George Frideric Handel – Famous Composer from the 1700s

By | June 11, 2019

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Portrait of Georg Friedrich Handel (Halle, 1685-London, 1759), German composer. Painting by Philippe Mercier (1689-1760), 1720. Detail. Halle, Haendel-Haus Source: (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)

George Frideric Handel was a famous composer from the early 1700s. He composed operas, oratorios, anthems, and more. Out of his most popular accomplishments, the oratorio that he is best remembered for his 'Messiah' that was first performed in 1742 in Dublin, Ireland and then in London a year later. This was after his having first suffered a stroke in 1737.

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George Frideric Handel’s Baptismal Record. Source: (commons.wikimedia.org)

George Frideric Handel, who was born in February of 1685, was known as Georg in Germany (the German style of his name) where he was born to Georg Handel (Senior) and Dorothea Taust (Georg Handel Senior’s second wife).

George’s father was a barber when he married his first wife at the age of 20. She was the widow of a barber-surgeon and Georg took over his practice. Together they had five children who he persuaded to go into medical professions except for their youngest daughter. George’s father wanted George to become a lawyer.