George Frideric Handel personal life. Handel Georg Friedrich - biography, facts from life, photographs, background information

HANDEL (Handel) Georg Friedrich (or George Frederick) (February 23, 1685, Halle - April 14, 1759, London), German composer and organist. He worked in London for about half a century. Master of monumental oratorio, mainly on biblical subjects (c. 30), including “Saul”, “Israel in Egypt” (both 1739), “Messiah” (1742), “Samson” (1743), “Judas” Maccabeus" (1747). More than 40 operas, organ concerts, concerto grosso for orchestra, instrumental sonatas, suites.

At an early age I discovered large musical abilities and at first he studied music in secret from his father, the court barber-surgeon, who wanted to see his son become a lawyer. Only around 1694 Handel was sent to study by F.V. Tsakhov (1663-1712) - organist of the Church of St. Mary in Halle. At the age of 17, Handel was appointed organist of the Calvinist cathedral, but he became interested in writing his first opera, Almira, which was followed a month and a half later by another opera, Nero. In 1705 Handel went to Italy, where he spent about four years. Worked in Florence, Rome, Naples, Venice; His opera seria were staged in all these cities, and his oratorios (including “Resurrection”) were also staged in Rome. Italian period Handel's life was also marked by the creation of numerous secular cantatas (mainly for solo voice with digital bass); in them Handel honed his skill in vocal writing to Italian texts. In Rome, Handel wrote several works for the church with Latin words.

At the beginning of 1710, Handel left Italy for Hanover to take up the position of court conductor. He soon received leave and went to London, where at the beginning of 1711 his opera Rinaldo was staged, enthusiastically received by the public. Returning to Hanover, Handel worked for a short time more than a year and in the fall of 1712 he again left for London, where he remained until the summer of 1716. During this period, he wrote four operas, a number of works for the church and for performance at the royal court; was awarded a royal pension. In the summer of 1716, Handel, in the retinue of the English king George I, once again visited Hanover (perhaps it was then that his “Brokes Passion” was written with a German libretto) and at the end of the same year he returned to London. Apparently, in 1717 Handel wrote "Water Music" - 3 orchestral suites intended to be performed during a royal fleet parade on the Thames. In 1717-18, Handel was in the service of the Earl of Carnarvon (later Duke of Chandos), led musical performance at his castle Cannons (near London). During these years he composed 11 Anglican spiritual anthems (known as Chandos anthems) and two stage works in the popular English genre masks, "Acis and Galatea" and "Esther" ("Haman and Mordecai"). Both Handel masks were designed for the capabilities of the modest performing ensemble that the Cannon court had at its disposal.

In 1718-19, a group of aristocrats close to the royal court, seeking to strengthen the position of Italian opera in London, founded a new opera company - the Royal Academy of Music. Handel, appointed musical director of the academy, went to Dresden to recruit singers for the opera, which opened in April 1720. The years 1720 to 1727 were the climax of Handel's career as an opera composer. "Radamist" (the second opera written specifically for the Royal Academy) was followed by "Ottone", "Julius Caesar", "Rodelinda", "Tamerlane", "Admetus" and other works belonging to the pinnacle of the opera seria genre. The Royal Academy's repertoire also included operas by Giovanni Bononcini (1670-1747), who was considered a rival of Handel, and other prominent composers; Many outstanding singers took part in the performances, including soprano Francesca Cuzzoni (1696-1778) and castrato Senesino (d. 1759). However, the business of the new opera enterprise went with varying degrees of success, and the sensational success of the parody "common people" "The Beggar's Opera" (1728) to the libretto by John Gay (1685-1732) with musical design by Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667-1752) directly contributed to its collapse. A year earlier, Handel received English citizenship and composed four anthems on the occasion of the coronation of George II (even earlier, in 1723, he was awarded the title of composer of the Royal Chapel).

In 1729, Handel co-founded new seasons of Italian opera, this time at London's King's Theater (in the same year he went to Italy and Germany to recruit singers). This opera enterprise lasted about eight years, during which successes alternated with failures.In 1732 new edition Esther (in oratorio form) was performed twice in London, first under the baton of Handel himself and then by a rival company. Handel was preparing this work for production at the Royal Theatre, but the Bishop of London forbade the transfer biblical story on theatrical stage. In 1733 Handel was invited to Oxford for a festival of his music; He wrote the oratorio “Athalia” specifically for performance at the Oxford Sheldonian Theatre. Meanwhile, a new troupe, the Opera of the Nobility, was established in London, providing serious competition to Handel's seasons. Handel's recent favorite singer, Senesino, became her leading soloist. The struggle between the Noble Opera and Handel's enterprise for the sympathy of the London public was dramatic and ended in the bankruptcy of both troupes (1737). Nevertheless, in the mid-1730s, Handel created such wonderful operas as Roland, Ariodante and Alcina (the last two with extensive ballet scenes).

The years from 1737 to 1741 in Handel's biography were marked by oscillations between Italian opera seria and forms based on English texts, most notably the oratorio. He was prompted to make a final choice between these two genres by the failure of the opera Deidamia in London (1741) and the enthusiastic reception of the oratorio Messiah in Dublin (1742).

Most of Handel's subsequent oratorios premiered at London's new Covent Garden Theater during or shortly before Lent. Most of the plots are taken from the Old Testament ("Samson", "Joseph and his brothers", "Belshazzar", "Judas Maccabee", "Joshua", "Solomon" and others); his oratorios on themes from ancient mythology(“Semela”, “Hercules”) and Christian hagiography (“Theodora”) did not have much success with the public. As a rule, in between movements of oratorios, Handel performed his own concertos for organ and orchestra or conducted works in the genre of concerto grosso (especially notable are the 12 Concerti grossi for string orchestra, Op. 6, published in 1740).

During the last ten years of his life, Handel regularly performed the Messiah, usually with 16 singers and about 40 instrumentalists; all these performances were for charity (in favor of the Orphanage in London). In 1749 he composed the suite "Music for the Royal Fireworks" to be performed in Green Park in honor of the Peace of Aachen. In 1751, Handel lost his sight, which did not prevent him from creating the oratorio “Jeuthae” a year later. Handel's last oratorio, The Triumph of Time and Truth (1757), is composed primarily of earlier material. Generally speaking, Handel often borrowed from his own early works, as well as from the music of other authors, which he skillfully adapted to his own style.

Handel's death was perceived by the British as the loss of the nation's greatest composer. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. Before the "Bach Renaissance" of the early 19th century. Handel's reputation as the most important composer of the first half of the 18th century remained unshakable. V. A. carried out new editions of “Acis and Galatea” (1788), “Messiah” (1789), the oratorio “The Feast of Alexander” (1790) and Ode for St. Cecilia (1790). considered Handel the greatest composer of all time. Of course, this estimate is exaggerated; Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that Handel's monumental oratorios, and above all Messiah, belong to the most impressive monuments of Baroque music.

George Frideric Handel(German Georg Friedrich Händel, English George Frideric Handel; March 5, 1685, Halle - April 14, 1759, London) - German and English composer of the Baroque era, known for his operas, oratorios and concerts.

Handel was born in Germany the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach and Domenico Scarlatti.

Having received musical education and experience in Italy, he then moved to London, subsequently becoming an English subject.

Among his most famous works includes "Messiah", "Water Music" and "Music for the Royal Fireworks".

early years

Origin

Apparently, Handel's family moved to the Saxon city in early XVII century. The composer's grandfather Valentin Handel was a coppersmith from Breslau; in Halle he married the daughter of coppersmith Samuel Beichling. His son, Georg, was a court barber-surgeon who served in the courts of Brandenburg and Saxony, and an honorary citizen of Halle. When Georg Friedrich, Georg's first child from his second marriage, was born, he was 63 years old.

Georg Friedrich's mother Dorothea grew up in a priest's family. When her brother, sister and father died of the plague, she remained by their side until the end and refused to leave them. Georg and Dorothea were married in 1683 in the Electorate of Brandenburg. Handel's parents were very religious and were typical representatives of bourgeois society of the late 17th century.

Childhood and studies (1685-1702)

Handel was born on February 23 (March 5), 1685 in Halle. His father planned a career as a lawyer for Georg Friedrich and in every possible way resisted his attraction to music, since he adhered to the opinion, which had become firmly established in Germany, that a musician is not a serious profession, but only an entertaining one. However, his father's protests did not have the desired effect on Georg Friedrich: he was aged four years I learned to play the harpsichord on my own. This instrument was in the attic, where Georg Friedrich came at night when family members were sleeping.

In 1692, Georg Friedrich and his father went to Weissenfels to his cousin Georg Christian. Here, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels Johann Adolf I appreciated the talent of seven-year-old Handel playing the organ and advised his father not to interfere with the child’s musical development.

His father followed this advice: in 1694, Handel began studying with the composer and organist F.W. Zachau in Halle, under whose guidance he studied composition, general bass, playing the organ, harpsichord, violin and oboe. It was during the period of study with Zachau that Handel developed as a composer and performer. Zachau taught Handel to put musical ideas into perfect form, taught different styles, showed the various recording methods inherent different nationalities. Handel was also influenced by Zachau's style; the teacher's influence is noticeable in some of the composer's works (for example, in "Halleluah" from "Messiah").

After completing his studies with Zachau, Handel visited Berlin in 1696, where he first began performing as a harpsichordist and accompanist at concerts at the court of the Elector. The eleven-year-old harpsichordist enjoyed success in high circles and the Elector of Brandenburg wanted Georg Friedrich to serve with him and invited the boy’s father to send Georg Friedrich to Italy to complete his studies, but Georg Handel refused, wanting to see his son next to him. Handel returned to Halle, but did not have time to find his father: he died on February 11, 1697.

In the years 1698-1700, Georg Friedrich studied at the gymnasium in Halle. In 1701 he replaced the organist at the Reformed Cathedral. During this period he met the composer Georg Philipp Telemann. The two young composers had much in common, and the friendship between them strengthened.

In 1702, Handel entered the Faculty of Law at the University of Halle. Here he studied theology and law. The Faculty of Theology was a center of pietism, but Handel, being very religious, still did not share the views of the pietists. The composer studied law under the guidance of Professor Christian Thomasius, but the subject did not arouse his interest. In parallel with his studies, Handel taught theory and singing at a Protestant gymnasium, and was a music director and organist in the cathedral.

Hamburg (1703-1706)

In 1703, young Handel moved to Hamburg, where the only German opera house at that time was located. Having settled here, the composer met Johann Matteson and Reinhard Kaiser. The latter led the orchestra of the opera house, in which Handel entered work as a violinist and harpsichordist. The Kaiser served as an example for Handel in many ways: the orchestra leader opposed the use of the German language in operas and mixed German words with Italian ones in his compositions; Handel, writing his first operas, did exactly the same thing.

Handel for some period was in a very close relationship with Matteson. Together with him, the composer visited Lubeck in the summer of 1703 to listen to the famous composer and organist Dietrich Buxtehude, who proposed that two musicians replace him as organist, for which it was necessary to marry his daughter. Handel and Matteson refused this offer. Two years later they met Johann Sebastian Bach, who was also on his way to Lübeck to hear Buxtehude.

In 1705 he wrote his first operas, Almira and Nero. They were staged at the Hamburg Theater with the assistance of Reinhard Kaiser. Almira premiered on January 8, and Nero was staged on February 25. In both productions, Johann Matteson played minor roles. However, the theater was in a dire financial situation; there were no prerequisites for the development of German national opera. Handel's work showed a commitment to the Italian Baroque, and he left for Italy in 1706 at the invitation of the Duke of Tuscany, Gian Gastone Medici, who visited Hamburg in 1703-1704.

In 1708, at the Hamburg Theater under the direction of the Kaiser, two operas by Handel, written by him in 1706, which were a duology, “Florindo” and “Daphne,” were staged.

Italy (1706-1709)

Handel came to Italy in 1706, at the height of the War of the Spanish Succession. He visited Venice and then moved to Florence. Here the musician visited the Duke of Tuscany, Gian Gastone Medici, and his brother Ferdinando Medici (Grand Prince of Tuscany), who was interested in music and played the clavier. Ferdinando sponsored many opera productions in Florence, and the first piano was made under his patronage. Nevertheless, Handel was received rather coldly here, partly due to the fact that his German style was alien to the Italians. In Florence, Handel wrote several cantatas (HWV 77, 81, etc.).

In 1707, Handel visited Rome and Venice, where he met Domenico Scarlatti, with whom he competed in playing the clavier and organ. In Rome, where Handel lived from April to October, opera was under papal ban, and the composer limited himself to composing cantatas and two oratorios, including the oratorio “The Triumph of Time and Truth,” the libretto of which was written by Cardinal Benedetto Pamphili. Handel quickly mastered the style of Italian opera and, returning from Rome to Florence, began the first production of the opera Rodrigo (the premiere took place in November), which was a success with the Italian public.

In 1708, Handel wrote his oratorio The Resurrection. That same year he visited Rome again, where he met Alessandro Scarlatti, Arcangelo Corelli, Benedetto Marcello and Bernardo Pasquini. He was popular in high circles and won fame as a first-class composer. The composer often came to concerts and meetings at the Arcadian Academy, where Scarlatti, Corelli and many others performed. This year he wrote the pastoral serenade “Acis, Galatea and Polyphemus.” In June, Handel left for Naples, where he was also very warmly received.

The composer's second Italian opera, Agrippina, was staged in 1709 in Venice. "Agrippina" was a resounding success and is considered Handel's best "Italian" opera.

Hanover and London (1710-1712)

In 1710, Handel came to Hanover on the advice of a certain Baron Kilmansek, whom the musician met in Italy. Here he was met by the composer Agostino Steffani, who loved Handel's work. Steffani helped him become bandmaster at the court of the Hanoverian Elector George I, who, according to the law of 1701, was to become king of Great Britain. While working as conductor in Hanover, Handel visited his elderly, blind mother in Halle. Handel asked for permission to go to London and having received it, in the fall of 1710 he went to the capital of Great Britain via Dusseldorf and Holland.

English music was in decline; the genre of opera, which was popular only in noble circles, had not yet been developed here, and not a single composer remained in London. Arriving here in winter, Handel was introduced to Queen Anne and immediately received her favor.

Having gained popularity in London, Handel began composing a new opera. I wrote the libretto for his future work Italian writer, based in England, by Giacomo Rossi from a script by Aaron Hill, director of Her Majesty's Theater in Haymarket. The composer's first Italian opera for the English stage, Rinaldo, was staged on February 24, 1711 at Her Majesty's Theatre, was a huge success and brought Handel the fame of a first-class composer, only receiving negative reviews from opponents of Italian opera Richard Steele and Joseph Addison. In June 1711, Handel returned to Hanover, but planned to return to London again.

In Hanover, the composer wrote about twenty chamber duets, an oboe concerto, and a sonata for flute and bass. He struck up a friendship with Princess Caroline (the future Queen of Great Britain). However, there was no opera house in Hanover, and this prevented Handel from staging Rinaldo here. In the late autumn of 1712, Handel traveled to London for the second time, having received permission with the condition of returning after spending an indefinite period of time in London.

Great Britain (1712-1759)

Arriving in London, Handel immediately began staging his new opera, The Faithful Shepherd. It was staged on November 22, 1712, at Haymarket. The libretto was written by Giacomo Rossi (author of the libretto of Rinaldo) based on the tragicomedy by Battista Guarini. The opera was staged only six times and, like the next opera Theseus (premiered on January 10, 1713), it did not have the success that Rinaldo enjoyed.

Handel sought to strengthen his position in England and, to show his loyalty to the English court, in January 1713 he wrote the Utrecht Te Deum, dedicated to the Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the War of the Spanish Succession. The Te Deum was to be performed on a national occasion, but English law prohibited a foreigner from composing music for official ceremonies. Then Handel prepared a congratulatory ode in honor of Queen Anne's birthday, which was performed on February 6 at St. James's Palace and Her Majesty really liked it. Anna granted him a lifetime pension of £200. On July 7, the Utrecht Te Deum was performed at St. Paul's Cathedral.

Handel spent a year in Surrey, in the home of a wealthy philanthropist and music lover, Barn Elms. Then for two years he lived with the Earl of Burlington (near London), for whom he wrote the opera “Amadis” (premiere - May 25, 1715). The queen was on bad terms with the Hanoverian branch of the family, including Handel's patron, and Handel at that time already had the title of composer at the English court and did not think about returning to Hanover, despite his promise.

On August 1, 1714, Queen Anne died. Her place on the throne was taken by George I of Hanover, arriving in London. Handel found himself in a difficult position, since now his patron, to whom he had promised to return, was here. The composer needed to earn the king's favor again. But George was a kind-hearted man and loved music very much, so, having heard Handel’s new opera “Amadis,” he again accepted him into his court.

In July 1716, Handel visited Hanover in the retinue of King George. At this point, the Passion genre was popular in Germany. Handel decided to write a work in this genre based on the libretto by Barthold Heinrich “Der für die Sünde der Welt gemarterte und sterbende Jesus”, on the basis of which ten different composers wrote passions, including Matteson, Telemann and Kaiser. The new passion for "Brox's Passion" was a demonstration that this genre was alien to the composer.

From the summer of 1717 to the spring of 1719, Handel, at the invitation of the Duke of Chendos, lived at his castle Cannons, nine miles from London, where he composed anthemas (HWV 146-156), the oratorio Esther and the cantata Acis and Galatea. For the oratorio Esther (the first performance took place in Cannons on August 20, 1720), the Duke of Chendos paid Handel a thousand pounds. In 1718, the composer led the Duke's home orchestra.

From 1720 to 1728, Handel served as director of the Royal Academy of Music. Having received the position, Handel went to Germany to recruit singers for his troupe, visiting Hanover, Halle, Dresden and Dusseldorf. From this moment on, the composer began active work in the field of opera. On April 27, 1720, the premiere of the composer’s new opera, “Radamist,” dedicated to the king, took place in Haymarket, which was a success. However, at the end of the year, the Italian composer Giovanni Bononcini came to London and staged his opera Astarte, which eclipsed Handel's Radamista. Since Handel wrote operas in the Italian style, competition began between him and Bononcini. The Italian composer was supported by many aristocrats who were hostile to Handel and in opposition to the king. Handel's subsequent operas were unsuccessful, with the exception of Julius Caesar. Handel used the Italian singers Faustina Bordoni and Francesca Cuzzoni, who were at odds with each other, in the opera “Alessandro” (premiere on May 5, 1721).

On February 13, 1726, the composer became a British citizen. In June 1727, King George I died and his place on the throne was taken by George II, Prince of Wales. On the occasion of the coronation of George II, Handel wrote the antecedent Zadok the Priest.

In 1728, the premiere of “The Beggar's Opera” by John Gay and Johann Pepusch took place, containing a satire on the aristocratic Italian opera seria, including the work of Handel. The production of this opera turned out to be a heavy blow for the Academy, and the organization found itself in difficult situation. Handel found support in the person of John James Heidegger and went to Italy in search of new performers, since the old ones left England after the collapse of the enterprise. While in Italy, Handel attended the Leonardo Vinci Opera School to update his style of composing Italian operas; here they advocated a more dramatic nature of the performance and were against concert style at the opera. These changes in the composer's style can be seen in his subsequent operas "Lothaire" (December 2, 1729), "Partenope" (February 24, 1730), etc. The most successful opera of this period is considered to be "Orlando" (January 27, 1733), written on a libretto by Nicola Chaim, which he composed in last month own life. While traveling in Italy, Handel learned about his mother's deteriorating health and urgently returned to Halle, where he stayed with his mother for two weeks.

Handel also composed two oratorios (Deborah and Athaliah), which were not successful, after which he again turned to Italian operas. At this moment, the Prince of Wales, in conflict with his father George II, founded the “Opera of the Nobility” and turned the Italian composer Nicola Porpora against Handel, with whom they began to compete. Johann Hasse also joined Porpora, but they could not withstand the competition. Handel's affairs were going well, he managed to gather new people into the troupe Italian singers. He agreed with John Rich on productions at Covent Garden, where at the beginning of the season he staged a new French opera-ballet Terpsichore (9 November 1734), written especially for the French ballerina Salle, as well as two new operas Ariodante (8 January 1735 ) and "Alcina" (April 16); here he also staged his old works. In the 1720s and 1730s, Handel wrote many operas, and starting in the 1740s, oratorios took the main place in his work (the most famous of them, Messiah, was staged in Dublin).

At the end of the 1740s. Handel's eyesight deteriorated. On May 3, 1752, he was operated on unsuccessfully by a quack doctor (who had previously operated on Bach, who also suffered from cataracts). Handel's disease continued to progress. In 1753, complete blindness occurred. A few days before his death, on April 6, 1759, Handel conducted the oratorio Messiah. During the execution, his strength left him, and some time later, on Easter Eve, April 14, 1759, he died. Buried in Westminster Abbey (Poets' Corner).

Once, in a conversation with one of his admirers, Handel said:

“I would be annoyed, my lord, if I only gave people pleasure. My goal is to make them better..."

According to P. I. Tchaikovsky:

“Handel was an inimitable master of the ability to manage voices. Without at all forcing the choral vocal means, never leaving the natural limits of the vocal registers, he extracted from the choir such excellent effects that other composers had never achieved...”
Tchaikovsky P.I. Musical and critical articles. - M., 1953. - P. 85.

A crater on Mercury is named after Handel.

Creation

During his life, Handel wrote about 40 operas (“Julius Caesar”, “Rinaldo”, etc.), 32 oratorios, many church chorales, organ concerts, chamber vocal and instrumental music, as well as a number of works of a “popular” nature (“Music on the Water”, “Music for the Royal Fireworks”, Concerti a due cori).

Heritage

Organizations and publications

In 1856, the Handel Society (English: Händel-Gesellschaft) was created in Leipzig on the initiative of Friedrich Griesander and Georg Gottfried Gervinus. From 1858 to 1903 the society published the works of Handel (Breitkopf and Hertel). At the beginning, Grisander independently published the composer's works from his home, and when there was not enough money, he sold vegetables and fruits grown in his garden. Over the course of 45 years, the Handel Society published more than a hundred volumes of the composer's works. This edition is incomplete.

From 1882 to 1939 there was another Handel Society in London, whose purpose was to perform little-known works by Handel, mainly choral ones.

Hallische Händel-Ausgabe Society (Hallische Händel-Ausgabe) H.H.A., in existence since 1955, has published more than full meeting works, with the main emphasis on a critical assessment of creativity: the preface of all volumes states that the publication is intended to satisfy scientific and practical needs.

The most famous catalog of Handel's works (Händel-Werke-Verzeichnis, abbreviated HWV) was published by German musicologist Bernd Baselt in 1978-1986 in three volumes. Based on documents, Baselt describes all of Handel's original works, as well as works whose authorship is questionable.

Handel in art

Character in films

1942 - The Great Mr. Handel (eng. The Great Mr. Handel; dir. Norman Walker, Norman Walker; G.H.W. Productions Ltd., Independent Producers)- Spanish Wilfrid Lawson
1985 - God Rot Tunbridge Wells! - Spanish Christopher Bramwell (Christopher Bramwell - young Handel), Dave Griffiths (eng. Dave Griffiths - Handel in middle age), Trevor Howard
1985 - Honor, benefit and pleasure (eng. Honour, Profit & Pleasure; dir. Anna Ambrose, eng. Anna Ambrose; Specter Films)- Spanish Simon Callow
1991 - Dinner for four hands (cat. Sopar a quatre mans; Television of Catalonia - TV3)- Spanish Joaquim Cardona
1994 - Farinelli - Spanish. Jeroen Krabbe
1996 - Handel's Last Chance (Handel's Last Chance)- Spanish Leon Pownall
1999 - Dinner for four hands - Spanish. Mikhail Kozakov
2009 - Handel (German: Händel - Der Film; dir. Ralf Plöger; NDR, Seelmannfilm; television)- Spanish Matthias Wiebalck (German: Matthias Wiebalck)

Vital and creative path G. F. Handel.

G. F. Handel (1685 - 1759) - German Baroque composer. Born in Halle near Leipzig, he lived the first half of his life in Germany, and the second half - from 1716 - in England. Handel died in London and was buried in Westminster Abbey (the burial vault of the English kings, statesmen, famous people: Newton, Darwin, Dickens). In England, Handel is considered the English national composer.

At an early age, Handel reveals great musical abilities. Already at the age of 7, Handel captivated the Duke of Saxony with his organ playing. However, the child’s musical interests encounter opposition from his father, who dreamed of his son’s legal career. Therefore, Handel enters the university to study law and at the same time serves as an organist in the church.

At the age of 18, Handel moved to Hamburg, a city that had the first opera house in Germany, competing with theaters in France and Italy. It was opera that attracted Handel. In Hamburg, Handel’s first oratorio “Passion according to the Gospel of John” appeared, the first operas were “Almira”, “Nero”.

In 1705, Handel went to Italy, a stay in which was of great importance for the formation of Handel's style. In Italy it was finally decided creative direction composer, his commitment to Italian opera seria. Handel's operas receive enthusiastic recognition from the Italians ("Rodrigo", "Agrippina"). Handel also wrote oratorios and secular cantatas, in which he honed his vocal skills based on Italian texts.

In 1710, the composer went to London, where in 1716 he finally settled. In London he devotes a lot of time to studying the choral art of England. As a result, 12 anthems appear - English psalms for choir, soloists and orchestra on biblical texts. In 1717, Handel wrote “Water Music” - 3 orchestral suites to be performed during the Royal Navy parade on the Thames.

In 1720, the Royal Academy of Music opera house (from 1732 Covent Garden) was opened in London, with Handel becoming its musical director. Period from 1720 to 1727 is the culmination of Handel's career as an opera composer. Handel composed several operas a year. However, Italian opera increasingly began to experience crisis phenomena. English society began to experience an urgent need for national art. And although Handel's London operas were distributed throughout Europe as masterpieces, the decline in the prestige of Italian opera is reflected in his work. In 1728, the Royal Academy of Music had to be closed. However, Handel, without despair, goes to Italy, recruits a new troupe and opens the season of the Second Opera Academy. New operas appear: “Roland”, “Ariodante”, “Alcina”, etc., in which Handel updates the interpretation of the opera seria - introduces ballet, strengthens the role of the choir, makes musical language more simple and expressive. However, the struggle for the opera house ends in defeat - the Second Opera Academy closes in 1737. The composer takes the collapse of the Academy hard, falls ill (depression, paralysis) and does not work for almost 8 months.

After the failure of the opera Deidalia (1741), Handel abandoned composing operas and focused on oratorio. In the period from 1738 to 1740. His biblical oratorios were written: “Saul”, “Israel in Egypt”, “Samson”, “Messiah”, etc. The oratorio “Messiah” after its premiere in Dublin met with sharp criticism from the clergy.

At the end of his life, Handel achieves lasting fame. Among the works written in last years, “Music for Fireworks” stands out, intended to be performed on outdoors. In 1750, Handel began composing a new oratorio, “Jeuthae.” But here he is struck by misfortune - he goes blind. Blind, he finishes the oratorio. In 1759 Handel dies.

Characteristic creative style Handel.

Spiritual themes are of great importance - images of the Old and New Testaments (oratorios “Samson”, “Messiah”, “Judas Maccabee”). Handel was attracted to them by their epic scope and heroic character many images (biblical images in the heroic, civil aspect).

Handel's music does not convey psychologically subtle nuances, and great feelings that the composer embodies with such strength and power that it makes one remember the works of Shakespeare (Handel, like Beethoven, is often called the “Shakespeare of the masses”). Hence the main features of his style:

monumentality, breadth (appeal to large forms - opera, cantata, oratorio)

optimistic, life-affirming beginning

universal human level of creativity.

Handel devoted over 30 years of his life to opera (over 40 operas). But only in the oratorio genre did Handel create truly great works (32 oratorios). Handel drew plots for his oratorios from various sources: historical, ancient, biblical. His biblical oratorios received the greatest popularity: “Saul”, “Israel in Egypt”, “Samson”, “Messiah”, “Judas Maccabee”. Handel intended his oratorios for theater and stage performance. Wanting to emphasize the secular nature of his oratorios, he began to perform them on the concert stage, thereby creating new tradition performance of biblical oratorios. In the oratorios, Handel's attention is focused not on the individual fate of the hero, as in the opera, not on his lyrical experiences, but on the life of an entire people. Unlike the opera seria, with its reliance on solo singing, the core of the oratorio turned out to be the choir as a form of conveying the thoughts and feelings of the people. Shape solo singing in an oratorio, as in an opera, there is an aria. Handel introduces a new type of solo singing - an aria with a choir.

The musical art of the Classical era is filled with figurative and semantic content. Personalities.

Classicism - figurative environment

Throughout the 15th -18th centuries. an attempt to revive antiquity declared itself, each time revealing its new facets. At different periods this desire took different forms. In the early stages, musical classicism coexisted with the period of powerful flourishing of the Baroque, used many Baroque means and was not able to be realized in that period to the same extent as, for example, in literature (J.B. Molière, P. Corneille, J. Racine).

Classicism 18th century. was formed in France during the period of the collapse of the absolute monarchy, the rise of the third estate and the pre-revolutionary ideas of the Enlightenment. These ideas had a significant influence on the development of art in France and other countries Western Europe. Classicism was based on the belief in the rationality of existence, in the presence of a single, universal order that governs the course of things in nature and life, and the harmony of human nature. Reason served as the main criterion in the knowledge of beauty. The theoretical basis of the Enlightenment movement was materialism, atheism, rationalism, criticism, pragmatism, and optimism. French educators deified nature and the “natural order of things” and considered it necessary to liken it social life. These ideas were consistent with the aesthetics of Classicism. Art called upon a person to cultivate a sense of civic duty, and not to indulge in fun and pleasure. These ideas sometimes took paradoxical forms. The Enlightenmentists assigned the role of fine art as an illustrator of morality, often banal and sentimental truths of life, and demanded categorical didacticism in the implementation educational functions. The pervasiveness of literature meant that paintings could be retold like a novel. The titles of the works of the most consistent "enlightenment" J.-B. are indicative. Dream: “Broken Eggs”, “Punished Son”, “Two Educations” - they really made me want to retell the plot. It is characteristic that the artists themselves, including Greuze, wrote lengthy letters with detailed comments and explanations of the subjects of their paintings. In music, these principles also found their refraction - moreover, here they played a progressive role. Musical images became visible and concrete. Many musical themes are so clear that they can be “narrated.” The opposition of relief, contrasting themes-images, their collision and interaction formed the basis of the musical dramaturgy of the sonata Allegro - the highest achievement of musical classicism.

The aesthetics of classicism contains a sum of mandatory rules that a work of art must meet. The most important of them are the requirements for a balance of beauty and truth, logical clarity of design, harmony and completeness of composition, and a clear distinction between genres. In Dramatic Art, the principles of “three unities” (“unity of time”, “unity of place”, “unity of action”) were mandatory. Another norm of classicism, embodied in music, concerns figurative content. Plots, literary or generalized, must end with the victory of good over evil, the triumph of light forces, and the affirmation of an optimistic, bright beginning. Images musical works should be prominent and defined: heroic, suffering, jubilant, fatal, gallant, comic, etc.

Classicism received its most vivid embodiment in the second half of the 18th century. in the works of Viennese classics. The formation of the Vienna Classical School occurred during the years of rapid development of the German and Austrian enlightenment. German poetry is flourishing and philosophy is highly developed. In Austria, during the period of the so-called “enlightened absolutism” of Joseph II, the ground was created for the spread of advanced ideas. The greatest artists and thinkers of the era - Herder, Goethe, Schiller, Lessing, Kant, Hegel put forward new humanistic ideals. This had a significant impact on the formation of the worldview of composers of the Viennese classical school. Musicians, forced to be lackeys for the aristocratic nobility or serve in churches, necessarily satisfying the often backward tastes of crowned and titled rulers, acutely felt the injustice and absurdity of the current state of affairs. Prominent representatives of classicism were the composers of the Mannheim school: K.V. Gluck, L. Boccherini, K.D. von Dittersdorf, L. Cherubini. The pinnacle of musical classicism is the work of the Viennese classics - W.A. Mozart, J. Haydn and L.V. Beethoven.

The aesthetics of classicism, implying harmony and completeness of the composition, its balance and rationality, led to the intensive development of musical forms. This gave new meaning to a number of genres that existed at the beginning of this period. In instrumental music, sonata, symphony, instrumental concert last third of the 18th century. - these are absolutely not the same sonatas, symphonies, concerts that we find in Baroque music. They have different forms, different vocabulary, different figurative meaning and different logic. The most important achievement of this stage was the establishment of symphony as a carrier of figurative and semantic content in the development and complex interweaving of contradictions. The symphony of Viennese classics absorbs some elements of operatic dramaturgy, embodying large, expanded ideological concepts and dramatic conflicts. On the other hand, the principles of symphonic thinking penetrate not only into various instrumental genres (sonata, quartet, etc.), but also into opera and works of the cantata-oratorio type.

, Mozart and Beethoven

1. Biography

1.1. Childhood and youth

Georg Friedrich's father, also Georg, was a barber-surgeon. When little Handel was born, George the Elder was 63 and in the service of Elector Augustus of Saxony. Handel's mother was the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, Dorothea Handel (maiden name - Taust), born in 1651.

The spiritual climate of the family contributed to the formation of a culturally and spiritually rich personality. At the same time, Handel's father had a rather negative attitude towards the profession of a musician: he forbade little George to seriously engage in music. Despite the fact that when the father took his son with him on a trip to Weisenfels, the little musician managed to attract the attention of Duke Johann Adolf I and expressed the wish that the father would not interfere with the musical development of the little Handel. This influenced Handel the elder, and from 1694 his son was allowed to study with the outstanding organist and composer of his time, Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow.

Education in Zachau was exactly what little Handel needed. Here he received lessons in playing the violin, harpsichord, oboe and organ, the art and laws of the general bass (and at the same time harmony), and was familiarized with numerous works of German and Italian composers, and also made his first attempts to write music (1695). Zachau's method was most likely built on practical acquaintance with music, moreover with very different combinations, which contributed to Handel's development of an exceptional sense of various musical styles.

IN early biography Handel is also known for the fact of his trip to Berlin, where he allegedly performed before a respectable audience (in particular, before the Elector of Brandenburg, Frederick III) and was a huge success. The Elector proposed to a young musician continue your music training in Italy, but dad was against it (particularly due to his illness - he wanted to see his son with him in difficult times). However, both the date (which ranges from 1696 to 1703) and the veracity of Handel's music-making in Berlin have been questioned.

On December 11, 1697, Handel's dad dies. Now young Georg Friedrich can decide for himself which professional path to choose, but, out of respect for the will of his father, he still begins studying at the university to obtain a legal education (1702). The same year, he accepted the position of organist for his teacher, Zachau (Handel was only 17 years old at that time), obliging Handel not only to perform, but also to write music for Sunday services (chorales, psalms, motets and cantatas). In addition, Handel teaches singing lessons twice a week. At this time, Georg Philipp Telemann also stayed briefly in Halle, who spoke favorably of Handel.

But a year later, Handel stopped his studies at the university and resigned from the position of organist. He moves to Hamburg and devotes himself entirely to musical profession.

1.2. German Venice

Hamburg at that time was important music center. The first opera house in Germany was built here in 1677-1678. Also, musicians such as Reinhard Kaiser and Johann Matteson lived and worked here. Matteson became one of the important figures in both the biography of Handel and the German musical history generally. From writing music to organizing its execution and the performance itself on the theater stage, from musical criticism of theory: in all these things Matteson was a very successful and influential person of his time, including when he arrived in Hamburg in the spring of 1703 as an 18-year-old boy Handel.

Being only 4 years older, Johann Matteson helped Handel to “merge” into the musical environment of the city and tried to secure a place for himself a certain image Handel's creative guardian. An interesting event from the life of Handel is also associated with the figure of Matteson, namely, a trip to Lübeck in the summer of 1703 to listen to the play of the then famous Dietrich Buxtegude, an organist who had a significant influence on the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. During this trip, both guests, like Bach 2 years later, were offered to replace Buxtegude as organist, but only on the condition of marrying his daughter. None of the three of them agreed.

Upon returning to Hamburg, Handel was accepted as a second violinist in the city orchestra, in addition, he often performed the harpsichord part in theatrical performances. But then another interesting event took place by Handel: when Matteson left Hamburg for a while, Handel decided to take the chance to go out in public without prior consultation with his “mentor” Matteson, and on February 12, 1704, Handel performed “boarding houses for John” without his knowledge. Of course, Matteson was dissatisfied and immediately began to mercilessly criticize Handel’s music. After several conflict situations, it came to a duel. However, the fact that she saved Handel from death forced the former friends to make peace again: Matteson’s sword burst upon impact with a strong metal button on Handel’s clothes.

After this, both set to work on performing "Almira" - Handel's first opera, which was staged on January 8th from great success. Subsequently, on February 25, Handel's second opera, Nero, was staged with no less success.

However, the Hamburg Opera House entered a period of crisis. Its director, Reinhard Kaiser, was forced to flee the city due to debts, and his successor thought only of light music. Having ordered Handel's opera "Florindo and Daphne", he allows himself to significantly change it. The position of the Hamburg Opera is greatly deteriorating and the spectacle, rather than the content of the performances, is coming to the fore.

1.3. Via Italy, Hanover, to London

However, Handel does not stay in Hanover either. He was invited to London, where he arrived in the late autumn of 1710.

1.4. England

Handel's first visit to England was supposed to be temporary. He was still working as bandmaster in Hanover. However, he was ordered a new opera - "Rinaldo", and on February 24, 1711 on stage Royal Theater its premiere took place in London. The British welcomed Handel's opera, written as Italian and for an Italian theater company, which it performed. Gendal was also introduced to Queen Anne. However, Handel needed to return to Hanover, where he was still serving. Here he writes chamber music, in particular oboe concertos, flute and bass sonatas.

But in November 1712 Handel again traveled to London, where in January 1713 his new opera Theseus was staged. Queen Anne made him the official composer of the Kololivsky court, despite the fact that only the English could use this title for Handel. He also writes solemn choral works for her ("Te Deum", "Jubiate"). Since that time, Handel has lived steadily in England, despite the fact that he did not receive official permission from his previous patron.

Handel used during his lifetime great fame throughout Europe. The British consider Handel to be the pride of their nation next to Henry Purcell.

3. Creative heritage

During his life, Handel wrote about 50 operas, 23 oratorios, many church chorales, organ concerts, as well as a number of works of an entertaining nature. Below is a list of the most important works:

3.1. Operas

3.2. Oratorios

3.3. Music for orchestra

"Music on the Water" (1717)
6 concerti grossi, Op3 (1734)
"Music for the Royal Fireworks" (1749)

3.4. Other works

"Dixit Dominus" (1707)
"Utrecht Te Deum" (1714)
Serenade "Acis and Galatea" (1721)
"Dettingen Te Deum" (1743)

4. Musical examples

Fragment of the oratorio "Messiah" file description
Fragment of the oratorio "Messiah" file description
Fragment of the oratorio "Messiah" file description
Fragment of the oratorio "Messiah" file description

February 23, 2015 marks the 330th anniversary of his birth one of the greatest composers in the history of musical art. P.I. Tchaikovsky wrote about him: “Handel was an inimitable master of the ability to manage voices. Without at all forcing the choral vocal means, never leaving the natural limits of the vocal registers, he extracted from the choir such excellent effects that other composers had never achieved...”

In the history of music, the most amazing, fruitful, giving the world a whole constellation greatest composers, it was the 18th century. Exactly in the middle of this century, a change in musical paradigms occurred: the Baroque era was replaced by classicism. Representatives of classicism are Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven; but the Baroque era along with , perhaps the greatest musician of the human race, is crowned by a gigantic (in all respects) figure George Frideric Handel. Let's talk a little today about his life and work; and for starters

I want to invite you to a big concert in his memory, That will take placein the Lutheran Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg(known as Petrikirche ) on Nevsky Prospekt, building 22-24 , Favorite arias from his operas, a concert for organ “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale” (soloist - Georgy Blagodatov), chamber and orchestral music by a composer popular for three centuries, performed by St. Petersburg musicians will be performed.

Our choir was also invited to take part in a performance of Handel's most famous oratorio, Messiah. A total of 5 choirs will sing, accompanied by a symphony orchestra. We will sing only one part from this oratorio "Hallelujah". They say that in England, when this music is played, everyone still stands up.

This hymn is usually sung on special holidays such as Easter and Christmas. Listening to this work, you feel some kind of uplift in your soul, you want to get up and also sing along with the choir.

Handel himself said about Hallelujah that he did not know whether he was in the flesh or out of the flesh when he wrote this music, that only God knows.

B. Shaw in his essay “ON HANDEL AND THE ENGLISH” wrote: “ For the British, Handel is not just a composer, but an object of cult. I will say more - a religious cult! When the choir begins to sing “Hallelujah” during the performance of “Messiah,” everyone stands up, just like in church. English Protestants experience these moments almost as if they were witnessing the raising of the chalice with the holy gifts. Handel had the gift of persuasion. When his music plays in the words “seated on his eternal throne”, the atheist is speechless: an atheist, listening to Handel, you begin to see God seated on the eternal throne Handel. You can despise anyone and anything, but you are powerless to contradict Handel. All Bossuet's sermons could not convince Grimm of the existence of God. But the four bars in which Handel irrefutably affirms the existence of “the eternally existing father, the guardian of peace on earth,” would have knocked Grimm off his feet like a thunderclap. When Handel tells you that during the exodus of the Jews from Egypt “there was not a single Jew in all their tribes,” then it is completely useless to doubt this and assume that one Jew was probably ill with the flu, Handel does not allow this; “There was not a single Jew in all their tribes,” and the orchestra echoes these words with sharp thunderous chords that condemn you to silence. That is why all Englishmen believe that Handel now occupies a high position in heaven."

Handel's nationality is disputed by Germany and England. Handel was born in Germany, and it was on German soil that the creative person composer, his artistic interests, skill. Connected with England most of Handel's life and work, the formation of an aesthetic position in musical art, Handel is called Orpheus of the Baroque era.Baroque music appeared at the end of the eraVozrozhdleniyaand preceded music classicism . The word "Baroque" supposedly comes fromportUgal"perola barroca" - pearl or seashell bizarre shape. IN“Musical Dictionary” (1768) J.-J. Rousseau gave this definition of “baroque” music: “This is the “strange”, “unusual”, “bizarre” music of the pre-classical era.” To heraccompanied by such qualities of music as “confusion”, “pomposity”, “barbaric gothic”. The Italian art critic B. Croce wrote: "“a historian cannot evaluate the Baroque as something positive; this is a purely negative phenomenon... it is an expression of bad taste.” Barch music used longer melodic lines and stricter rhythms than Renaissance music.

The Baroque era rejects naturalness, considering it ignorance and savagery. At that time, a woman had to be unnaturally pale, with an elaborate hairstyle, in a tight corset and a huge skirt, and a man had to wear a wig, without a mustache or beard, and be powdered and perfumed.

The Baroque era saw an explosion of new styles and technologies in music. The further weakening of the political control of the Catholic Church in Europe, which began inWHO erabirth, allowed secular music to flourish.

Vocal music, which prevailed during the Renaissance, was gradually replaced by instrumental music. Understanding thatmusical instrumentsmust be united in some standard way, led to the emergence of the first orchestras.

One of the most important types of instrumental music that appeared during the Baroque era was the concerto. The concerto originally appeared in church music at the end of the Renaissance and probably meant "to contrast" or "to fight", but in the Baroque era it established its position and became the most important type of instrumental music. At the beginning of the Baroque era, around 1600, in Italy, composersCavalieri and MonteverdiThe first operas were written, which immediately gained recognition and became fashionable. The basis for the first operas were plots from ancient Greek and Roman mythology.

As a dramatic art form, opera encouraged composers to implement new ways of illustrating emotions and feelings in music; in fact, influencing the listener's emotions became a major goal in the works of this period.

Opera spread to France and England thanks to the great works of composers Rameau, Handel and Purcell.
In England, oratorio oria was also developed, which differs from opera in the absence stage action, oratorios are often based on religious texts and stories. "Messiah" by Handel - illustrative example oratorios.

In Germany, opera has not gained such popularity as in other countries, German composers continued to write music for the church.

Many important shapes classical music take their origins from the Baroque era - concert, sonata, opera.

Baroque was an era when ideas about what music should be took shape; these musical forms have not lost their relevance today.

But the main thing that the Baroque era brought us was instrumental music. The vocals were replaced by the viola. Instruments were united into orchestras. It is interesting to compare Handel with Bach. If Bach drew his creativity from the Gospel, the liturgical life of the Lutheran Church and some transcendental depths of his soul, while cutting off those forms of music that did not accommodate this content (for example, Bach did not write operas), then Handel was extremely sensitive to the very process of momentary cultural and social life, capturing it in the sounds familiar to the era. But it's not easy musical reflection of his time - otherwise no one would remember Handel today. With his great creative gift, Handel melted public, ordinary and everyday art into strict, majestic and full-blooded music, carrying both a reflection of eternal, heavenly harmony, and a certain touch on the unshakable foundations of God's universe. If Handel had lived in our time, he would have composed musicals and written music for films - and these would have been the most grandiose and sublime musicals and the highest quality, best and most popular soundtracks. Handel's music is the quintessence of public, as they would say now, "mass" art of the first half of the XVIII centuries, and he himself - the greatest showman of his era.

George Frideric Handel was born on February 23, 1685 in the Saxon city of Halle. (In less than a month and less than a hundred kilometers from Halle, in Eisenach, Johann Sebastian Bach would be born. These two geniuses were close all the time, although they never managed to meet in person.)
Handel's family, unlike Bach's, was not musical. It was, as they say now, the “middle class.” Handel's father, also named George, was already an elderly man; Having become a widow, he entered into a second marriage in 1683 - and the second son from this marriage was our hero. At the time of his birth, his father was 63 years old - already a very respectable age. George the Elder rose to the fairly high rank of valet and personal physician (surgeon) of the Brandenburg Elector (Halle was subordinate to the Prince of Brandenburg) and was a very wealthy man - as evidenced by Handel’s home.

House in Halle where G. Handel was born

From his earliest years, little Georg was not so interested in anything as music: his toys were drums, trumpets, and flutes. Georg's father did not encourage his son's hobbies. But it didn’t stop him from learning to play the harpsichord, which was in the attic. The father allowed the boy to study music with Friedrich Wilhelm Zachau, the cathedral organist Holy Mother of God, which to this day rises to main square Halle. Handel was baptized in this church, where he studied music; and now there is an organ on which Tsachau studied with Handel. Tsachau was an excellent teacher and a very talented composer. He, in fact, was Handel’s only teacher, and influenced him very much, not only professionally, but also humanly; Handel retained warm feelings for him throughout his life. Studying was not drill; Tsachau approached teaching creatively and was well aware of the developing talent he was dealing with. He was by no means the only one aware of this. The Duke of Sachsen-Weissenfels, having once heard the boy play, was so delighted that he suggested that his father give the little musician a personal scholarship so that he could study music professionally. Handel's name began to become famous: for example, the Elector of Brandenburg summoned the boy to his place in Berlin. His father reluctantly had to take him to his employer. The Elector offered to send George, who was only 11 years old, to study in Italy at his own expense - but old Handel resisted this with all his might, and the Elector retreated. (And in parentheses, let us note the customs of that time: the court doctor dares to contradict his prince - and nothing.)
It is not surprising that there is such attention and admiration for the little musician. Let's listen to music written by him at the age of 13-15 years. The third and fourth movements from the trio sonata in G minor.

So, the Handels returned to Halle, and the son continued his education at a regular school. But father did not influence him in this way for long. life path composer: he died on February 11, 1697 (our Handel is 13 years old). Handel became free. However, out of a sense of respect, he not only successfully graduated from school, but also entered in 1702, at the age of 17, the Faculty of Law at the University of Galle, while diligently studying music. By this time it had already formed creative method Handel and the main features of his music. Handel wrote unusually quickly, without any thought, he never returned to material that had already been written (except for the last period your life) to process or improve it. It must be said that Mozart and Schubert composed almost the same way; Bach, Haydn and Beethoven, on the contrary, worked hard on musical material. But even in comparison with Mozart and Schubert, Handel's creative method was something special. Music poured out of him in a continuous stream, he was constantly overwhelmed by it. The source of this stream, this pouring stream was, of course, in some secret heavenly abodes, where the joy of being, the good power of existence, goodness, harmony and beauty are created. Joy and energy are, perhaps, the main things in Handel.
In 1702, Handel entered the law faculty of his university. hometown Halle. But he did not study there. A month after entering the university, he became the organist of the court cathedral in Halle. The family no longer opposed this - it was necessary to financially support the widow-mother and two sisters; With the death of his father, the family's income became very meager. But there was catastrophically little money, and Handel moved to Hamburg. Arriving in Hamburg in 1703, Handel began teaching music. The lessons were paid well, and, in addition, it helped Handel make necessary and useful contacts. But the main thing for Handel was, as I already said, the Hamburg Opera. Georg Friedrich got a job playing violin in an opera orchestra. He absorbed all musical and theatrical techniques like a sponge, and within a year and a half of his arrival in Hamburg he wrote his first opera, Almira. The opera was a huge success. Handel was only 20 years old at the time. The young composer was noticed by the Florentine prince Gian Gaston Medici and invited him to come to Italy. He arrived there in 1706. In Italy, Handel expected a lot of new impressions. He intensively studied the work of Neapolitan masters: Alessandro Scarlatti, Leo, Stradella and Durante. Soon he, too, develops a desire for creativity. For the first time he performs in front of an audience in Florence with the opera Rodrigo. The news of the “furious Saxon” soon spread throughout Italy. Wherever he went, the success of “Rodrigo” was ahead of him. In Rome, he was greeted with open arms by the artists of the Arcadia Academy, and among the members of this society there were such famous people, such as Arcangelo Corelli, Domenico Scarlatti (son of the Neapolitan maestro), Pasquini and Benedetto Marcello. Handel greedily absorbs knowledge. In Italy the fame of the master of “Italian opera” came to him. Handel left Italy at the beginning of 1710 and went to Hanover, where he was appointed bandmaster of the Hanoverian Elector George I, who was the legal heir to the English throne. In 1714, after the death of Queen Anne of England, George I became King of England. Handel, who had been to London before, followed his king and took British citizenship. Part of his success in London was undoubtedly due to royal patronage. He was actively involved both musically and commercially in the development of British opera. Later, in the 1730s, he would create his oratorios, odes, etc. in traditional English style. He is one of the few foreigners recognized in England as the greatest English composer.

A monument was erected to him in London during his lifetime. Before Lent in 1759, Handel felt death approaching. He drew up the final version of the will, made all the orders that he considered necessary, said goodbye to his friends and after that asked not to be disturbed anymore and to be left alone. At the same time, he said: “I want to be alone and die in order to see the day of Resurrection with my God and Savior.” No one had ever heard such an expression of deep faith from him in his entire life. His wish came true. He died completely alone on the night from Good Friday to Holy Saturday, April 14, 1759. He was 74 years old. Handel was buried in Westminster Abbey. During his life, Handel wrote about 40 operas (“Julius Caesar”, “Rinaldo”, etc.), 32 oratorios, many church chorales, organ concerts, chamber vocal and instrumental music, as well as a number of works of a “popular” nature (“ Music on the water", "Music for the royal fireworks", Concerti a due cori).
This is how we met one of the greatest composers, G. F. Handel, who will turn 330 years old tomorrow.

Come to the concert at the Petrie Church.

And a few more words about how important it is for a person to always believe in himself and his abilities.

Fame always accompanied Handel, the highest paid composer on earth. At that time, people were ready to fight to be the first to attend his concerts. But gradually his fame began to fade, as people became bored with everything. People stopped going to Handel's concerts. No one was interested in new works anymore, and soon this composer was called “old-fashioned.”

Georg was then about fifty. After becoming bankrupt, suffering a stroke and losing his sight, Handel fell into deep depression and became isolated. But one morning he received a letter from one of his longtime admirers. The envelope contained passages taken from the Holy Scriptures. One of them particularly affected the old composer. These were the words of God Himself: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God” (Is. 40:1). This had such an effect on Handel that on August 22, 1741, he slammed the door of his house and began work again.

The experience did not break him; on the contrary, it had a beneficial effect on the composer: his character softened, the music became even more touching, and the works were dedicated only to Jesus Christ. It was during this period that Handel composed his best works, one of which was the well-known chorale "Hallelujah" throughout the world.

The entire oratorio "Messiah" was written by Handel in just 24 days. Inspiration never left him. The result is a very surprisingly harmonious composition: the soloists, choir and orchestra are in perfect balance, but the most surprising and attractive thing about “Messiah” is the positive energy emanating from the music.

At the end of the Messiah score, he wrote three letters:S.D.G. What does it mean "Glory to God alone"!

When this anthem was performed for the first time, King George II of England, who was present at the concert, stood up andy expressing reverent adoration before the Creator. Since then, every time this work was performed, the entire audience stood up, which continues to this day.

George Handel became famous again and continued to work until the end of his days. And from the example of his life, many people learned what words of consolation can do even with the most desperate person and the main thing is to believe in yourself and never give up!

Yes, we did it! This is what Handel's Hallelujah sounds like in our performance. I must note that Peter's Church is not the best place in terms of acoustics. A swimming pool was opened here in 1962. Only in 1993 the building was given to the Lutheran Church. However, during the reconstruction carried out in the 1990s, the unique brick vault systems were damaged. In the body of the so-called large diameter holes were punched in the reverse vaults for the passage of metal columns of the new floor. The new floor is 4 meters higher than the previous one, with the pool bowl still underneath it. It is not possible to remove it without conducting comprehensive surveys and developing a design for strengthening structures. The decrease in the height of the hall is very noticeable, because of this the acoustics are damaged, now we have to use microphones. But nevertheless we sang Hallelujah. This is how it sounded.