George Frederick Handel Free Sheet Music, Program Notes, Recordings and Biography

The Secret Clavichord: A Forbidden Passion

In the attic of a house in Halle, Germany, a young boy would creep upstairs at night to a secret clavichord that had been smuggled in by his mother. His father, a respected surgeon-barber, had forbidden him from touching any musical instrument, determined that his son should study law and pursue a respectable, secure profession. But the boy's passion for music was too strong to be denied. Night after night, he practiced in secret, muffling the strings of the small keyboard instrument with cloth to avoid being discovered. This boy was George Frideric Handel, and his clandestine practice sessions were the first defiant acts of a career that would be defined by immense talent, fierce determination, and the creation of some of the most glorious music ever written.

Early Years and an Italian Pilgrimage

George Frideric Handel was born in 1685, the same year as his great contemporary Johann Sebastian Bach. While his father discouraged his musical pursuits, Handel's talent was undeniable. Legend has it that his gift was finally discovered when, on a trip with his father, he gained access to the organ at the court of the Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels and played with such skill that the Duke insisted the boy receive formal musical training. Handel began studying with the composer Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, mastering the organ, harpsichord, and violin, and learning the fundamentals of composition. After briefly honoring his father's wishes by enrolling in law at the University of Halle, he quickly dropped out to become a professional musician. His ambition soon led him to Italy, the epicenter of the musical world. From 1706 to 1710, he traveled and worked in Florence, Rome, Naples, and Venice, where he met composers like Arcangelo Corelli and Domenico Scarlatti and perfected his mastery of the Italian style, particularly opera seria (serious opera).

Conquering London: The Opera Impresario

In 1710, Handel accepted a position as Kapellmeister to George, the Elector of Hanover, but his eyes were already on a bigger prize: London. After securing a leave of absence, he traveled to the English capital and staged his opera Rinaldo in 1711. Its combination of dramatic spectacle and beautiful arias, including the now-famous "Lascia ch'io pianga," was a sensation. Handel soon settled in London permanently, a move made slightly awkward when his former employer, the Elector of Hanover, ascended the British throne in 1714 as King George I. Handel quickly regained the king's favor, composing the magnificent Water Music suites for a royal barge party on the River Thames. For the next two decades, Handel was the undisputed king of London's opera scene. He was the driving force behind the Royal Academy of Music, an opera company backed by noble patrons, for which he composed some of his greatest masterpieces, including Giulio Cesare, Rodelinda, and Tamerlano.

Rivalries and Reinvention

Handel's reign was not without challenges. He was a brilliant but notoriously hot-tempered impresario, known for getting into shouting matches with his star singers. His dominance also inspired fierce competition. In the 1730s, a rival company, the "Opera of the Nobility," was formed, featuring the composer Nicola Porpora and the famous castrato singer Farinelli. The two companies battled for audiences and singers, a rivalry that, combined with the public's waning interest in the foreign-language Italian opera, eventually led both to financial ruin. By the late 1730s, Handel was bankrupt and had suffered a stroke. Many would have considered their career over, but Handel was about to embark on the most brilliant reinvention in music history.

The Invention of the English Oratorio

Turning away from the aristocratic world of Italian opera, Handel pioneered a new genre that would appeal directly to the tastes of the rising English middle class: the English oratorio. These were large-scale works for chorus, soloists, and orchestra, based on sacred or mythological themes. They had all the drama and beautiful melody of an opera but were sung in English and performed in a concert setting without sets or costumes. This new form was a spectacular success. Oratorios like Saul, with its powerful "Dead March," and Israel in Egypt, with its massive double choruses, established Handel as a master of grand, dramatic choral writing.

Messiah and Masterworks of a New Genre

In 1741, Handel composed, in a staggering inspirational burst of just 24 days, the work that would define his legacy: Messiah. The oratorio, which depicts the prophecy, life, and resurrection of Christ, premiered not in London but in Dublin in 1742 for a charity concert. It was an immediate triumph. Legend holds that at the London premiere, King George II was so moved by the power of the "Hallelujah" chorus that he rose to his feet, a tradition that audiences have followed ever since. Unlike his other oratorios, Messiah is less a drama and more a work of devotional contemplation, and it has become one of the most beloved and frequently performed choral works in the world. He followed this success with other patriotic oratorios like Judas Maccabaeus, which celebrated English military victories.

Final Years and Enduring Legacy

In his final years, Handel remained a celebrated public figure, composing his festive Music for the Royal Fireworks to celebrate the end of a war. Like J.S. Bach, his sight began to fail, and by 1752 he was completely blind. He continued to perform organ concertos from memory and assist in the direction of his oratorios until his death in 1759. He was buried with full state honors in Westminster Abbey, a testament to his status as a British national hero. George Frideric Handel was a composer of immense genius, a brilliant musical dramatist, and a resilient entrepreneur. His work represents the grand, noble, and deeply human spirit of the High Baroque, and his music continues to be performed and cherished across the globe.

Section 4: References and Further Reading

• Burrows, Donald. Handel. Oxford University Press, 2012.

• Keates, Jonathan. Handel: The Man and His Music. St. Martin's Press, 1985.

• Hogwood, Christopher. Handel: Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks. Cambridge University Press, 2005.

• Deutsch, Otto Erich. Handel: A Documentary Biography. A. & C. Black, 1955.