Händel, Georg Friedrich 1685 - 1759
Author: Asayama, Natsuko
Last updated：May 1, 2007
Author: Asayama, Natsuko
George Frideric Handel (Georg Friedrich Händel)
German composer. After serving as an organist in Halle, he began composing operas in Hamburg. He traveled to Italy for a time, and it is likely that he gained the acquaintance of the Elector of Hanover towards the end of his Italian period. In 1710, he left Italy to become Kapellmeister at the Hanoverian court. The following year, he traveled to London and settled there permanently when the Elector ascended to the British throne. In this city, Handel achieved great success as a composer of operas and then oratorios, becoming a national musician of Britain.
Keyboard Works
Handel's keyboard works were partly intended for the musical education of princesses. Consequently, they were not intended for public concerts. He published a total of three volumes of suites and fugues during his lifetime to counteract rampant pirated editions and inaccurate manuscript copies. Furthermore, after his death, fragments and experimental works that remained in manuscript were also published, and it may be unavoidable that these are less complete compared to those of Bach or D. Scarlatti.
Handel's Suites
Handel's suites do not always conform to the standard form of keyboard suites, possessing free arrangements and combinations. The voice leading employed therein is extremely free, sometimes homophonic. Moreover, it is likely that, according to the custom of the time, improvisational ornamentation and expansion were applied during each performance.
Organ Concertos
The organ concerto is a new genre initiated by Handel, in which he displayed virtuosity during the intermissions of oratorio performances, rivalling that of the lead singers. Although he himself used a small organ with only a manual keyboard, there is a note “for clavier or organ,” indicating that performance on the harpsichord is also possible.
Works(147)
Piano Solo
sonata (5)
Sonata for Harpsicord with Double Keys HWV 579
Key: G-Dur Composed in: 1707 Playing time: 5 min 00 sec
sonatina (6)
suite (27)
prelude (11)
fuga (3)
caprice (3)
Reduction/Arrangement (1)
Choralbearbeitung, "Jesu meine Freude" HWV 480
Key: g-moll Composed in: 1736 Playing time: 1 min 40 sec
Various works (7)
Standard repertoire (for general audience) (2)
Classical music and others (27)
Piano Ensemble
Chamber Music
sonata (39)
Lied
Various works (2)