George Frederick Handel (1685 –1759) was a German born, English composer.
Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach were the last of the Baroque Masters. During
his lifetime, Handel was known mainly as an opera composer and producer, but his
fame today came mainly on his English oratories, especially The Messiah (1742).
His music has strength and simplicity. Handel’s operas are not often heard,
but “Largo,” an aria from Serse, and other selections are sometimes played
in concerts. Handel was born in Halle and attended the University of Halle as a
student of law due to his father’s wishes. During his education there his
interest in music awakened and this was aided by the three years of lessons
given to him by an organ player Wilhelm Zachow. In 1697 Handel’s father died,
and no longer being subject to his wishes, Handel left Halle and went to Hamburg
as a violin player in an orchestra. This spoiled his chances of becoming a
lawyer but improved his chances of success as an artist. Young Handel became a
skilled organist and harpsichordist, and after playing with an opera company in
Hamburg went to Italy in 1706 to study opera. In 1710 Handel became court music
director for the elector of Hanover. He immediately afterwards took a leave of
absence and visited London for six months. He returned to London in 1712. His
patron was crowned King of England in 1714 and Handel remained, becoming a
British subject in 1726. For more than 15 years Handel composed and produced
Italian opera in London. Following the success of The Beggar’s Opera (1728),
by Gay and Pepusch, Italian opera lost favor and Handel turn to oratorios.
George Frederick Handel eventually became blind, much like J. S. Bach, and died
in 1759.

Bibliography“George Frederick Handel”Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. The New
Encyclopedia Britannica. Chicago, IL: Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 1991.
Anonymous epitaph, printed in a newspaper on 21 April 1759