George Frideric Handal was born on February 23, 1685 to Georg and Dorothea (nee Taust) Handal in Halle, Germany at Saxony-Anhalt. His father was a barber-surgeon who wanted his son to study law. His mother on the other hand, encouraged him on his music talents. George was skilled on the harpsichord and pipe organ by age seven and was composing music by age nine.

          1702, Handal went to University of Halle to study law to please his father. Year later, his father passed and he quit the university. He became the organist at Protestant Cathedral. Later moved to Hamburg to become a violinist in a orchestra of the opera house. There he wrote two operas: Almira and Nero in early 1705 and Daphne and Florindo in 1708.

          He moved to Italy, but the local authorities banned opera. So, he found a job as a composer of sacred music and wrote pieces in operatic style: Dixit Dominus in ’07, Rodrigo in Florence in ’07, and Agrippina in Venice in ’09. He also wrote two oratorios in Rome: La Resurrezione in ’09 and Il Trionfo del Tempo in ’10.

          One of his famous works Water Music was written in 1717. He wrote it for King George I. He held a concert on River Thames on a boat w/ other musicians. He liked Handal’s piece so much, he had him play it three more times. Messiah is considered Handal’s most famous work. Messiah is a oratorio written in 1741. It was first performed in Dublin on April the 13^th of 1742. The choir contained 26 boys and 5 men.

          April of 1737, Handal had a s stroke, leaving him paralysed in the right arm, cutting his performing years over at age 52. He also claimed he had problems with his eyesight. He later became blind in one eye in 1751 and the other followed.

          George Frideric Handal died in London on April 14^th, 1759. He was mourned by 3,000 attendants and buried in Westminster Abbey. He never married and he lead a rather private life. He left an estate in London and tons of money he gave to a niece in Germany and other gifts to relations, friends, and charities. He was one of the big influences of the younger musicians in his time, such as Mozart and Beethoven and Haydn.

          His music is rather relaxing. Not like Bach or Haydn. They have a soothing melody for the clam soul.