Handelian Influence on Music

George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany on February 23, 1685. He expressed an interest in music at an early age. While his mother encouraged this love of music, his father, George Handel, was not supportive of him pursuing music as a career, and pushed him towards a career in law. However, when Handel was 9, a duke heard him playing the organ and persuaded his father to let Handel study under Friedrich Zachow (the organist at the Liebfrauenkirche at Halle) who instructed him in the organ as well as composing. Handels’ father died when he was 12, leaving him as the only son of that marriage. This put more responsibility on Handel to maintain his family, but it also relieved most of the objection of his music studies. In

Many musical scholars believe that J. S. Bach and G. F. Handel are the two most important, influential composers of the Baroque period. Both of these men were born in Germany in 1685, and since they came into existence around the same time, they share some similarities. As an introductory statement, Bach and Handel were born into two very different families. Handel did not come from a musical family; his father wanted him to study law. By age nine, his talent was too obvious for his father to ignore and Handel began to study with a local organist and composer. On the contrary, Bach came from a long line of musicians. Bach also had four sons which became gifted composers, in their own right. Bach, like Handel, also started as an organist

When thinking of composers, whose works changed the world of music forever, many names may come to mind. Among those on that list, both Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel are figures whose effect on music has been felt worldwide. Born in the same year, these composers have much in common and many differences that illustrate their importance to their era and music as we see it today. Their individualism and creativity influenced much of their time and together, their works defined the Baroque Period as we know it today.

George Frideric Handel is generally considered the second most important Baroque composer after Bach. Unlike Bach's nearly complete focus on church music in Germany, Handel more openly embraced the French, Italian, and English secular music. Also unlike Bach, Handel did not come from a long line of musicians. When he was born on February 23, 1685, Handel's family had no idea that he would rise to a legendary status in music. Handel's father began to see his son's desire to compose at an early age and violently objected. His mother was responsible for nurturing and continuing his musical education. At the age of seven, Handel was asked to give an organ recital for the Duke of Sachse-Weissenfels. The Duke was very impressed and awarded the family with a generous amount of money. This event persuaded his father to allow Handel to pursue his musical career. When his father died in1697, Handel was freed from his father's will. He studied with numerous organists and gained minor fame.

S. Bach, G. F. Handel, and Domenico Scarlatti. Antonio Vivaldi, Claudio Monteverdi, Couperin, Jean-Phillippe Rameau and Jean-Baptiste Lully are other popular names in the Baroque era. Each composer specialises in different instrument compositions and techniques. Out of all the names mentioned, J. S. Bach remains to this day, one the greatest composers of both the Baroque era and all-time. Each of these composers specialise in different areas or compositions and instruments. Working extensively with keyboard instruments such as the organ and harpsichord, a few of J. S. Bach’s well-known compositions include his Brandenburg Concertos, Goldberg Variations, and St. Matthew’s Passion. G. F. Handel himself composed Italian operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos. His most popular work of all-time is the “Hallelujah” chorus from the oratorio Messiah, which went on to become the most popular Baroque work and considered as a choice of piece often performed in Christmas time. Domenico Scarlatti on the other hand composed in a number of musical forms, but is best known for composing 555 keyboard sonatas.

When you hear or think of classical music, what do you think of? What should come to your mind is someone by the name of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who is best known as just Mozart, had a huge impact on classical music and truly changed the style forever. He had a remarkable young childhood, but then went through some up and downs as he got older. Mozart was best known by his personal life, career, and music.

Handel and Bach are considered two of the greatest composers of all time. However, when comparing the output of these two musicians, the diversity manifest in music in the era when they wrote immediately becomes apparent. Handel, although he used religious subject matter, is usually characterized as fundamentally a 'secular' composer. He composed for the concert hall, not the church, and primarily as a result of royal commissions. His music is strident, powerful, and large in scope. It is designed to entertain, rather than to spur contemplation (The pure power of Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus', NPR, 2008). Bach, in contrast, often created music designed to be performed in sacred spaces. His music is more fluid and nuanced in style and designed more to spur contemplation and devotion rather than excite people's interest as a piece of entertainment.

Ludwig Van Beethoven is one of the most famous composers of all time. Some people consider him the greatest composer of all time. Beethoven was the predominant musical figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras. He was very talented in music. He was a great composer and made music for himself to play in his early years. Not everything was perfect in Beethoven's life. He started to become deaf and could hardly hear when he was older.

George Frederic Handel, one of the greatest composers of the late baroque period. He was born February 24, 1685 in Halle, Saxony, Germany. Handel's parents were very religious and highly respected people since his dad worked as barber-surgeon. His father really wanted his son to study civil law, and in 1702, Handel started studying law. However, everyone around saw him as a genius musician. When Frederic was only eleven, he was already playing a pipe organ. He also learned to play the violin, clavichord, harpsichord, and oboe. His father realized that his son was a talented at music allowed him to be a musician. When young Handel turned 18 in 1703, he went to Hamburg, where he worked as a violinist at the Hamburg Opera and gave private lessons.

Handel's discovery of oratorio was quite accidental and came in the form of a commission from Dublin. His appreciation of its possibilites was immediate, and the die was cast that he would devote the rest of his creative life to composing in the genre.

George Frideric Handel (23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a baroque era composer, with an impressive repertoire of compositions. Handel didn’t grow up in a music rich environment, but in fact, he was forbidden by his father to touch any musical instrument, but found time when everyone else was asleep to play a clavichord he had smuggled to an upstairs room in the house. He grew up in Halle, Germany and at the age of 18, he traveled to Hamburg, and took a job as a violinist in the Hamburg Opera House. He supported himself by giving private lessons, and eventually published his first opera, Almira.

Ludwig van Beethoven was, and remains today, an influential figure in the history of classical music. Perhaps no other composer in history wrote music of such inspiring power and expressiveness. His influence on the last 150 years of music is unequalled.

Wilhelm Richard Wagner was one of the greatest opera writers of all time. He helped to take opera to a whole new level from even Verdi and Puccini. Some say that Wagner was very egotistic, however; “his extreme egotism rested on conviction, Wagner had the ability to do great things” (Colles 207). He was extraordinary at composing music as well as formulating words. He was not a prodigy however his musical skills surpassed many other composers from his time period.

George Frideric Handel was a German-born composer whose specialty included operas, instrumentals, and oratorios, who eventually found fame in England. Johann Sebastian Bach, like George Frideric Handel, was also born in Germany and was revered as one of the most famous composers who lived during his time. Both George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach were considered to be among the great musical pioneers of the Baroque musical era and, according to the text, Enjoyment of Music, are considered to be two of the giants of the baroque style of musical composition. Both Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Wachet Auf were compositions centered around events which relate to the New Testament of the Christian Bible. George Frideric Handel’s Messiah

George Frideric Handel was born on February 23, 1685 in Halle Germany. Handel was born to his parents Georg and Dorothea Handel. The Handel family had a nationality of German. Growing up as child, Handel was not exposed to music. His father objected to any type of music. Handel’s father would not even allow a musical instrument in the house. However, Handel’s mother knew of Handel’s interest in music and encouraged him to pursue with his interests. With his mother’s words, Handel began to learn musical instruments and played at every chance he received. By the age of ten, Handel mastered the instruments of violin, organ, and oboe. These talents are what paved the road for the great opportunities that Handel received as a child. One