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Essay Subject: (Christopher Hogwood). Reviews biography of 18th Cent. English composer born in Germany.... More...

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Paper Abstract: (Christopher Hogwood). Reviews biography of 18th Cent. English composer born in Germany. Paper Introduction: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the book Handel by Christopher Hogwood. This biography of the great German composer whose greatest renown was in England is regarded by many critics as the "definitive" work on the man and his music, and the most esteemed. Mr. Hogwood's background doubtless has much to do with this view, since he was a founder member of the Early Music Consort of London and from 1968 to 1976 was a regular member of that ensemble. He is also a world class conductor, having made his American debut in 1981 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. He has since conducted orchestras all over America, and is something of a "Handel expert." Handel's father intended that the boy should go in the Civil Service, considered a noble profession at the time (12). Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. London's Foundling Hospital, for example, received mostof the proceeds from his second "Music for the Royal Fireworks" concert, in1739. He also remained true to himself as an individual as against hiscuriosity as to what other composers were doing at the time. However, theidea of introducing great opera to the English people was a challenge tohim, which led to one of the milestones of his career. Handel'sdevelopment as a stylist cuts across chronological lines, as the authornotes (8 ). Handelused the opportunity to compose this piece as a chance to experiment withvarious forms, put them together and take them apart, and so delighted thenobility and the public at large with his novelty (72). During his most popular periods, Handelsuffered a great deal of criticism from respected voices in the arts (1 8). Bach).The first of his concertos to be published appeared at the end of 1737, inrelation to a pirated edition which has not come down to us (159). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the book Handel byChristopher Hogwood. He is also a world class conductor, having made his Americandebut in 1981 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. While there is some influence of German Passionsettings in the work, in general only two choruses represent the crowd(17 ). There is no evidence that at the time of his visit Handelthought about staying for a long period in the country (5 ). Works CitedHogwood, Christopher. The "Messiah" oratorio is one of the major reasons for Handel'senduring popularity through the years. When a chapel was completed for the Foundling Hospital the followingyear, Handel donated an organ built by Morse of Barnet (48). Handel had several advantages in the area of audience appreciation.One was the fact that in mid-eighteenth century England, there was agrowing appreciation and interest in "Ancient" music (234). Handel himself associated itwith Easter, while today it is performed mainly at Christmas (168). Hewas sixty years of age and his new wife, the daughter of a Giebichensteinpastor, was only thirty-two years old. The early experience of court patronage, with the one patronizedowing all duty to a single master, made Handel wary of court appointmentsall of his life (19). Other instrumental publications soon followed: a collection of sevensonatas for two violins, or German flutes, and a bass. The actual composition most likely represents anamalgamation of movements that he had used on various occasions. His years in Berlin opened his eyes to the fact thathe was a truly superior musician, as he mastered not only the organ andharpsichord, but also that very difficult instrument, the violin. To this end, he insisted on utilizing the best possible vocal talentsof his day, in the expression of his ideas. By the time he reached middle-age, Handel'sorgan concertos had become a regular feature of his concerts and remained amajor attraction up to the end of his life. Handel's "Water Music" provides another facet of his popularity--hisability to entertain. He did more than any other composer before or after to imbuenonItalians with a love for opera, and he probably carried that art form togreater heights than any other nonItalian composer, with the possibleexception of Wagner. Even during his decliningyears, when his eyesight failed and he suffered a stroke, his reputation asorganist remained unchallenged (the world had not yet heard of J.S. However, his first operatic work inEngland failed. However, he was never bulliedby the vocal talent or the personality of the singer. At an early age, and with the support of his finally relentingfather, the young Handel had lessons from the zestful Friedrich WilhelmZachow, who was organist at the Liebfrauenkirche and directed the localchorus in performances every third Sunday. It is the only "sacred" oratorio heever wrote, and contains little or no drama in the theatrical sense (167).What makes it a major religious work is the fact that it portrays thedivine scheme of Prophecy, Nativity, Crucifixion, Resurrection andAscension to the promise of Redemption, thereby making it appropriate forevery major Christian religious festival. After several travels to Italy, during which he learned everything hecould about the art of Opera and Italian music in general, as well asseveral unfulfilling posts in Germany, Handel first set foot on Englishsoil toward the end of 171 (49). Handel silenced many of these critics with his old standby, hismagnificent work on the organ. During his life Handel had acquired the status of a classic and hispopularity was such that a statue of him had been erected in VauxhallGardens. Handel is an inspiration to all of today's individualistic artistswho seek to inform the public as to what they should learn to appreciate,rather than simply give them a stronger dose of what they have enjoyedbefore. Their first child, a son, died atbirth; their second was Georg Friedrich, who during the subsequent fiveyears got two sisters, Dorothea Sophia and Johanna Christiana (12).Handel's biographers have traditionally taken the stance that during mostof Handel's life he was a martyr. After hisdeath, his music became the backbone of programs given by the Academy ofAncient Music and the Concerts of Ancient Music. It was "Il Pastor Fido," in which Handel's stereotypedpresentation of the pastoral failed to win an audience. Many English critics and other art lovers objected to Handel'simmense popularity in Great Britain, since he was a German plying a tradeusing an Italian art form. At the age of eighteen Handel became infatuated with the opera, andhis love affair with that art form never ceased until his death. After his death, the body of his work began to be looked at as asource of musical authority comparable in excellence to a poet or author ofthe ancient classical days (233). On the other hand,Handel was not just trying to entertain his public with his operas, butalso to educate them to the virtues of "opera seria." All but one of theoperas written during his Academy period are dynastic, epic and, somethink, suggestive of the ruling order, reflecting what the critic feels asHandel's own personal yearning for stability, succession and hierarchy onthe social scene of his day (8 ). Hehas since conducted orchestras all over America, and is something of a"Handel expert." Handel's father intended that the boy should go in the Civil Service,considered a noble profession at the time (12). However, many of hisfather's friends encouraged him to let the boy play the harpsichord and theorgan; in fact they said it would be a pity if he could not play them (14). His stubbornness inthe face of creating art and his constant revision were always in theinterest of the work at hand, never in the applause-induced glory of thesinger. Handel's father Georg wasa "surgeon-barber" (the two professions went hand in hand at the time).Georg's first wife died in 1682 and he remarried within a few months. His next work,"Teseo," did much better, being high tragedy in five acts (66). In the past, theEnglish enjoyed drama with song more than they liked "all-sung" stories,but Handel helped change all that. The theme of the piece is dealt with in unusual butappropriate restraint. Mr. Hogwood's background doubtlesshas much to do with this view, since he was a founder member of the EarlyMusic Consort of London and from 1968 to 1976 was a regular member of thatensemble. The oppression against him began with his father, who adamantlyopposed young Georg's entry into a musical career. The tutor also gave the young Handel subjects to work on,and made him copy and compose (15). The variouseditions of his music sold well, and helped keep Handel from going throughfinancial disaster, brought on by his inexperienced management oftheatrical and musical companies (89). A telling sign of his status in the eyes of music lovers is the factthat Handel was the first musician to be the subject of a biography(Mainwaring's Memoirs of the life of the Late Frederic Handel) (234). Both these institutionshelped to keep Handel's music alive in the minds of the public (236). London was a very exciting city at thistime, soon to become the "center of the world," at least the world of theBritish Empire. The work features little borrowing on the part of the composer,except from himself. This biography of the great German composer whose greatest renown wasin England is regarded by many critics as the "definitive" work on the manand his music, and the most esteemed. London: Thames and Hudson, 1984.----------------------- 7 Handel. Throughout his life, Handel gave generously of his time and money tocharitable causes. One of the reasons for this associationwas his own link with classic literary figures such as Milton and Drydenand the bases, most of them classical, of many of the plots of his bestoperas (234-237). From this Maestro the youngHandel learned his first major lessons in harmony, as well as master thestyles of music of the various European nations, particularly the Frenchand the German. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.