George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

This week, Donald Macleod looks at Handel’s life and work during an important decade of his life. The 1730s saw Handel create some of his best-loved works, but also saw him fall out with singers and patrons in London, endure a stroke and attendant poor mental health, and mourn the death of one of his chief supporters, Queen Caroline.

Music Featured:

Esther HWV 50b (revised version 1732) (excerpts) Trio Sonata in C Major, HWV 403 Acis and Galatea, HWV 49 (Act I: Aria: Hush, ye pretty warbling quire) Concerto Grosso in D major Op. 3 No. 6 HWV 317 Orlando, HWV 31: Act II ScXI (Ah! Stigie larve; Vaghe pupille) Arianna in Creta HWV 32 (Act 2, Scene 12: Aria-Andante “Son qual stanco pellegrino”) Concerto Grosso in G Major, Op. 6, No. 1, HWV 319 Ariodante HWV 33 (excerpts) Deborah HWV 51 (excerpts) Alcina HWV 34 (Ombre Pallide) Alexander’s Feast HWV 75 (Part 1: Air and Chorus: Bacchus, ever fair and young; The many rend the skies (Chorus) Harp Concerto in B-flat major, Op. 4 No. 6 HWV 294 Organ Concerto Opus 4 No. 1 in G minor, HWV 289 (I. Larghetto, e staccato; IV. Andante) Atalanta HWV 35 (Act II Scene 2: Aria: Lassa! ch'io t'ho perduta) Arminio HWV 36 (Act III: Mira il ciel, vendrai d’Alcide) Giustino HWV 37 (Act I: Aira: Un vostro sguardo; Act II: Duet: Mio bel tesoro!) Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No.3 in E minor HWV 321 Il trionfo del Tempo et del Disinganno HWV 46ª (Part 2: Aria: Lascia la spina) Funeral Anthem for Queen Caroline: The Ways of Zion do Mourn: (Introduction and Chorus: The Ways of Zion Do Mourn) Serse HWV 40 (excerpts) Saul, HWV 53 (Act III Scene 5) Organ Concerto in F major (No. 13), “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale” HWV 295 (1st & 2nd mvts) Trio Sonata Op. 5 No. 6 in F major HWV 401 (4th, 5th & 6th mvts) Israel in Egypt HWV 54 (excerpts)

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Iain Chambers

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/m000t5w7

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