HANDEL (han'del), properly HAEN DEL (hen'del), GEORGE FREDERICK, a great German composer; born in Halle,. Prussia, Feb. 23, 1685. The passion which he early showed for music over came his father's opposition to training him as a musician, and at the age of 7 he was placed under the tuition of Zachau, organist of Halle Cathedral. In 1696 he was sent to Berlin, where he heard the music of Bononcini and Ari osti. He returned to Halle, was ap pointed organist of the cathedral in 1702, but soon left to visit Hanover and Hamburg. At Hamburg he played second violin in the orchestra, and brought out in 1704 his first work, an oratorio on the Passion, and his first opera, "Almira," followed in February by his "Nero," and subsequently by his "Florinda and Daphne." In 1706 he went to Italy, visiting Florence, Venice, Naples, and Rome. On his return to Germany he entered the service of the Elector of Hanover, afterward George I. of England, as musical director. He visited England twice, and ultimately having received a pension from Queen Anne, settled down there. He was placed
at the head of the newly founded Royal Academy of Music, and accumulated a large fortune. Among the operas which he had composed up to this date (1735) are "Rhadamistus," "Ju lius Cwsar," "Flavius," "Tamerlane," "Richard I.," "Orlando," "Ariadne," etc. His last opera was performed in 1740. By this time he had begun to de vote himself chiefly to music of a serious nature and he produced successfully "Esther" (1731), "Deborah" (1732), "Athalia" (1733), "Israel in Egypt," "L'Allegro and Il Penseroso," "Saul," and "The Messiah," his chief work (1741). In 1742 the "Samson" ap peared, in 1746 the "Judas Maccabwus," in 1748 the "Solomon," and in 1752 the "Jephthah." In 1752 he became blind, continuing to perform in public and even to compose. He died in London, April 13, 1759, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.