Skip to main content

George Frideric Handel - Famous works

Baroque painting illustrating musical life in Handel’s era, symbolizing the style and spirit of his works.
Johann Georg Platzer’s painting captures the vibrant atmosphere of Baroque musical life, the cultural world in which Handel flourished.

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) was one of the leading composers of the Baroque era and a central figure in the musical life of 18th-century Europe. His career spanned several national traditions—German, Italian, and English—and his music is distinguished by dramatic vitality, grand choral writing, and a clear, architecturally balanced style.

Handel composed across a wide range of genres, including opera, oratorio, orchestral suites, concerti grossi, and chamber music. His works remain foundational to the Baroque repertoire. The following is a representative selection of his most significant compositions.

Orchestral Works:

Oratorios:

  • Acis and Galatea, HWV 49
  • Athalia, HWV 52
  • Alexander’s Feast, HWV 75
  • Saul, HWV 53
  • Israel in Egypt, HWV 54
  • Messiah, HWV 56
  • Samson, HWV 57
  • Semele, HWV 58
  • Belshazzar, HWV 61
  • Judas Maccabaeus, HWV 63
  • Solomon, HWV 67
  • Jephtha, HWV 70

Concertos:

Chamber music:

Operas:

  • Almira (1705)   
  • Rodrigo (1707)  
  • Rinaldo (1711)
  • Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Ιούλιος Καίσαρ) (1724)
  • Rodelinda (1725)
  • Orlando (1733)
  • Ariodante (1735)
  • Alcina (1735)
  • Serse (Ξέρξης) (1738)

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Robert Schumann - Träumerei (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15 No. 7)

The Woodman’s Child by Arthur Hughes reflects the dreamy and introspective atmosphere of Schumann’s Träumerei from Scenes from Childhood . For Robert Schumann , music was almost always a deeply personal expression of introspection, emotion, and poetic reflection—qualities that firmly establish him as one of the most significant composers of the Romantic era. The piano was Schumann’s first great love, and his works for the instrument have proved remarkably enduring over time. Schumann composed Kinderszenen ( Scenes from Childhood ), his best-known piano cycle, in 1838. It consists of thirteen “peculiarly small pieces,” as the composer himself described them, each bearing a title that evokes a distinct childhood impression or memory. Although all thirteen pieces share a sense of intimacy and charm, “Träumerei” ( Dreaming ) stands out as the most beloved and universally recognized. The piece is frequently included in solo piano anthologies and is often chosen by virtuoso perform...
Post a Comment
Read more

Johann Strauss II - Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, Op. 214 in A major

The Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka , Op. 214, was composed in 1858 by Johann Strauss II following a highly successful concert tour in Russia. During the summer season, Strauss performed regularly at Pavlovsk, near Saint Petersburg, a fashionable venue for open-air concerts that played a crucial role in shaping his international reputation. Shortly after his return, the polka was premiered in Vienna on 24 November 1858. The title itself reveals Strauss’s playful wit. In German, “Tratsch” refers to gossip or idle chatter, while “Tritsch” carries no literal meaning. Together, the words form an onomatopoeic pun, imitating the sound of lively conversation—much like the English expression “chit-chat.” Such wordplay was characteristic of Strauss, who delighted in pairing light-hearted music with humorous or evocative titles. True to its name, the Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka bursts with energy and rhythmic vitality. Strauss once remarked that dancers might happily pause their movements, engaging in anima...
1 comment
Read more

Handel - Concerto for Organ and Orchestra No.13 in F Major, HWV 295, "The Cuckoo and The Nahtingale"

In this Organ Concerto, Handel famously imitates birdsong, a rare and charming example of musical pictorialism in his instrumental output. The characteristic calls of the cuckoo and the nightingale give the work its enduring subtitle and contribute to its immediate appeal. Like Handel’s other organ concertos, Concerto No. 13 was composed to be performed during the intervals of his oratorios. It was first presented on April 4, 1739, at the Royal Theatre in London, just two days after its completion, alongside the oratorio Israel in Egypt . Many of these concertos—including this one—contain extensive ad libitum passages. During these sections, the organist was expected to improvise freely, using the written material merely as a framework. Handel himself was a superb organist and astonished audiences with the brilliance and inventiveness of his improvisations. Movements: - Larghetto The concerto opens with a brief orchestral introduction presenting a gentle, expressive theme. The orga...
Post a Comment
Read more