George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Composer
Born in Germany, he travelled widely, especially in Italy, before settling in England where he enjoyed considerable success. He wrote operas, oratorios (The Messiah-written in only three weeks) and orchestral music (The Fireworks Music and Water Music). A botched eye operation when he was 68 left him blind. He was buried in Westminster Abbey with great national splendour.
PRESTO RECOMMENDS...
You can view Presto's hand-picked selection of favourite Handel opera recordings here.
Browse: Handel
Further Reading: Handel
Interview, Christopher Purves on Handel
5th July 2018
The British bass-baritone talks to Katherine about the second volume of 'Finest Arias for Base Voice', out now on Hyperion.
Interview, Franco Fagioli on Handel
1st February 2018
Katherine talks to the Argentinian countertenor about his new album of arias from operas including Serse, Rinaldo and Ariodante - the latter previously unrecorded by this voice-type.
Popular Works: Handel
- Acis and Galatea (29)
- Agrippina (12)
- Alcina (18)
- Alexander Balus (1)
- Alexander's Feast (23)
- Ariodante (13)
- Athalia (6)
- Belshazzar (8)
- Concerti grossi Op. 3 Nos. 1-6, HWV312-317 (27)
- Concerti grossi Op. 6 Nos. 1-12 HWV319-330 (26)
- Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV258 'Zadok the Priest' (172)
- Coronation Anthem No. 2, HWV259 'Let Thy Hand be Stengthened' (27)
- Coronation Anthem No. 3, HWV260 'The King Shall Rejoice' (40)
- Coronation Anthem No. 4, HWV261 'My Heart is Inditing' (28)
- Coronation Anthems Nos. 1-4 (21)
- Deborah (2)
- Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 (40)
- Esther (7)
- Giulio Cesare in Egitto (26)
- Hercules (10)
- Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, HWV46a (9)
- Israel in Egypt, HWV54 (28)
- Jephtha (16)
- Joseph and his Brethren (4)
- Judas Maccabaeus, HWV 63 (13)
- L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato (12)
- La Resurrezione, HWV47 (13)
- Messiah (165)
- Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV351 (122)
- Neun deutsche Arien, HWV202-210 (23)
- Organ Concertos, Op. 4 Nos. 1-6, HWV289-294 (24)
- Organ Concertos, Op. 7 Nos. 1-6, HWV306-311 (17)
- Orlando (11)
- Ottone, Re di Germania (3)
- Partenope, HWV 27 (3)
- Radamisto (2)
- Rinaldo (16)
- Rodelinda (14)
- Samson (9)
- Saul (23)
- Semele (9)
- Serse (13)
- Solomon (18)
- Susanna, HWV66 (3)
- Tamerlano (12)
- The Choice of Hercules (2)
- The Occasional Oratorio, HWV62 (5)
- The Triumph of Time and Truth (3)
- Theodora, HWV 68 (18)
- Utrecht Te Deum, HWV278 (8)
- Water Music Suites Nos. 1-3, HWV348-350 (77)
