George Frideric Handel - Revision history

Brett at 12:50, 13 August 2023

2023-08-13T12:50:24Z

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	{{picture\|file=George Frideric Handel.jpg\|caption='''George Frideric Handel''' (1685-1759), in a portrait attributed to Balthasar Denner (1685-1749)}}		{{picture\|file=George Frideric Handel.jpg\|caption='''George Frideric Handel''' (1685-1759), in a portrait attributed to Balthasar Denner (1685-1749)}}
	German-born English composer (b. 23 February 1685 in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt; d. 14 April 1759 in [[London]]), born '''''Georg Friedrich Händel''''' (Georg Friedrich Haendel).		German-born English composer (b. 23 February 1685 {{NS}} in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt; d. 14 April 1759 {{NS}} in [[London]]), born '''''Georg Friedrich Händel''''' (Georg Friedrich Haendel).

	==Tchaikovsky and Handel==		==Tchaikovsky and Handel==
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	* [[wikipedia:George_Frideric_Handel\|Wikipedia]]		* [[wikipedia:George_Frideric_Handel\|Wikipedia]]
	* {{IMSLP\|Handel,_George_Frideric}}		* {{IMSLP\|Handel,_George_Frideric}}
			* {{viaf\|5126950}}

	==Notes and References==		==Notes and References==

Tony at 14:03, 14 November 2022

2022-11-14T14:03:51Z

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	In the ''Foreword'' to his 1898 edition of Tchaikovsky's music-review articles, [[Herman Laroche]] stated quite bluntly that his late friend "could not stand Handel at all" <ref name="note1"/>, and this is certainly confirmed by Tchaikovsky's diary entry of 20 September/2 October 1886 (quoted below). Still, Tchaikovsky did make a distinction between Handel's oratorios, which in an article of 1872 ([[TH 269]]) he described as "dry and colourless" (except for the famous "Hallelujah" chorus in ''Messiah''), and his operas, which, as he pointed out in that article, were written in an altogether different style. This suggests that Tchaikovsky was familiar with at least a few of Handel's operas (it is unlikely that he would have had the chance to see any full stage performances, but arias from them were sometimes performed at Russian Musical Society concerts).		In the ''Foreword'' to his 1898 edition of Tchaikovsky's music-review articles, [[Herman Laroche]] stated quite bluntly that his late friend "could not stand Handel at all" <ref name="note1"/>, and this is certainly confirmed by Tchaikovsky's diary entry of 20 September/2 October 1886 (quoted below). Still, Tchaikovsky did make a distinction between Handel's oratorios, which in an article of 1872 ([[TH 269]]) he described as "dry and colourless" (except for the famous "Hallelujah" chorus in ''Messiah''), and his operas, which, as he pointed out in that article, were written in an altogether different style. This suggests that Tchaikovsky was familiar with at least a few of Handel's operas (it is unlikely that he would have had the chance to see any full stage performances, but arias from them were sometimes performed at Russian Musical Society concerts).

	In that article of 1872 Tchaikovsky also recalled a performance of the "Hallelujah" chorus by a thousand-strong choir at the Crystal Palace in [[London]] and the unforgettably "overwhelming" impression which it had caused on him. This concert must have taken place on 8 or 9 August 1861 {{NS}} during his first trip to Western Europe, which included a five-day stay in [[London]]. However, despite his admiration for the "Hallelujah" chorus, Tchaikovsky does not seem to have changed his overall negative opinion of Handel. It is interesting, though, that in April 1883 [[Sergey Taneyev]] shared with him his impressions of a Russian Musical Society concert conducted by [[Anton Rubinstein]] in [[Saint Petersburg]] at which Handel's oratorio ''Israel in Egypt'' (1739) was performed in its entirety. [[Taneyev]] had studied the score carefully in preparation for the concert and in his letter to Tchaikovsky described enthusiastically the beauty of the first part, especially the vivid depictions of the plagues visited upon Egypt. [[Taneyev]] even compared the sound of some of the majestic choruses in this oratorio with the finale of [[Beethoven]]'s Fifth Symphony, pointing out to his former teacher that [[Beethoven]] in his time had been a fervent admirer of Handel (for his ability to achieve great effects with such simple means) <ref name="note2"/>. [[Taneyev]] also informed Tchaikovsky that he was translating and transcribing for piano some of the choruses from this oratorio as well as from ''Samson'' (1743) and that he hoped to play them to him some day.		In that article of 1872, Tchaikovsky also recalled a performance of the "Hallelujah" chorus by a thousand-strong choir at the Crystal Palace in [[London]] and the unforgettably "overwhelming" impression which it had caused on him. This concert must have taken place on 8 or 9 August 1861 {{NS}} during his first trip to Western Europe, which included a five-day stay in [[London]]. However, despite his admiration for the "Hallelujah" chorus, Tchaikovsky does not seem to have changed his overall negative opinion of Handel. It is interesting, though, that in April 1883 [[Sergey Taneyev]] shared with him his impressions of a Russian Musical Society concert conducted by [[Anton Rubinstein]] in [[Saint Petersburg]] at which Handel's oratorio ''Israel in Egypt'' (1739) was performed in its entirety. [[Taneyev]] had studied the score carefully in preparation for the concert and in his letter to Tchaikovsky described enthusiastically the beauty of the first part, especially the vivid depictions of the plagues visited upon Egypt. [[Taneyev]] even compared the sound of some of the majestic choruses in this oratorio with the finale of [[Beethoven]]'s Fifth Symphony, pointing out to his former teacher that [[Beethoven]] in his time had been a fervent admirer of Handel (for his ability to achieve great effects with such simple means) <ref name="note2"/>. [[Taneyev]] also informed Tchaikovsky that he was translating and transcribing for piano some of the choruses from this oratorio as well as from ''Samson'' (1743) and that he hoped to play them to him some day.

	Tchaikovsky himself had the chance to hear a performance of ''Israel in Egypt'' during a student concert at the [[Moscow]] Conservatory on 7/19 December 1886, but a laconic diary entry for that day records the effect it produced on him as "boring" <ref name="note3"/>. From his diaries we also know that during his American tour Tchaikovsky attended a full performance of the same Handel oratorio at the newly inaugurated Music Hall (later the Carnegie Hall) in [[New York]] on 9 May 1891 {{NS}}, and this time the impression confided to his diary was more positive: "the performance was excellent" <ref name="note4"/>.		Tchaikovsky himself had the chance to hear a performance of ''Israel in Egypt'' during a student concert at the [[Moscow]] Conservatory on 7/19 December 1886, but a laconic diary entry for that day records the effect it produced on him as "boring" <ref name="note3"/>. From his diaries, we also know that during his American tour Tchaikovsky attended a full performance of the same Handel oratorio at the newly inaugurated Music Hall (later the Carnegie Hall) in [[New York]] on 9 May 1891 {{NS}}, and this time the impression confided to his diary was more positive: "the performance was excellent" <ref name="note4"/>.

	==General Reflections on Handel==		==General Reflections on Handel==

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{{picture|file=George Frideric Handel.jpg|caption='''George Frideric Handel''' (1685-1759), in a portrait attributed to Balthasar Denner (1685-1749)}}
German-born English composer (b. 23 February 1685 in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt; d. 14 April 1759 in [[London]]), born '''''Georg Friedrich Händel''''' (Georg Friedrich Haendel).

==Tchaikovsky and Handel==
In the ''Foreword'' to his 1898 edition of Tchaikovsky's music-review articles, [[Herman Laroche]] stated quite bluntly that his late friend "could not stand Handel at all" <ref name="note1"/>, and this is certainly confirmed by Tchaikovsky's diary entry of 20 September/2 October 1886 (quoted below). Still, Tchaikovsky did make a distinction between Handel's oratorios, which in an article of 1872 ([[TH 269]]) he described as "dry and colourless" (except for the famous "Hallelujah" chorus in ''Messiah''), and his operas, which, as he pointed out in that article, were written in an altogether different style. This suggests that Tchaikovsky was familiar with at least a few of Handel's operas (it is unlikely that he would have had the chance to see any full stage performances, but arias from them were sometimes performed at Russian Musical Society concerts).

In that article of 1872 Tchaikovsky also recalled a performance of the "Hallelujah" chorus by a thousand-strong choir at the Crystal Palace in [[London]] and the unforgettably "overwhelming" impression which it had caused on him. This concert must have taken place on 8 or 9 August 1861 {{NS}} during his first trip to Western Europe, which included a five-day stay in [[London]]. However, despite his admiration for the "Hallelujah" chorus, Tchaikovsky does not seem to have changed his overall negative opinion of Handel. It is interesting, though, that in April 1883 [[Sergey Taneyev]] shared with him his impressions of a Russian Musical Society concert conducted by [[Anton Rubinstein]] in [[Saint Petersburg]] at which Handel's oratorio ''Israel in Egypt'' (1739) was performed in its entirety. [[Taneyev]] had studied the score carefully in preparation for the concert and in his letter to Tchaikovsky described enthusiastically the beauty of the first part, especially the vivid depictions of the plagues visited upon Egypt. [[Taneyev]] even compared the sound of some of the majestic choruses in this oratorio with the finale of [[Beethoven]]'s Fifth Symphony, pointing out to his former teacher that [[Beethoven]] in his time had been a fervent admirer of Handel (for his ability to achieve great effects with such simple means) <ref name="note2"/>. [[Taneyev]] also informed Tchaikovsky that he was translating and transcribing for piano some of the choruses from this oratorio as well as from ''Samson'' (1743) and that he hoped to play them to him some day.

Tchaikovsky himself had the chance to hear a performance of ''Israel in Egypt'' during a student concert at the [[Moscow]] Conservatory on 7/19 December 1886, but a laconic diary entry for that day records the effect it produced on him as "boring" <ref name="note3"/>. From his diaries we also know that during his American tour Tchaikovsky attended a full performance of the same Handel oratorio at the newly inaugurated Music Hall (later the Carnegie Hall) in [[New York]] on 9 May 1891 {{NS}}, and this time the impression confided to his diary was more positive: "the performance was excellent" <ref name="note4"/>.

==General Reflections on Handel==
===In Tchaikovsky's Music Review Articles===
* [[TH 269]] — Tchaikovsky discusses a performance of the "Hallelujah" chorus and praises Handel for his ability to deploy the singers' voices and achieve "unprecedentedly splendid mass effects". This alone, Tchaikovsky argues, ensured that Handel's sacred music, which was otherwise "dry and colourless", still remained popular.

===In Tchaikovsky's Diaries===
* Diary entry for 20 September/2 October 1886, in which Tchaikovsky reflects mainly on his contrasting feelings for [[Mozart]] and [[Beethoven]]:
{{quote|As for the predecessors of these two, what I would say is that I like playing [[Bach]] because it is entertaining to play a good fugue, but I do not acknowledge in him (as others do) a great genius. Handel for me has very much a fourth-rate significance, and in his music there isn't even anything entertaining. '' [[Gluck]]'', despite the relative poverty of his creative faculty, I find attractive. I like a thing or two in [[Haydn]]'s music. However, all these four big shots [[[Bach]], Handel, [[Gluck]], and [[Haydn]]] are amalgamated in [[Mozart]]. He that knows [[Mozart]] knows everything that was good about these four, since, being the greatest and most powerful of musical ''Creators'', he did not disdain to take them under his wing, thereby saving them from oblivion. They are like rays which are submerged in the sun that [[Mozart]] is <ref name="note5"/>.}}

==On Specific Works by Handel==

===In Tchaikovsky's Music Review Articles===
* "Hallelujah Chorus" from ''Messiah'', oratorio, HWV 56 (1742) — [[TH 269]]

==External Links==
* [[wikipedia:George_Frideric_Handel|Wikipedia]]
* {{IMSLP|Handel,_George_Frideric}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">From [[Herman Laroche]]'s {{bib|1898/15|Foreword}} [Foreword] to his 1898 edition of Tchaikovsky's music review articles, which is reprinted (in German translation) in {{bib|2000/42|Peter Tschaikowsky. Musikalische Essays und Erinnerungen}} (2000), xxi.</ref>
<ref name="note2">Letter from [[Sergey Taneyev]] to Tchaikovsky, 10/22 April 1883. See {{bib|1951/48|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 99.</ref>
<ref name="note3">Diary entry for 7/19 December 1886. See {{bib|1993/231|Дневники П. И. Чайковского, 1873-1891}} (1993), p. 116.</ref>
<ref name="note4">Diary entry for 27 April/9 May 1891. See {{bib|1993/231|Дневники П. И. Чайковского, 1873-1891}} (1993), p. 277.</ref>
<ref name="note5">Quoted here from {{bib|1940/107|Дни и годы П. И. Чайковского}} (1940), p. 385–386.</ref>
</references>
[[Category:People|Handel, George Frideric]]
[[Category:Composers|Handel, George Frideric]]