HBD, GFH! ‘Handel is the greatest, the ablest composer that ever lived’ LvB

Started by Abdel Ove Allhan, February 23, 2023, 07:43:08 AM

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Abdel Ove Allhan

"There was Handel, in this Italian world, in Venice, the city rich with the creations of a phenomenal school of music, which sat in judgment over the foreigners who came to the promised land of opera to try their hand right at the source. Most of the pilgrims appeared in vain; whether respected mature masters or fiery youths, the Transalpines could not quite win their case before the court, for few are among the elect. But this young Saxon, whom they will call il caro Sassone, settled among the legion of the obscure with secure calm and confidence, and when Venice judged the court found in his favor. Then one day, without hesitation, Handel sat down on the throne in the royal palace of opera and, almost before anyone was aware of it, put on the king's robe. Now the robe was his and could have been for life, but as we shall see, for some mysterious reason he laid it down soon after his possession of it was recognized all over Italy, to return to the Germanic world." Paul Henry Lang
Music is the most essential yet practically useless endeavor in the entirety of human existence.Yet without music our existence would be comparable to the world of insects."The man that hath no music in himself Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils, Let no such man be trusted."W. Shakespeare

Abdel Ove Allhan

Handel's voice is immediate, present, in the room. Living. Happy 338th GFH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwjIiUNBiTk
Music is the most essential yet practically useless endeavor in the entirety of human existence.Yet without music our existence would be comparable to the world of insects."The man that hath no music in himself Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils, Let no such man be trusted."W. Shakespeare

Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

DaveF

Quote from: Abdel Ove Allhan on February 23, 2023, 07:43:08 AM"Then one day, without hesitation, Handel sat down on the throne in the royal palace of opera and, almost before anyone was aware of it, put on the king's robe. Now the robe was his and could have been for life, but as we shall see, for some mysterious reason he laid it down soon after his possession of it was recognized all over Italy, to return to the Germanic world." Paul Henry Lang

I don't know the context of the quote, but surely Handel composed all his Italian operas in England and, far from quickly laying down the operatic robe, he wore it until it was threadbare, or at least until fashions had changed (and after he had composed 40-odd operas).
"All the world is birthday cake" - George Harrison

Jo498

That's mostly true but Handel wrote two operas in Italy, Rodrigo (Florence 1707) and Aggrippina (Venice 1709). (And 4 in Hamburg before that, of which 3 are lost, though).
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

Abdel Ove Allhan

Quote from: DaveF on February 24, 2023, 01:57:23 AMI don't know the context of the quote, but surely Handel composed all his Italian operas in England and, far from quickly laying down the operatic robe, he wore it until it was threadbare, or at least until fashions had changed (and after he had composed 40-odd operas).
The quote is from Paul Henry Lang in his definitive biography of GFH. Handel wrote several secular cantatas, 72 for solo voice with basso continuo and twenty-eight with orchestral accompaniment, that are really small operas which featured duets and trios. He also wrote oratorios and 'festas' some of which were staged. These works solidified his bonafides but it was his opera Agrippina which put him over the top. Prince Ernest of Hanover, who was in Italy to find among other things a replacement for his court musician Agostino Staffani, a famous composer himself was so taken with it that he engaged Handel above the other capable and more established Italian composers to replace Steffani. It was the robe he could have worn...in Italy...but he left, so no robe...in Italy. He put another robe on...in England.
Music is the most essential yet practically useless endeavor in the entirety of human existence.Yet without music our existence would be comparable to the world of insects."The man that hath no music in himself Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils, Let no such man be trusted."W. Shakespeare