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 1-25 of 459 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Berliner 1918 7-in. Before Nov. 1898 Every valley shall be exalted W. D. McFarland Tenor vocal solo composer  
Berliner 1919 7-in. Nov. 1898 Thou shalt break them W. D. McFarland Tenor vocal solo composer  
Berliner 1944 7-in. 1/17/1899 Why does the God of Israel sleep W. D. McFarland Tenor vocal solo composer  
Berliner 1947 7-in. Before Apr. 1899 Where’er you walk W. D. McFarland Tenor vocal solo composer  
Berliner 1949 7-in. Before Apr. 1899 Virtue my soul shall still embrace W. D. McFarland Tenor vocal solo composer  
Berliner 1954 7-in. Before Apr. 1899 Waft her, angels W. D. McFarland Tenor vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1440 7-in. 6/20/1902 Largo Sousa's Band Band, with cornet solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1440 10-in. 6/20/1902 Handels largo Sousa's Band Band, with cornet solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix C-]1440 12-in. 6/20/1902 Largo Sousa's Band Band, with cornet solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1760 7-in. 11/14/1902 Hallelujah chorus Clarke's Band of Providence Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1760 10-in. 11/14/1902 Hallelujah chorus American Band of Providence Band composer  
Victor A-199 7-in. 7/27/1903 Hallelujah chorus Clarke's Band of Providence Band composer  
Victor B-199 10-in. 7/27/1903 Hallelujah chorus Clarke's Band of Providence Band composer  
Victor A-249 7-in. 8/11/1903 Largo Sousa's Band Band, with cornet solo composer  
Victor B-249 10-in. 8/11/1903 Handel's largo Sousa's Band Band, with cornet solo composer  
Victor C-493 12-in. 10/5/1903 He shall feed his flock Louise Homer Contralto vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor C-551 12-in. 10/7/1903 Lascia ch'io pianga Jules Levy Cornet solo composer  
Victor B-1291 10-in. 5/7/1904 He shall feed his flock Emma Juch Soprano vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor B-1475 10-in. 6/15/1904 Largo Charles D'Almaine Violin solo, with organ composer  
Victor B-2059 10-in. 12/19/1904 Hallelujah chorus Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor C-2059 12-in. 12/19/1904 Hallelujah chorus Victor Chorus Vocal chorus and band composer  
Victor C-2599 12-in. 6/5/1905 Why do the nations Bushnell Ericson Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-2600 12-in. 6/5/1905 The trumpet shall sound Bushnell Ericson Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-2804 12-in. 10/12/1905 He was despised Corinne Morgan Female vocal solo, with organ and orchestra composer  
Victor C-3349 12-in. 5/1/1906 He shall lead his flock Corinne Morgan Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
(Results 1-25 of 459 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Handel, George Frideric," accessed March 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102593.

Handel, George Frideric. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102593.

"Handel, George Frideric." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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