George Frideric Handel (German: George Friedrich Händel; (February 1685 – April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his solo sonatas, operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music. He received critical musical training in Halle, Hamburg and Italy before settling in London (1712) and becoming a naturalised British subject in 1727.
By then he was strongly influenced by the great composers of the Italian Baroque and the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition.
Within fifteen years, Handel, a dramatic genius, started three commercial opera companies to supply the English nobility with Italian opera, but the public came to hear the vocal bravura of the soloists rather than the music. In 1737 he had a physical breakdown, changed direction creatively and addressed the middle class. As Alexanders Feast (1736) was well received, Handel made a transition to English choral works. After his success with Messiah (1742) he never performed an Italian opera again. Handel was only partly successful with his performances of English Oratorio on mythical or biblical themes, but when he arranged a performance of Messiah to benefit the Foundling Hospital (1750) the critique ended.
The pathos of Handels oratorio is an ethical one, they are hallowed not by liturgical dignity but by the moral ideals of humanity. Almost blind, and having lived in England for almost fifty years, he died a respected and rich man.
Handel is regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time, not only because of his Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks. But since the late 1960s, with the revival of baroque music and original instrument interest in Handels opera seria has revived too.
This app presents Solo Sonatas composed by Handel:
I. HWV 359a /Violin / D minor / composed 1724
II. HWV 359b /Flute / E minor / composed 1724 / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 1b
III. HWV 360 /Recorder / G minor / composed 1725 - 1725 / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 2
IV. HWV 361 /Violin / A major / composed 1725 - 1726 / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 3
V. HWV 362 /Recorder / A minor / composed 1726 - 1726 / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 4
VI. HWV 363a /Oboe / F major / composed 1711 - 1716
VII. HWV 363b /Flute / G major / composed 1712 - 1716 / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 5
VIII. HWV 364a /Violin / G minor / composed 1722 - 1724 / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 6
IX. HWV 365 /Recorder / C major / composed 1725 - 1726 / puplished / Opus 1 No. 7
X. HWV 367a /Recorder / D minor / composed 1726 - 1726 / puplished / Opus 1 No. 9a
XI. HWV 369 /Recorder / F major / composed 1727 - 1726 / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 11
XII. HWV 370 /Violin / F major / composed / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 12
XIII. HWV 371 /Violin / D major / composed 1749 - 1750 / puplished / Opus 1 No. 13
XIV. HWV 372 /Violin / A major / composed / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 14
XV. HWV 373 /Violin / E major / composed / puplished 1732 / Opus 1 No. 15
XVI. HWV 374 /Flute / A minor / composed / puplished 1730 /
XVII. HWV 375 /Flute / E minor / composed / puplished 1730 /
XVIII. HWV 376 /Flute / B minor / composed / puplished 1730 /
XIX. HWV 377 /Recorder / B-flat major / composed 1724 - 1725
XX. HWV 378 /Flute / D major / composed 1707 / puplished 1979 /
XXI. HWV 379 /Flute / E minor / composed 1728 - 1728 / puplished 1879 / Opus 1 No. 1a