ゲオルク・フリードリヒ・ヘンデル

ヘンデルは1685年、ドイツのハレで生まれました。同じ年、少しはなれた町ではバッハも生まれています。父は理髪外科医（床屋さんとお医者さんをかねた仕事）で、息子を法律家にしたいと考え、音楽にはあまり賛成しませんでした。それでも才能は隠せず、地元の教会のオルガン奏者ツァッハウに習って、オルガンや作曲の腕をどんどん上げていきました。Handel was born in Halle, Germany, in 1685, the same year Bach was born in a town not far away. His father was a barber-surgeon who wanted his son to become a lawyer and did not like the idea of a music career. But the boy's talent was too great to hide. He studied with Zachow, the organist of a local church, and quickly became skilled at the organ and composition.

18歳でハンブルクのオペラ劇場に入り、その後イタリアで修業してオペラの本場の技を身につけました。1710年、ドイツのハノーファーの宮廷楽長になりますが、すぐにロンドンへ出かけ、オペラ「リナルド」で大成功。そのままロンドンに住みつきます。1714年には、ハノーファーの主君がイギリス王ジョージ1世になります。すでにロンドンで成功していたヘンデルを、新しい王もその後ささえました。At eighteen he joined the opera house in Hamburg, and later he trained in Italy, the home of opera. In 1710 he became music director at the court of Hanover, but he soon went to London, where his opera Rinaldo was a huge hit. He decided to stay. Then in 1714, his old employer from Hanover became King George I of Great Britain. Handel was already successful in London, and the new king went on to support him.

ヘンデルは王室のために「水上の音楽」などを書き、1727年にはイギリス国籍をとりました。長くイタリア語のオペラ会社を経営しましたが、人気が下がって大損もします。そこで英語の歌詞による「オラトリオ」（物語のある合唱つきの大曲）に力を入れ、1741年、わずか24日ほどで「メサイア」を書き上げます。翌年ダブリンで初演され、大評判になりました。Handel wrote music for the royal family, including the Water Music, and became a British citizen in 1727. For years he ran Italian opera companies, but audiences lost interest and he lost a lot of money. So he turned to oratorios, large dramatic works for chorus and orchestra sung in English. In 1741 he wrote Messiah in only about 24 days. It was first performed in Dublin the next year and was a great success.

晩年のヘンデルは目が見えにくくなり、手術を受けましたが、やがて完全に失明します。それでもオルガンを弾き、「メサイア」の慈善公演を続けて、孤児院のために多くのお金を集めました。1759年、ロンドンで74歳で亡くなり、ウェストミンスター寺院に葬られます。葬儀には約3000人が集まったと伝えられ、今もイギリスの国民的作曲家として愛されています。In his later years, Handel's eyesight failed. He had surgery, but he eventually became completely blind. Even so, he kept playing the organ and leading charity performances of Messiah, raising a lot of money for a home for abandoned children. He died in London in 1759 at the age of 74 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. About 3,000 people are said to have come to his funeral, and Britain still loves him as one of its own.