author
George Frideric Handel
1685–1759
One of the great musical storytellers of the Baroque era, this German-born composer made London his home and created works that still fill concert halls and opera houses today. He is especially remembered for combining dramatic power, memorable melody, and a flair for writing for both the stage and the concert hall.
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About the author
Born in Halle in 1685, Handel showed an early gift for music and built his career across Germany and Italy before settling in London. There he became one of the city’s leading composers, writing Italian operas, English oratorios, orchestral music, and ceremonial works for royal occasions.
His best-known work is Messiah, but his output was remarkably wide, from Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks to dozens of operas and sacred pieces. Handel had a strong instinct for drama and for writing music that could connect with large audiences, which helped make him a central figure in 18th-century musical life.
He spent much of his adult life in England, became a British subject, and remained active as a composer and organizer of performances until late in life. After his death in 1759, he was buried in Westminster Abbey, a sign of the lasting place he had earned in British cultural history.