G. F. Handel
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Born / died
1685-1759
Movement
Baroque
Location
Lived in London, Halle +4 more
Friends / contemporaries
Arcangelo Corelli, Domenico Scarlatti, François Couperin +3 more
role: unknown · 20%era: Baroquemovement: Baroque1685–1759
Movement
Baroque · Wikipedia
Baroque music refers to the period or dominant style of Western classical music composed from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance period, and was followed in turn by the Classical period after a short transition. Baroque music forms a major portion of the "classical music" canon, and continues to be widely studied, performed, and listened to. Key composers of the Baroque era include Jacopo Peri, who wrote the first operas; Alessandro Stradella, who originated the concerto grosso style; and Arcangelo Corelli, who was one of the first composers to publish widely and have his music performed across Europe.
How this movement sounds
steady pulsebasso continuocounterpointornamentationdance rhythmsterraced dynamics
Baroque listening cues: a steady pulse, energetic rhythmic drive, and lots of repeating patterns and sequences that feel like the music is constantly in motion.
Texture is often built from basso continuo (a bass line plus chords, frequently harpsichord or organ) and counterpoint: several independent lines weaving together (fugue-like thinking even when it's not a fugue).
Baroque expression is often about articulation and rhythm more than massive crescendos. Dynamics can be terraced (step-like) and the emotional character is often sustained rather than dramatically 'swung' every few bars.
Listen for dance rhythms in suites (courante, sarabande, gigue) and for how harmony supports long, flowing lines: tension is created by rhythmic drive and line-shape, not by sudden harmonic shocks.
If you're new to the sound: try following just the bass line (continuo). When you can hear that steady foundation, the rest of the counterpoint becomes much easier to 'read' by ear.
How G. F. Handel sounds
counterpointdance rhythmssteady pulseornamentssequences
Baroque music often sounds rhythmically steady and patterned, with repeating figures and clear harmonic direction.
You will frequently hear counterpoint (multiple independent lines) and dance-derived pulses underneath the surface.
Ornamentation (trills, turns) tends to decorate the melody, and intensity builds by layering lines rather than by sudden harmonic shocks.
Wikipedia
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( HAN-dəl; baptised Georg Fried[e]rich Händel, German: [ˈɡeːɔʁk ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈhɛndl̩] ; 5 March [O.S.Wikipedia
23 February] 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Handel spent his early life in Hamburg and Italy before settling in London in 1712, where he spent the bulk of his career and became a naturalised British subject in 1727.Wikipedia
He was strongly influenced both by the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition and by composers of the Italian Baroque. In turn, Handel's music forms one of the peaks of the "high baroque" style, bringing Italian opera to its highest development, creating the genres of English oratorio and organ concerto, and introducing a new style into English church music. He is consistently recognised as one of the greatest composers of his age.Wikipedia
Handel started three commercial opera companies to supply the English nobility with Italian opera. In 1737 he had a physical breakdown, changed direction creatively, addressed the middle class and made a transition to English choral works. After his success with Messiah (1742), he never composed an Italian opera again.Wikipedia
His orchestral Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks remain steadfastly popular. One of his four coronation anthems, Zadok the Priest, has been…Wikipedia
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Play videoYouTube · published 2015-03-16 · 2h 17m
G. F. Handel: Messiah HWV 56 (fantastic performance)
FreeFull concertLongLive
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