George Frederick Handel Biography
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Famed primarily for his oratorios and operas, among them the great Messiah with its Hallelujah Chorus, composer and organist George Frideric Handel (b. Halle, 23 February 1685; d. London, 14 April 1759) contributed notable works in every musical genre of his time. His work spans secular songs and cantatas; orchestral suites; concertos for organ, oboe, and recorder; sonatas for chamber ensembles; keyboard suites, fugues, airs, and dances. A cosmopolitan traveler and man of the world who worked in London for most of his life, he also acted as theatrical producer for his own Italian operas; when the demand for these began to wane, he practically invented the oratorio sung in English. Handel is the only 18th-century composer whose music has been performed every year somewhere in the world eve... read more Lucy E. Cross © 2009 Sony Music Entertainment |
