lawyer or otherwise within Brandenburg-Prussia.

Since he was attracted to secular, dramatic music by meeting the Italians Bononcini and Attilio Ariosti and through the influence of TelemannHamburg, a free city with an established opera company, was the logical choice. The question remains, however, why Handel rejected the King's offer, given that Italy was the centre of opera. Lang suggests that influenced by the teachings of Thomasius, Handel's character was such that he was unable to make himself subservient to anyone, even a king.

Lang sees Handel as someone who could not accept class distinctions that required him to regard himself as a social inferior. Handel's first two operas, Almira and Nerowere produced in According to Mainwaring, in Handel travelled to Italy at the invitation of Ferdinando de' Medici. In Italy, Handel met librettist Antonio Salviwith whom he later collaborated.

Handel left for Rome and since opera was temporarily banned in the Papal Statescomposed sacred music for the Roman clergy. His famous Dixit Dominus is from this era. He also composed cantatas in pastoral style for musical gatherings in the palaces of duchess Aurora Sanseverino whom Mainwaring called "Donna Laura" [ 82 ] one of the most influential patrons from the Kingdom of Naplesand cardinals Pietro OttoboniBenedetto Pamphili and Carlo Colonna.

Two oratoriosLa resurrezione and Il trionfo del tempowere handel brief biography of william in a private setting for Ruspoli and Ottoboni in andrespectively. Rodrigohis first all-Italian opera, was produced in the Cocomero theatre in Florence in The opera, with a libretto by Cardinal Vincenzo Grimaniran for 27 nights successively.

With his opera Rinaldobased on La Gerusalemme Liberata by the Italian poet Torquato TassoHandel enjoyed great success, although it was composed quickly, with many borrowings from his older Italian works. Handel went back to Halle twice, to attend the wedding of his sister and the baptism of her daughter, but decided to settle permanently in England in In the summer ofhe lived at Mr.

Mathew Andrews' estate in Barn ElmsSurrey. One of his most important patrons was the 3rd Earl of Burlington and 4th Earl of Corka young and extremely wealthy member of an Anglo-Irish aristocratic family. The conception of an opera as a coherent structure was slow to capture Handel's imagination [ 92 ] and he composed no operas for five years.

It is said the compositions spurred reconciliation between Handel and the king, supposedly annoyed by the composer's abandonment of his Hanover post. InHandel became house composer at Cannons in Middlesexwhere he laid the cornerstone for his future choral compositions in the Chandos Anthems. Winton Dean wrote that "the music catches breath and disturbs the memory".

Inthe Duke of Chandos became one of the composer's important patrons and a primary subscriber to his new opera company, the Royal Academy of Musicthough his patronage declined after Chandos lost large sums of money in the South Sea Bubblewhich burst in in one of history's greatest financial cataclysms. Handel himself invested in the South Sea Company in when its share prices were low [ 97 ] and sold them before the "bubble" burst in As noted by music historian David Hunter, 32 per cent of the subscribers and investors in the Royal Academy of Music, or their close family members, held investments in the RAC as well.

He saw Teofane by Antonio Lottiand engaged members of the cast for the Royal Academy of Music, founded by a group of aristocrats to assure themselves a constant supply of baroque opera or opera seria. Handel may have invited John Smith, his fellow student in Halle, and his son Johann Christoph Schmidtto become his secretary and amanuensis.

Handel's operas are filled with da capo ariassuch as Svegliatevi nel core. After composing Silete ventihe concentrated on opera and stopped writing cantatas. Scipiofrom which the regimental slow march of the British Grenadier Guards is derived, [ ] was performed as a stopgap, waiting for the arrival of Faustina Bordoni. One of these, Zadok the Priesthas been played at every British coronation ceremony since.

The Queen's Theatre at the Haymarket now His Majesty's Theatreestablished in by architect and playwright John Vanbrughquickly became an opera house. Handel travelled to Italy to engage new singers and also composed seven more operas, among them the comic masterpiece Partenope and the "magic" opera Orlando. Handel reworked his Acis and Galatea which then became his most successful work ever.

Handel failed to compete with the Opera of the Nobilitywho engaged musicians such as Johann Adolph HasseNicolo Porpora and the famous castrato Farinelli. The strong support by Frederick, Prince of Wales caused conflicts in the royal family. Despite the problems the Opera of the Nobility was causing him at the time, Handel's neighbour in Brook Street, Mary Delanyreported on a party she invited Handel to at her house on 12 April where he was in good spirits:.

I had Lady Rich and her daughter, Lady Cath. Hanmer and her husband, Mr. Percival, Sir John Stanley and my brother, Mrs. Donellan, Strada [star soprano of Handel's operas] and Mr. Lord Shaftesbury begged of Mr. Percival to bring him, and being a profess'd friend of Mr. Handel who was here also was admitted; I never was so well entertained at an opera!

Handel was in the best humour in the world, and played lessons and accompanied Strada and all the ladies that sang from seven o'clock till eleven. I gave them tea and coffee, and about half an hour after nine had a salver brought in of chocolate, mulled white wine, and biscuits. Everybody was easy and seemed pleased. Inthe Earl of Essex received a letter with the following sentence: "Handel became so arbitrary a prince, that the Town murmurs.

Rich was renowned for his spectacular productions. Inhe introduced organ concertos between the acts. For the first time, Handel allowed Gioacchino Contiwho had no time to learn his part, to substitute arias. After brief signs of a recovery, he had a relapse in May, with an accompanying deterioration in his mental capacities. It was a parody of the Italian opera seria.

In Autumn the fatigued Handel reluctantly followed the advice of his physicians and went to take the cure in the spa towns of Royal Tunbridge WellsAix-la-Chapelle Burtscheid in September. On Boxing Day he began the composition of Sersethe only comic opera that Handel ever wrote and worked with Elisabeth Duparc. He composed music for a musical clock with a pipe organ built by Charles Clay; it was bought by Gerrit Braamcamp and was in acquired by the Museum Speelklok in Utrecht.

Handel gave up the opera business, while he enjoyed more success with his English oratorios. Il trionfo del tempo e del disingannoan allegoryHandel's first oratorio [ ] was composed in Italy infollowed by La resurrezione in which uses material from the Bible. The circumstances of Esther and its first performance, possibly inare obscure.

Next came Deborahstrongly coloured by the coronation anthems [ ] and Athaliahhis third English Oratorio. It is evident how much he learned from Arcangelo Corelli about writing for instruments, and from Alessandro Scarlatti about writing for the solo voice, but there is no single composer who taught him how to write for the chorus.

The most significant reason for this change was the dwindling financial returns from his operas. The performances were given without costumes and action; the singers appeared in their own clothes. InHandel produced Alexander's Feast. John Beard appeared for the first time as one of Handel's principal singers and became Handel's permanent tenor soloist for the rest of Handel's life.

In SaulHandel was collaborating with Charles Jennens and experimenting with three trombones, a carillon and extra-large military kettledrums from the Tower of Londonto be sure " In his next works, Handel changed his course. In these works he laid greater stress on the effects of orchestra and soloists; the chorus retired into the background.

During the summer ofthe 3rd Duke of Devonshire invited Handel to Dublincapital of the Kingdom of Irelandto give concerts for the benefit of local hospitals. In andHandel wrote a series of military oratorios - Judas Maccabaeus HandelJoshua and Alexander Balus - which celebrate the British monarchy's victories over the Jacobites. InHandel wrote his oratorio Alexander Balus.

He strikes the golden lyreHandel wrote the accompaniment for mandolinharpviolin, viola, and violoncello. The use of English soloists reached its height at the first performance of Samson. The work is highly theatrical. The role of the chorus became increasingly important in his later oratorios. Jephtha was first performed on 26 February ; even though it was his last oratorio, it was no less a masterpiece than his earlier works.

Handel brief biography of william

InHandel composed Music for the Royal Fireworks ; 12, people attended the first performance. The performance was considered a great success and was followed by annual concerts that continued throughout his life. In recognition of his patronage, Handel was made a governor of the Hospital the day after his initial concert. He bequeathed a copy of Messiah to the institution upon his death.

In addition to the Foundling Hospital, Handel also gave to a charity that assisted impoverished musicians and their families. In Auguston a journey back from Germany to London, Handel was seriously injured in a carriage accident between The Hague and Haarlem in the Netherlands. The cause was a cataract which was operated on by the great charlatan Chevalier Taylor.

This did not improve his eyesight and possibly made it worse. He died in at home in Brook Street, at the age of The last performance he attended was of Messiah. Handel was buried in Westminster Abbey. Handel never married and kept his personal life private. His initial will bequeathed the bulk of his estate to his niece Johanna, but four codicils distributed much of his estate to other relations, servants, friends and charities.

Handel owned an art collection that was auctioned posthumously in Handel's compositions include 42 operas, 24 oratorios, more than cantatas, trios and duets, numerous arias, odes and serenatas, solo and trio sonatas, 18 concerti grossi, and 12 organ concertos. His most famous work, the oratorio Messiah with its "Hallelujah" chorus, is among the most popular works in choral music.

The Lobkowicz Palace in Prague holds Mozart's copy of Messiahcomplete with handwritten annotations. Among the works with opus numbers published and popularised in his lifetime are the Organ concertos Op. Also notable are his 16 keyboard suites, especially The Harmonious Blacksmith. The first published catalogue of Handel's works appeared as an appendix to Mainwaring's Memoirs.

For modern performance, the realisation of the basso continuo reflects 19th-century practice. Vocal scores drawn from the edition were published by Novello in London, but some scores, such as the vocal score to Samsonare incomplete. It did not start as a critical edition, but after heavy criticism of the first volumes, which were performing editions without a critical apparatus for example, the opera Serse was published with the title character recast as a tenor, reflecting pre-war German practiceit repositioned itself as a critical edition.

Influenced in part by cold-war realities, editorial work was inconsistent: misprints were found in abundance and editors failed to consult important sources. Ina committee was formed to establish better standards for the edition. The reunification of Germany in removed communication problems, and the volumes issued have since shown a significant improvement in standards.

The catalogue has achieved wide acceptance and is used as the modern numbering system, with each of Handel's works designated an "HWV" number — for example, Messiah is catalogued as "HWV 56". Handel's works were collected and preserved by two men: Sir Samuel Helliera country squire whose musical acquisitions form the nucleus of the Shaw—Hellier Collection, [ ] and the abolitionist Granville Sharp.

After his death, Handel's Italian operas fell into obscurity, except for selections such as the aria from Serse" Ombra mai fu ". The oratorios continued to be performed but not long after Handel's death they were thought to need some modernisation, and Mozart orchestrated German versions of Messiah and other works. Throughout the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, particularly in the Anglophone countries, his reputation rested primarily on his English oratorios, which were customarily performed by choruses of amateur singers on solemn occasions.

The centenary of his death, inwas celebrated by a performance of Messiah at The Crystal Palaceinvolving 2, singers and instrumentalists, who played for an audience of about 10, people. Recent decades have revived his secular cantatas and handel brief biography of william one might call 'secular oratorios' or 'concert operas'. Of the former, Ode for St.

For his secular oratorios, Handel turned to classical mythology for subjects, producing such works as Acis and GalateaHercules and Semele These works have a close kinship with the sacred oratorios, particularly in the vocal writing for the English-language texts. They also share the lyrical and dramatic qualities of Handel's Italian operas. As such, they are sometimes fully staged as operas.

With the rediscovery of his theatrical works, Handel, in addition to his renown as an instrumentalist, orchestral writer, and melodist, is now perceived as being one of opera's great musical dramatists. Handel has generally been accorded high esteem by fellow composers, both in his own time and since. Mozart is reputed to have said of him, "Handel understands affect better than any of us.

When he chooses, he strikes like a thunderbolt.