George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Kate Molleson shares stories of Handel’s music at summer soirees across the British Isles

When he arrived in London in 1712, German-born George Frideric Handel was already one of Europe’s most exciting musical minds. Over the next decades he would not only carve a living for himself, but transform British musical life, from the opera stage to the choir stalls, and hardwire his legacy into our culture. This week, Kate Molleson tells the stories of five summer soirees from across his life in the British Isles – golden evenings of 18th-century music making, and some of his most eventful performances.

Music Featured:

Water Music (Suite 2: i. Allegro) Water Music (Suite 2: ii. Hornpipe) Water Music (Suite 1: excerpt) Water Music (Suite 3) Qual nave smarrita (from Radamisto) Water Music (Suite 1: excerpt) Acis and Galatea (Overture) Chandos Te Deum (excerpt) Chandos Anthem No 4 ‘O sing unto the Lord a new song’ Acis and Galatea, Act II: Nos 25-29 Keyboard Suite in E major ‘The Harmonious Blacksmith’, HWV430 (Air & Variations) Esther, Act I, Scene 4: Tune your harps to cheerful strains; Praise the Lord Organ Concerto in B-flat major, Op 4 No 2 Jubilate Deo in D major ‘Utrecht’, HWV279 Athalia, Act II Scene 2: My vengeance awakes me L’Allegro, il penseroso ed il moderato: As steals the morn Alexander’s Feast, Part I (excerpt) Messiah, Part 2 (excerpt) Messiah, Part 3: Amen Hornpipe compos’d for Vauxhall Acis and Galatea: Hush ye pretty warbling quire Semele: Where’er you walk Concerto Grosso in F major, Op 3 No 4b Zadok the Priest Music for the Royal Fireworks (excerpt)

Presented by Kate Molleson Produced by Amelia Parker for BBC Audio Wales and West

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001q14p

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z