Composers Corner: George Frideric Handel

George Frideric Handel (March 5, 1685 - April 14, 1759) was interested in music from an early age. However, unlike J.S. Bach and other famous composers, he did not come from a musical family. His father was a barber-surgeon in a German royal court. He wanted his son to have a more important career than music and should study law instead.

When his father would not let him take lessons, Handel supposedly would sneak up to the attic after everyone was asleep and secretly practice on t a small keyboard instrument called a clavichord.
When he was about 8 or 0, he went on a trip to visit a relative who worked for a duke., Handel surprised everyone with his talent when he played on an organ there. As a result, his father agreed that he could take music lessons.

For the next few years, Handel studied with a well-known composer and organist and learned to play the oboe, violin, harpsichord, and organ and began composing music. Handel did study law for a year, but as his father was no longer living, he decided to follow his passion for music. He moved to the city of Hamburg where he played violin and harpsichord in an orchestra.
When he was 21, Handel moved to Italy for 4 years. He learned about Italian opera, which was very popular during this period. Handel's own operas soon led him to become quite famous both in Italy and across Europe.

In 1711, Handel went to London. He put together an opera called "Rinaldo" in only two weeks by borrowing most of the music from his earlier works. The English audiences loved it.
Handel liked England very much and realized that he could be successful there as a composer. As a result, he decided to return in 1712 to live there permanently.

Handel lived in England for the rest of his life and eventually became a citizen. He was a very respected and successful composer. Although he was blind for the last few years of his life, he continued to play the organ and conduct. When he died he was buried in Westminster Abbey - where royalty is buried.