Family, Friends and Fame: Handel’s Roots and First Influences Essay

A composers modulate doesnt end within the pages of his composition. It stretches on, to medical specialtyians and different famed composers. Georg Frideric Handel is bingle storied example. Being a primary influence to many of the most famous composers of all time, such as Beethoven and Mozart, Handel has been one of the most acclaimed workforce in the history of music. The entire English nation, owes him a debt of gratitude because of the masterly focusing in how he encouraged and command them to assimilate and accept the beaut of the music he created. plain a master such as Handel, though, has simple and humble origins.He encountered obstacles and experiences during his early years that nearly apostrophize him and pr level offted him from creating the masterpieces he gave the world. Most of these came during his early years of world a musician, and caulescent from close relationships. Handel Family Origins Handels roots originally belonged to Breslau, a city in south western Poland, found near the Oder river. For several generations, their family has been coppersmiths. Valentine Handel, the grand get down of the composer, was born in 1582, and in his later years migrated to Halle.Two sons of his followed in the coppersmith trade, but his triad son, Georg, became a barber-surgeon instead. Georg marry a woman who was the widow of the barber who acted as his mentor. She was 12 years sr. than he. After the death of his wife, he married his second wife, named Dorothea Taust, the daughter of a clergyman. From this marriage, sprung four nestlingren, one of them destined to baffle famous for his compositions. Birth and Family Ties On the 23rd of February 1685, Dorothea gave birth to George Frideric Handel, in the dukedom of Magdeburg, found at the Upper Saxony.Halle, the place where he was born, was not a precise attractive place. Travellers unanimously complained of its dusky impression, its sooty buildings, and its crooked narrow, ill-paved st reets. Nevertheless, Halle was crustal plate for the Handels, and this was where George Frideric spent his childhood. Handel had a half-brother and half-sister when he was born, Karl and Sophie Rosine, respectively, and both were already experienter than him. Despite having different haves, Handel maintained a good relationship with his half-siblings.Karl Handel even played an interesting role in a crucial melodious incident involving his vernaler half brother and his love for music. Relationship With His Parents Even at a young age, George Frideric already had great love for music. When he was still a baby, the toys found in his nursery were those that beat melodic sounds, including flutes, drums, and trumpets. The origin few years, it was amusing, but as he developed, it seemed to plough more than serious. Handel had intimate, but truly different ties with his have and sustain.While one urged him to go after his dream of being a musician, the other greatly opposed it. Georg, the composers father, wanted his child to obtain a strait-laced occupation, and absorb law. He had big oppositions for his boy. When he observed the childs strong appetency for music, he greatly forbade and opposed it, commanding him to stay away from anything that major power steer him towards that trade. He did not understood art, and does not understand the majestic part artists play in the world, only seeing them as men of amusement, entertaining the world during idle moments. unison, said he, was an elegant art and a fine amusement yet if considered as an occupation, it had miniscule dignity, as having for its battleground nothing better than mere pleasure and entertainment. He forbade the child to imitate the public schools, fearing that he would be drawn nearer to his musical dreams. The child was also forbidden to view places where he can hear music. The musical instruments found in the house were also banished. Despite his fathers harshness towards t he dream he loved so lots, the child persisted.He knew music was his calling, and even if he knew he was going against his fathers wishes and putting himself in danger of being caught, he found ways. He would manage to lay hands on a dumb spinet or a clavicord, hiding it in a garret. Usually, these were given to him by his go or godmother, a woman named Anna. At night, when the whole house is asleep, he would sneak out and tinker and play with the instrument. These hidden, stolen moments allowed the young man proper concentration, leading to better understanding of music, and therefore, paving way to greatness.Dorothea, Handels mother, was modify with love and ambition for her child. While her husband opposed the low honor profession, she silently encouraged him to hire it. Even when he died, Dorothea and her sons relationship were as warm and devoted to to severally one other, drawing dexterity from faith. Along with her, Handels twain sisters also showered him with love an d affection. This influence is peradventure the reason why the composer worked with women as singers, and became knowledgeable in the ways of women.sometimes a mixed blessing, he seemed to have thought, but an opportunity and lord relationship most men did not have in that time. The accompanying at the Dukes Palace Another interesting incident in Handels childhood also played a crucial reckon in his ambition to be a man of music. When his father was to visit Karl, the son from his former marriage, the seven year old George pleaded to be walk outn with him, even following the coach on foot when his father refused to take him with it. Eventually, the father agreed.When they arrived at the Duke of Saxe-Weisenfields Palace, where the son was a valet-de-chambre, the child wandered off, and started tinkering with the church organ, ineffective to resist it. The Duke heard the music, asked questions, and the child was brought to him. He asked the boy to play. The royalty recognize the childs talent and addressed his father telling him that it was a sort of crime against humanity to stifle so much blaze in its birth. The father conceded, and swore to respect the vocation. Handel was grateful to the Duke for his good advice to his father.In his later years, he even regarded the Duke as his benefactor. When they returned to Halle, his father allowed the child to be taught by Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, the Liebfrauenkirches organist and also permitted him to continue his school work. For the next 5 years, Handel acted as an assistant for Zachow, and finally got his first formal training in the field of music. Following His Fathers Wish Handels father ruled him with an iron grip, and even if he allowed the child to practice his ambition of being a musician, he still wished for him to continue a locomote in law.On February 11, 1967, the composers father died in his sleep, perhaps of old age. He left behind his widow, dickens daughters and son, who was then barel y 12 years old. Handel became them the man of the household, and was forced into an adult world at a tender age. Five years after his fathers death, February 1702, he entered the University of Halle, as a student of law or Studiosus Juris. This career choice, however, was not meant to last long. In July 1703, the eighteen year old Handel locomote to Hamburg, where he took a job in the theater as a violon di ripieno.Without his father keeping an eye on him, he was able to leave his base and his family, and become a musician. Friendship with Georg Philipp Telemann Handel was not the only musician who was engrossed in his deceased fathers dreams of studying law. Another young man by the name of Georg Philipp Telemann was also in the same plight, timid of his plans of studying law. His mother was insisting that he give up his dreams of music, in respect to his deceased fathers dreams for him. Telemann was born at Magdeburg in 1681, and was four years older than Handel.When they met, he was reluctantly traveling to the University of Leipzig to pursue law. Telemann says that while with Handel, he imbibed so much of the strong poison of music as to nearly overset all his resolutions. Handels enthusiasm for the profession influenced the other man so much, that he became tempted to go against what her mother wanted. However, Telemanns mothers wishes prevailed. Fortunately for him, a friend discovered one of his sing and presented it to a burgomaster, who declared it a fine harmony and inquired about the composer.He was employed to compose something for the church, and was given compensation. When he sent word to his mother (who was then supporting his finances) about this, he was able to prove to her that the profession she had been unfavorable to, yields good results and steady income after all. She finally gave him her blessing to pursue his dream. Handel and Telemann then renewed their friendship, corresponding regularly and meeting often with each other. One c omposers influence upon another is always extraordinary, as seen in Handel and Telemann. Like, their music, their friendship lasted a intenttime.They exchanged advice and encouragement, giving one another the much needed push to pursue the profession they both love. Meeting Johann Mattheson When Handel moved to Hamburg in 1703, one of the first flock he made friends with was Johann Mattheson, a composer, theorist and singer. Despite Matthesons young age, he had also become one of the most influential men in Hamburg. Like Telemann, he was four years older than Handel. Mattheson was gifted, but vain. Nevertheless, Handel was eternally grateful to Mattheson, because the latter(prenominal) introduced him to the musical life in the new place he was in.Mattheson recounts that the first time he met Handel, the young man was strong at the organ, stronger than Kuhnau in fugue and counterpoint, especially es tempore, but he knew very little about melody. Mattheson seconded Handel pursue hi s dreams, even introducing him to the English ambassador Sir Cyril Wyche. Their family music was assiduously cultivated, and here, Handel was able to get engagements and students. They worked at the opera together, and also went to genial excursions and musicals, despite numerous controversies that surrounded their friendship.They also traveled to Lubeck together, to contest each other for the post of the organist at the Marienkirche, to succeed Dietrich Buxtenhude, who was about to retire. They both withdrew, though, upon accomplishment that Buxtenhude wanted the successor to marry his daughter. During the time they spent together, the two became very good friends and inseparable companions. All good friends have their disagreements, and so did these two fervent individuals. Their personalities, fueled by the same music, can be very different at times, and often became the result of conflict.In the marketplace, in front of a large crowd, they fought with swords after a quarrel w hile conducting Cleopatra, Matthesons opera. The fight ended when a metal button on Handels coat broke Matthesons sword. Perhaps, they both realized the stupidity of their actions. Hence, the two musicians resolved the issue, buried the hatchet, and emerged better friends than ever. During his stay in Hamburg, Handel was able to produce a cantata on the Passion, four operas and several minor compositions.These, and the motion-picture show and experience from this place would not have been possible, if not for the guidance and help of his good friend and colleague Johann Mattheson. Concluding A Life Of Music George Frideric Handel died on April 14, 1759, peacefully in his sleep. He left behind a lifes worth of compositions, the most acclaimed and famous one being the the Nazarene. If a study on his operas and dramatic works was made, people will discover a Handel thats very unknown a composer with an unparalleled sense for dramatic human character.Perhaps, majority of it came from a life of experiences, but a tremendous part of it came from the people close-set(prenominal) to him. His family origins and closest friends influenced him, in such a way that he emerged as one of the most famous and celebrated composers in the world. References Bray, Anna Eliza. (1857). Handel His Life, Personal and Professional. Harvard University. Dent, Edward Joseph. (2007). Handel. BiblioBazaar, LLC. Harris, Ellen T. (2001). Handel As Orpheus juncture And Desire In The Chamber Cantatas. Harvard University Press. Hogwood, Christopher. (2005). Handel Water Music and Music for The purplish Fireworks. Cambridge UniversityPress. Lang, Paul Henry. (1996). George Frideric Handel. Courier Dove Publications. Sadie, Stanley & Hicks, Anthony. (1987). Handel Tercentenary Collection. Boydell and Brewer. Schoelcher, Victor. (1857). The Life of Handel. Oxford University. Streatfield, R. A. (2005). Handel. Kessinger Publishing. Van Til, Marian. (2007). George Frideric Handel A Music Lovers Guide to His Life, His Faith and the Development of Messiah and His Other Oratorios. WordPower Publishing. 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