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1685-1759
A barber's son born in Halle, Germany, Georg Friedrich Händel (German spelling) was supposed to go into law. He studied music, instead, traveling further than most composers would have during this time. In Italy, he met Corelli and both Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti.
Eventually, Händel spent his time between England and Germany, though primarily in England. He wrote for the Royal Academy of Music in London, whose primary purpose was to encourage Italian opera in England. Most audiences did not like opera, so he turned instead to writing oratorios. (An oratorio is a long piece of music that tells a story, generally religious in nature, but is not acted out.) His most famous oratorio, "Messiah," which details the birth of Christ using text directly from the liturgy, was first performed at a charity benefit for an orphanage in Dublin, Ireland and was a great success. A subsequent performance in London was not as well received; however, the piece became one of the only works from his time period not to be forgotten soon after it was written.
Händel's remains can be found in Westminster Abbey in London.
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