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George Frideric Handel (23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German–English Baroque composer who is famous for his operas, oratorios and concerti grossi. Handel's compositions include 42 operas; 29 oratorios; more than 120 cantatas, trios and duets; numerous arias; chamber music; a large number of ecumenical pieces; odes and serenatas; and 16 organ concerti. His oratorio Messiah, with its "Hallelujah" chorus, is among the most famous Baroque works and is a popular choice for performances during the Christmas season. Among Handel's best-known instrumental works are the Concerti Grossi Opus 3 and 6; "The Cuckoo and the Nightingale", in which birds are heard calling during passages played in different keys representing the vocal ranges of two birds; and his 16 keyboard suites, especially The Harmonious Blacksmith.
Contents
- Operas
- Latin church music
- Solo sonatas
- Arrangements byof other composers
- HWV missing
- Previously attributed
- References
Collected editions of Handel's works include the Händel-Gesellschaft (HG) and the Hallische Händel-Ausgabe (HHA), however the more recent Händel-Werke-Verzeichnis (HWV) publication is now commonly used to number his works. For example, Handel's Messiah can be referred to as: HG xlv, HHA i/17, or HWV 56. Some of Handel's music is also numbered based on initial publications, for example a 1741 publication by Walsh labelled twelve of Handel's concerti grossi as Opus 6.
Operas
All works are opera seria in three acts, unless otherwise stated.
Latin church music
Handel wrote the following Latin church music (including motets, Psalm settings, and antiphons):
Solo sonatas
The following table details the sonatas for various solo instruments (with keyboard accompaniment):
Arrangements by/of other composers
Handel's music was arranged by other composers. The arrangements included pasticcio, adaptations, and the inclusion of the work of other composers.
HWV missing
Handel's compositions that are not included in the HWV Catalogue include:
Previously attributed
The following works are no longer thought to have been composed by Handel: