As much as I love Handel’s oratorios, his 42 operas are his supreme achievement. Another digression. I met my wife in the Spring of 1998 and we got together, in no small part, because my father developed a very serious tumor and was in the hospital for most of the next year. Over the course … Continue reading Handel and Opera
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Interlude: Handel’s Secular World
J.S. Bach's Lutheran faith animated his music. Handel, by comparison, apparently liked a good time and was less concerned about religion. Indeed, Handel's most famous tune is arguable from his "Water Music", which was written for King George I's concert on the Thames. George Friderich Handel, Water Music Suite No. 1, XII: Alla Hornpipe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRrxJDKGcDQ … Continue reading Interlude: Handel’s Secular World
Handel’s Instrumental Music
Handel is best known for his oratorios and operas, but his instrumental music, often overlooked, reveals a brilliant mind at work. Handel learned the concerto grosso form from Corelli during his time in Italy and took Corelli’s innovation to the next level. Haydn and the modern symphony are now mere decades away, getting closer all … Continue reading Handel’s Instrumental Music
Interlude: Why Handel?
In my last entry, I made the claim that I listen to Handel's music more than the music of any other composer. Why? Because his music is just so beautiful. I hope to answer this question more conclusively over the next couple of weeks, but, for today, I'll let Handel make his own case. Let … Continue reading Interlude: Why Handel?
Baroque Music XI: George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
“Handel is the only person I would wish to see before I die, and the only person I would wish to be, were I not Bach.” J.S. Bach “Handel is the greatest composer that ever lived... I would uncover my head and kneel down on his tomb.” Ludwig van Beethoven The two titans of Baroque … Continue reading Baroque Music XI: George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
A Gertus History of Music 