HALL OF FAME - George Frederick Handel

George Frederick Handel

Georg Friedrich Händel was an English Baroque composer of German birth who is famous for his operas, oratorios, and concerti grossi. His life and music may justly be described as "cosmopolitan": he was born in Germany, trained in Italy, and spent most of his life in England. Born as Georg Friedrich Händel in Halle in Saxony-Anhalt, he settled in England in 1712, becoming a naturalized subject of the British crown on 22 January 1727. His works include Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks.

Händel | Biography

Most music lovers have encountered George Frederick Handel through holiday-time renditions of the Messiah's "Hallelujah" chorus. And many of them know and love that oratorio of Christ's life and death, as well as a few other greatest hits like the orchestral Water Music and Royal Fireworks Music, and perhaps Judas Maccabeus or one of the other English oratorios. Yet his operas, for which he was widely known in his own time, are the province mainly of specialists in Baroque music, and the events of his life, even though they reflected some of the most important musical issues of the day, have never become as familiar as the careers of Bach or Mozart. Perhaps the single word that best describes his life and music is "cosmopolitan": he was a German composer, trained in Italy, who spent most of his life in England.
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Händel | YouTube

Händel | Wikipedia

Händel
Date of birth: 1685-02-23
Country: Germany
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Händel | Flickr

Händel slideshow

Händel | Video on demand

Handel - Giulio Cesare in Egitto
The controversial opera production from 'enfant terrible' Peter Sellars
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Go to the complete VOD catalogue

Händel | CD's

25 Handel Favorites
From Vox (Classical)
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Messiah (George Frederick Handel) London Philharmonic Orchestra
Handel, London Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, Alldis
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