George Frideric Handel
Born: 5th March 1685, Halle (Saale)
Died: 14th April 1759, London
Nationality: English, German
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel 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. 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.
Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frideric_Handel
Browse: Handel
Further Reading: Handel
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Handel's Messiah from John Nelson
22nd Dec 2023
Devotion and drama work hand-in-glove on the American conductor's live recording from Coventry Cathedral with The English Concert and soloists Lucy Crowe, Alex Potter, Michael Spyres & Matthew Brook.
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Handel's Theodora from Maxim Emelyanychev and Il Pomo d'Oro
28th Oct 2022
A starry cast headed by Lisette Oropesa and Joyce DiDonato offers a wealth of fresh insights into Handel’s oratorio about religious persecution and intolerance in ancient Rome on this new studio recording, made after a run of concert-performances across Europe.
Popular Genres: Handel
Orchestral
Chamber
Instrumental
Opera
Choral
Popular Works: Handel
- Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (from Solomon) (172)
- Concerto Grosso Op. 3 No. 2 in B flat major, HWV313 (57)
- Concerto Grosso Op. 3 No. 3 in G major, HWV314 (54)
- Concerto Grosso Op. 3 No. 4a in F Major, HWV315 (55)
- Concerto Grosso Op. 3 No. 6 in D major, HWV317 (52)
- Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 1 in G major, HWV319 (67)
- Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 4 in A minor, HWV322 (59)
- Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 5 in D major, HWV323 (64)
- Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 6 in G minor, HWV324 (63)
- Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 10 in D minor, HWV328 (67)
- Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 12 in B minor, HWV330 (60)
- Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV258 'Zadok the Priest' (173)
- Hallelujah Chorus (from Messiah) (122)
- Harp Concerto in B flat major, Op. 4 No. 6, HWV 294 (69)
- Joy to the World (66)
- Keyboard Suite, HWV 427 in F major (57)
- Keyboard Suite, HWV 428 in D minor (50)
- Keyboard Suite, HWV 430 in E major 'The Harmonious Blacksmith' (55)
- Keyboard Suite, HWV 432 in G minor (53)
- Keyboard Suite, HWV 435 (Chaconne) in G major (81)
- Lascia ch'io pianga (from Rinaldo) (138)
- Messiah (159)
- Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV351 (139)
- Oboe Concerto No. 3 in G minor, HWV 287 (55)
- Ombra mai fu (from Serse) (181)
- Organ Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, HWV290, Op. 4 No. 2 (53)
- Organ Concerto No. 4 in F major, HWV292, Op. 4 No. 4 (58)
- Organ Concerto No. 5 in F major, HWV293, Op. 4 No. 5 (66)
- Organ Concerto No. 13 in F major, HWV295 'The Cuckoo and the Nightingale' (57)
- Samson: Let the bright seraphim (66)
- Sonata in A minor for recorder and continuo, HWV362, Op. 1 No. 4 (52)
- Sonata in C major for recorder and continuo, HWV365, Op. 1 No. 7 (49)
- Sonata in D major for violin and continuo, HWV371, Op. 1 No. 13 (59)
- Sonata in F major for recorder and continuo, HWV369, Op. 1 No. 11 (52)
- Water Music Suite No. 1 in F major, HWV348 (129)
- Water Music Suite No. 2 in D major, HWV349 (98)
- Water Music Suite No. 3 in G major, HWV350 (78)
- Water Music Suites Nos. 1-3, HWV348-350 (72)
- Where'er you walk (from Semele) (52)
- Xerxes, HWV 40: Largo (69)
Recent Best Sellers: Handel
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New. Stephen Hough's Piano Postcards
Stephen Hough (piano)
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Gramophone Magazine, August 2026, Editor's Choice
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BBC Music Magazine, September 2026, Instrumental Choice
CD: $18.00Download from $16.75 -
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Special offer. Handel: Messiah
Hilary Cronin (soprano), Helen Charlston (mezzo), Alexander Chance, Nathan Mercieca (countertenors), Guy Cutting (tenor), Frederick Long, Edward Grint (bass-baritones), Irish Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Peter Whelan
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2026, Editor's Choice
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BBC Music Magazine, May 2026, Choral Choice
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Gramophone Awards, 2026 Shortlist, Choral
2 CDs: Original price $31.00 Reduced $27.90Download from $10.75 -
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New. Inexorable amour. Haendel: Cantates virtuoses
Marie Lys (soprano), Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal, Gaétan Jarry
CD: $20.75Download from $7.25 -
Special offer. Handel: Alceste
Lucy Crowe (soprano), Benjamin Hulett (tenor) & Andrew Foster-Williams (bass-baritone) Early Opera Company, Christian Curnyn
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Presto Recording of the Week, 14th May 2012
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BBC Music Magazine, July 2012, Opera Choice
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Gramophone Magazine, August 2012, Editor's Choice
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BBC Music Magazine Awards, 2013, Opera Award Winner
CD: Original price $20.50 Reduced $17.01Download from $7.00 -
New Releases: Handel
View all new releases-
New. La Luce
Simone Kermes (soprano), Julien Salemkour (soprano), Warsaw Chamber Opera Orchestra, Warsaw Chamber Opera Chorus
CD: $20.75Download from $11.00 -
New. Il Floridante
Florian Wintels (speaker), Cembaless
CD: $14.75 -
New. Thomas: Complete Duos for Harp & Piano
Duo Praxedis (harp and piano)
5 CDs: Original price $43.75 Reduced $32.81Download from $24.50 -
New. Stephen Hough's Piano Postcards
Stephen Hough (piano)
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Gramophone Magazine, August 2026, Editor's Choice
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BBC Music Magazine, September 2026, Instrumental Choice
CD: $18.00Download from $16.75 -
Future Releases: Handel
View all future releases-
Coming soon. Handel's Italians: Italian Castrati in the London Oratorios
Le Concert d'Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm, Carlo Vistoli, Giulia Semenzato
CD: Original price $17.50 Reduced $16.62Download from $12.75 -
Coming soon. Bruno Walter: The Complete Warner Remastered Edition
Bruno Walter
20 CDs: $94.50 -
Coming soon. Pilgrimage
Harry Christophers, The Sixteen
Vinyl Record: Original price $28.50 Reduced $26.79 -
Coming soon. Handel: Giulio Cesare
Christophe Dumaux (Cesare), Louise Alder (Cleopatra), Paula Murrihy (Sesto), Beth Taylor (Cornelia), John Holiday (Tolomeo), Morgan Pearse (Achilla), The English Concert, Harry Bicket
3 CDs: $46.75Download from $15.25
