Handel (1685-1759) was born February 24, 1685, in Halle, Germany. He started his
career as a child performer on the piano. Aged 9 he composed some early work. Handel
had always had an affinity to opera and worked as violist and composer for Hamburg
opera house.

Later, he moved to London and was promoted to director of the Royal Academy of Music. There, his name was adapted to British spelling, hence his pseudonym 'George Frederic Handel'.

Handel was a prolific composer. His oeuvre consists of fifty operas, numerous oratorios and a large amount of church music and instrumental pieces. Today, his operas are mostly forgotten but Handel is still famous for his oratorios. 'The Messiah' ('Der Messias') is probably his best known composition. Another famous suite called 'Water Music' is said to have been the means of reconciliation between Handel and King George I of England.

During the last years of his life he was nearly blind, but he continued to conduct performances of his works and revise some of his scores.

He died in London on 14th April, 1759 and was buried in Westminster Abbey in the presence of
some 3000 mourners.