I suppose strictly speaking what I am offering today as my letter H reason to be cheerful is not Handel himself, but the music he composed.
However, let's not be picky. We wouldn't have one without the other so hooray for George Frideric Handel, who was born in Germany but spent most of his life in England where he cranked out music at a prodigious rate.
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| George Frideric Handel and wig. |
I suspect I fall in the category of people who say: "I don't know much about (INSERT SUBJECT HERE), but I know what I like."
In this instance, I don't know much about Handel's music, but I know the bits I like, probably because they're the bits I have heard most often.
So rather than waffle on about what a great bloke Handel was I'm just going to offer some of his music. Bearing in mind that I didn't want to put up very lengthy pieces of music it was a bit of a toss up between the Hallelujah Chorus and Zadok the Priest. I chose Zadok because I think it is a more subtle demonstration of the power of the human voice.
The piece has been performed at every coronation of a British monarch since 1727 when it was first performed at the coronation of George II. This particular version is performed by the Academy of Ancient Music and the AAM Choir and I think is quite wonderful. To anyone who is reading this and thinking "Oh no, religious music and it's for a boring old king or queen" all I would say is put that from your mind and surrender to the power of the piece.
Question: Do you like Handel's music? Would you have chosen Zadok the Priest or something completely different? Tell me in the comments.
* Portrait of Handel by Balthasar Denner [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Hi Mark - Handel was incredible and we were so lucky he came over to England and left us so much music and influenced so many ... I love his Water Music ... and I saw his house in the West End .. I really must write a post about it .. as there were things I didn't know. They were revamping the house .. so it'll have changed a bit and needs a revisit. Yes - Zadok would do for me .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHandel's House - that's a definite letter H entry.
DeleteI do love his music, although I wouldn't have been able to place it before today!
ReplyDeleteI find that a lot with classical music. I know music that I like, but I don't know anything about it. I suppose I'll have to make the effort to identify it.
DeleteMark, you've come a long way from Ian Dury! I'll take Zadok but I can not take The Messiah. This mainly because my father, God rest his soul, thought it was sacrilegious not to like it. My own favourite is The Arrival of The Queen of Sheba because it is bright & cheerful. You could say it is a "reason to be cheerful"!
ReplyDeleteI reckon Ian Dury and Handel would have got on like a house on fire...maybe. The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba is indeed a bright piece of music.
DeleteI've always adored the Hallelujah Chorus!
ReplyDeleteMark, this was such a nice change from the music I've been listening to of late (as you know). I don't know much about classical music but I did indeed like this piece. I especially like the brass. It seems very complex...but maybe that's because I don't understand it. I actually bought a CD some time ago called "Classical Music for People Who Don't Like Classical Music" -- Ha! :)
ReplyDeleteMichele at Angels Bark