Handel is by far my favorite composer. I am a baroque guy at heart, and although I adore Bach
and love Vivaldi (the comparison between these three might become an entry on its own) Handel
occupies the number 1 spot for me.
His music is at the same time analytical and exciting. Whereas Bach excels at the former and
does so (perhaps) even better than my guy, Handel does not compromise on how the audience feels
for the sake of musical mastery per se. This is very different for my personal philosophy when it
comes to stuff I love, so I think that if I were a composer I would probably resemble Bach more than Handel.
That being said, I am not a musician, and can, therefore, only benefit from Handel’s approach.
The guy did a lot of stuff. From operas to oratorios to instrumental pieces. He uses a lot of stuff. And while
most of them were standard among baroque composers, they still sound exciting to our modern ears. From recorders and
harpsichords to the signature oboe. And then there is the human voice. No composer from that period came close
to the wonders that are Handel oratorios. Not only that but he essentially elevated the use of English in
music by himself though he was not by any means the first to set English librettos to music.
In this post, I give you a very very short guide to some of my favorite pieces by Handel. To ensure as much
ease for the user as possible I am not suggesting you listen to entire operas or long instrumental works but
instead only give a few signature parts from any such pieces. Then I might list my favorite recordings/performances and
give suggestions if you want to know more. I have also separated my recommendations into several sections depending on
what people like best. Without further ado…
For the symphony lover:
The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba is a classic (you are about to read that a lot). It is actually part of an oratorio
Handel wrote called *Solomon*. The Arrival is a sinfonia that appears at the very beginning of the final Act III. It is
written for a pair of oboes and various strings. It has exactly this kind of exalted excitement that
makes Handel so recognizable.The Royal Fireworks are iconic if a bit cliche at this point. There is something so celebratory about them,
not to mention joyful, and I think in this day and age we can all use some of that.I mean you all know the water music, but one simply can't ignore it when one talks about Handel. Apart from
being the perfect balance between the former two, it takes this baroque-signature motive repetition to a level
never experienced before.
For the instrumental enjoyer:
You have almost certainly Handel's Sarabande (a type of French dance) given its prominence in the movie industry.
However, you have probably heard a piano arrangement, whereas the original piece was intended for a solo harpsichord.
This is one of the best examples of a more serious Handel, one member of the courts of kings and queens. While written
in D minor, it shifts from loud to quieter and then the reverse a few times exemplifying the mastery of complexity and
tonality that Handel possessed.Again, this was originally intended for keyboards, but has become more known in an arrangement for a violin
and a viola by Halvorsen. It is a type of song that originated in Spain and is once again intended to be
serious and "bassy". If you listen to the whole arrangement you will be amazed by the ease with which
Handel switches between moods. At times it is hard to believe this was written by one composer and that
it is from the Baroque period. It is, of course, also a perfect example of Handel's counterpoint
mastery rivaled only by Bach.To end on a high and joyous note here is a piece from a harps concerto in B Major. It is relatively unknown or
at least not as popular as most of the other stuff in this blog post. I love listening to it for the sheer
happiness it brings, so I do hope you too enjoy it.
In the next article, we will get into Handel's unrivaled territory- the operas and oratorios. And, believe me,
you will not be disappointed. As always, thank you for reading!