Composer of the Month: George Frideric Handel (Baroque Period)
- Rachel Beard
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
George Frideric Handel (1685 -1759) stands as one of the towering figures of the Baroque era. Born in Halle, Germany, Handel showed musical talent early. However, his father wanted him to study law and discouraged music so strongly that the young Handel reportedly practiced in secret on a hidden clavichord in the attic.
By his teens, Handel was already a skilled organist and composer, studying with the famous German composer Friedrich Zachow, and later working in opera houses in Hamburg, where his first opera, Almira, was staged in 1705.
A restless and ambitious artist, Handel traveled through Italy, absorbing the dramatic style of Italian opera and meeting leading composers of the day. This blend of German structure and Italian expressiveness would define his musical voice. By 1710, he had entered the service of the Elector of Hanover—but almost immediately took leave to visit London, a move that would change his life.
In London in 1711, his opera Rinaldo was a sensation, and he soon became a central figure in English musical life, eventually helping shape the Royal Academy of Music. One of his most famous early triumphs was Water Music, composed for King George I. In the 1730s, Handel shifted focus toward the oratorio—a form that combined dramatic storytelling with sacred themes and large choruses. This change suited both his strengths and changing public tastes. It also led to his most famous work of all: Messiah (1741). The “Hallelujah” chorus alone has become one of the most recognizable pieces in Western music.
His output was enormous: dozens of operas, oratorios, concertos, and instrumental works that showcased both emotional power and melodic brilliance. Even after suffering a stroke, later blindness, and physical decline, he continued composing with remarkable resilience. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
