George Frideric Handel

George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised Georg Friedrich Händel, German: [ˈɡeːɔʁk ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈhɛndl̩] (listen); 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training in Halle and worked as a composer 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. 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 recognized as one of the greatest composers of his age.

Handel started three commercial opera companies to supply the English nobility with Italian opera. In 1737, he had a physical breakdown, changed direction creatively, and 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. His orchestral Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks remain steadfastly popular. One of his four coronation anthems, Zadok the Priest, has been performed at every British coronation since 1727. Almost blind, he died in 1759, a respected and rich man, and was given a state funeral at Westminster Abbey.

Handel composed more than forty opere serie over a period of more than thirty years. Since the late 1960s, interest in Handel's music has grown. The musicologist Winton Dean wrote that "Handel was not only a great composer; he was a dramatic genius of the first order." His music was admired by Classical-era composers, especially Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 1, 1685 (Halle (Saale)), Died April 14, 1759 (London)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1898 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 126-150 of 459 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-22811 10-in. 5/5/1919 Largo Philadelphia Orchestra ; Leopold Stokowski Orchestra composer  
Victor B-23429 10-in. 10/22/1919 If with all your hearts (Elijah) Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with English horn solo and viola solo composer  
Victor B-23464 10-in. 11/10/1919 Menuett Hans Kindler Cello solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-23714 12-in. 1/29/1920 Largo Enrico Caruso Tenor vocal solo, with harp and orchestra composer  
Victor B-23717 10-in. 2/4/1920 How lovely are the messengers (St. Paul) Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with violin and cello duet and cornet duet composer  
Victor BVE-23717 10-in. 4/26/1927 How lovely are the messengers (St. Paul) Victor Concert Orchestra Orchestra, with violin and cello duet and cornet duet composer  
Victor B-23902 10-in. 4/1/1920 Oh sleep! Why dost thou leave me John McCormack Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-27302 10-in. 12/5/1922 Largo Alexander Schmidt Violin solo, with harp and orchestra composer  
Victor C-27347 12-in. 12/27/1922 Harmonious blacksmith Alfred Cortot Piano solo composer  
Victor CVE-27347 12-in. 4/6/1925 Harmonious blacksmith Alfred Cortot Piano solo composer  
Victor B-28810 10-in. 10/29/1923 The harmonious blacksmith Wanda Landowska Harpsichord solo composer  
Victor BVE-28810 10-in. 5/8/1926 Harmonious blacksmith Wanda Landowska Harpsichord solo, unaccompanied composer  
Victor B-29711 10-in. 3/14/1924 He shall feed his flock Lawrence Sidebottom Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor C-30764 12-in. 10/7/1924 Largo Mark Andrews Pipe organ solo composer  
Victor CVE-30764 12-in. 3/29/1928 Largo Mark Andrews Pipe organ solo composer  
Victor B-30786 10-in. 9/8/1924 Serenade Hazel Gertrude Kinscella Piano solo, with orchestra (for instruction) composer  
Victor BVE-30786 10-in. 8/11/1926 Serenade Hazel Gertrude Kinscella Piano solo, with orchestra (for instruction) composer  
Victor C-30903 12-in. 9/12/1924 While shepherds watched Trinity Choir Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra composer  
Victor CVE-30903 12-in. 8/27/1926 While shepherds watched Trinity Choir Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-31337 12-in. 11/18/1924 Angels ever bright and fair Lucy Isabelle Marsh Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-31665 12-in. 1/14/1925 Largo Charles M. Courboin Organ solo composer  
Victor C-31666 12-in. 1/14/1925 Hallelujah chorus Charles M. Courboin Organ solo composer  
Victor C-31809 12-in. 1/28/1925 Sonata in E major : Adagio and allegro Renée Chemet Violin solo, with piano composer  
Victor BVE-33353 10-in. 8/27/1925 He shall feed his flock Anna Clyde Plunkett Female vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor CVE-33750 12-in. 11/5/1925 Hallelujah chorus Mark Andrews Pipe organ solo composer  
(Results 126-150 of 459 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Handel, George Frideric," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102593.

Handel, George Frideric. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102593.

"Handel, George Frideric." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102593

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