George Frederick Handel (1685 –1759) was a German born, English composer. Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach were the last of the Baroque Masters. During his lifetime, Handel was known mainly as an opera composer and producer, but his fame today came mainly on his English oratories, especially The Messiah (1742). His music has strength and simplicity. Handel’s operas are not often heard, but “Largo,” an aria from Serse, and other selections are sometimes played in concerts. Handel …showed first 75 words of 311 total…

…showed last 75 words of 311 total…subject in 1726. For more than 15 years Handel composed and produced Italian opera in London. Following the success of The Beggar’s Opera (1728), by Gay and Pepusch, Italian opera lost favor and Handel turn to oratorios. George Frederick Handel eventually became blind, much like J. S. Bach, and died in 1759. Bibliography Work Cited “George Frederick Handel”Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. The New Encyclopedia Britannica. Chicago, IL: Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 1991. Anonymous epitaph, printed in a newspaper on 21 April 1759