(or Georg Friedrich Händel). English naturalized German composer.

Outstanding figure of the baroque and the classicism Europeans, the composer, born the same year that Jean-Sebastien Bach and Domenico Scarlatti, were the uncontested Master of the opera and the English oratorio.

Its work, particularly expressive, belongs to the last phase of the music research undertaken since the Rebirth.

Born in 1685, in Halle, in an easy family, Georg Friedrich Händel remained very attached throughout his life to his father, barber-surgeon, and with his mother, girl of Pasteur, twenty-six years young person than her husband.

Presented to the duke of Saxony-Weissenfels, which notices its musical faculties, it is initiated as of the eight years age to the knowledge of the organ, the harpsichord, the violin and the oboe by Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, the organist of the Sainte-Marie church. Also he near its first Master learns art from the counterpoint, of the running away, as well as the principles of the instrumentation. These techniques and processes of composition will appear in its three Arias German (1698) and will return constantly in its works of maturity.

Before settling in the prosperous and cosmopolitan city of Hamburg, it obtains a contract of organist in Domkirche of his birthplace and becomes acquainted with Georg Philipp Telemann, with whom it will tie a durable friendship. At the eighteen years age, Händel controls already almost all the musical genres, but it is particularly attracted by the opera. This new theatrical form baroque, born with the beginning of the XVII ^E century with Florence, appears tardily in Germany: inaugurated in 1678, the first theater of opera of the country is in Hamburg. Händel enters the orchestra of the Opera thanks to the support of Johann Mattheson, composer and theorist of the music, which also introduces it into the cultural circles Hamburger.

Creation, in 1705, of its first opera, Almira, gains a resounding success, but it is quickly erased by the reserved reception which Nero receives. Händel then chooses to compose an oratorio (It Trionfo del Tempo), a cantata (Aci), sonatas, concertos for oboe, a book of initiation to the keyboard instruments, but he does not give up his ambition to write works of greater scale.

In the hope of finding work conditions favorable, the composer goes to Italy, in 1706, with the invitation of Jean-Gaston Médicis, son of the grand duke of Tuscany. Quickly disappointed musical life with Florence, Händel then decides to go to Rome, where it is accommodated by prince Ruspoli, who receives composers as famous as Arcangelo Corelli and Domenico Scarlatti. It is however in Florence that it will give its Rodrigo, whose success is such as Händel feels come for him the moment to leave to the conquest from Venice, capital of the lyric art. In 1709, success without precedent of the new opera, Agrippina, of this young composer (it was then hardly twenty-five years old) will confirm his international repute definitively: the work was probably represented 27 evenings consecutive. For as much, the European career of Händel did nothing but start.

Händel goes for the first time to London in 1710, fifteen years after the death of Henry Purcell, whose disappearance meant the English musical close of life. The creation of Rinaldo to Queen' S Theater, a few weeks after its arrival, gains such a triumph that in spring the 1712 composer decides to settle definitively in the English capital, breaking its contract of choir master at the court of Hanover. Händel will be able to gain the favor of the Anne queen by composing an ode for its birthday. The sovereign one orders a work to him to commemorate the peace of Utrecht (Te Deum, 1713), which marks the end of the war of succession of Spain.

Regarded as a national composer, Händel sees his privileged position compromised as of the accession to the throne of George I ^er, the former Voter of Hanover, which it had left precipitately a few years earlier. Seeking to benefit from the international prestige of Händel, the monarch increases his pension to him and, in 1716, asks him to accompany it in Hanover.

During his stay with Cannons, of 1717 to 1719, the composer initiates himself with the kind which will contribute to its notoriety: music of religious inspiration, in English language. He composes then, in the sumptuous ducal palate, Chandos Anthems, inspired by biblical psalms.

With the royal Academy of music, company of subscribers of which it occupies the musical position of director in 1719, Händel is in competition with the Italian composers Giovanni Battista Bononcini and Filippo Amadei, which raise the enthusiasm of the public with works of a great sound sensuality. But, thanks to four new operas, this tournament is completed by the final dedication of Händel. Twice reorganized, the royal Academy of music has growing problems to finance its representations in King' S Theater, which leads to its reorganization, in 1728, then with its dissolution, in 1737.

Following an heart attack, the musician knows a renewal of religious enthusiasm and ends up giving up the opera for the oratorio: the Messiah (1742) will be followed of half a dozen works written “not to divert, but to return the best public”. But the uncontested Master of the oratorio does not confine himself in this musical genre: the creation of its Music for the royal fireworks (1749), which celebrates the end of the war of succession of Austria, attracts more than 12 000 spectators in the gardens of Vauxhall.

Operated cataract in 1752, the composer becomes blind, but it continues an intense activity until the end of its life: it is devoted, with the assistance of its secretary, with the correction of old partitions. It still witnesses a hearing of the Messiah in Covent Garden, but it dies eight days after, holy saturdays April 14th, 1759, leaving behind him a work which remains until our days, and without interruption, with the program in the concerts and the theaters of opera.

Like Jean-Sebastien Bach, Händel acquired the essence of its musical knowledge while studying and by recopying partitions. When it leaves Germany for Italy, it is thus familiarized with works of Froberger, Kerll, Pachelbel or Keiser. It perfectly assimilated the musical languages of Germany of North and the South: counterpoint, the rigid rhythm, the simple melody of the canticles. In Italy, Händel completes its formation in contact with its fellow-members and, in addition to the instrumental music, it develops the use of the tempting melody which one can sing in the streets; also he discovers nature and the pastoral idyllic one. In England, he learns how to compose in the style from Purcell. He knows also the accentuated and put rhythm into style of the French musicians.

Händel knew to compare the principal styles to the honor at its time, which it coordinated according to the destination of its works, employing the Italian sonata in an instrumental opening or imitating the English antiphon in a religious work. But its music, enriched by a great melody invention, an exuberance and a creative freedom, never misses originality. The composer can vary the color of the orchestra, the stamps instrumental and, in his many operas, manages to translate all the human emotions and passions, as in the scene of the madness of Orlando or in the scene of the dungeon of Rodelinda.

Large improviser with the organ or the harpsichord, Händel composed very quickly: he completed the Messiah in three weeks. He always kept near him his own manuscripts and of many copies of works of other musicians, which enabled him to extremely often draw from its old compositions (as for Israel in Egypt), but also in those of the others. Composing especially with the harpsichord, Händel sought indefatigably to improve and enrich its works, which it unceasingly altered.

New catalog HWV (Händel Werke Verzeichnis) indexes 610 authentic works. Händel approached all the kinds of music. It composed of the operas, the odes, the oratorios, the sacred music, the profane cantatas, the vocal duets and trios with accompaniment, of the songs and the anthems. Its work for orchestra understands concertos grossos, concertos for various instruments, in particular for organ, of the continuations and the openings. In the field of the chamber music, in addition to sonatas for various instruments, one finds very many parts for keyboard. But what dominates, it is the impressive number of the operas and the oratorios.

By its exceptional control of the opera seriated, in Italian language, Händel is one of the largest composers of incidental music, and its works, which announce Gluck and Mozart, are always represented successfully. The oratorios of Händel, in English language, are less religious works than of true biblical or mythological dramas, very close to the opera. Händel was also the successor of Purcell as official composer charged to celebrate the ceremonies of the royal family or the victories of the English armies.