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Hello, and welcome to Spotlight. I'm Mike Procter.
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And I'm Marina Santee. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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The Hallelujah Chorus - one of the most famous pieces of music in the world. And it is one of the most performed! The man who wrote it was George Frideric Handel. He lived about 300 years ago. So why does Handel's music still interest people today? In today's Spotlight, we tell Handel's story. And we look at how he became so popular in both life and death!
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George Frideric Handel was born in 1685 in Germany. From a very young age, George showed a great gift for music. The first instrument he learned to play was the organ. And Handel soon learned to play the organ with great skill. And at that time, some of the best organs were found in churches. Handel's music teacher was a local organ master named Friederich Wilhelm Zachow.
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When Handel was 17, he became the official organ player at one of the churches in his home town, Halle. However, after a year he moved north - to the larger city of Hamburg. By this time he had learnt other musical instruments, like the violin. Handel used his skills to earn a living. He taught music to private students. And he joined other musicians in an orchestra! Together they played a number of different instruments. But Handel's main desire was to compose - to write - his own music. And so he did! By the age of 20, he had composed his first major piece of music for voice and instrument. This was an opera - a story told only in music and song. It was called "Almira". And, it was a great success!
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A year later, Handel left Hamburg. He travelled to Italy and spent the next four years there. During this period, he met many famous people from the world of music. They helped to influence Handel's own way of composing. And soon, Handel became just as famous as they were. He continued to write operas. He also composed a lot of church music.
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Handel's years in Italy had made him increasingly popular across Europe. And in 1710 he returned to Germany. There, he became the leader of an orchestra. It belonged to Prince George Augustus - a member of the German royal family! Handel composed music to order - music that the prince and his family asked for. But working for the prince gave Handel the chance to travel to Great Britain. Here, he directed a performance of one of his operas - and people loved it! Two years on, the whole country seemed to approve of Handel and his music! Handel even composed music for members of the British royal family. The queen gave him 200 pounds a year. Handel considered settling in the country. And this decision was made easier when Prince George Augustus dismissed Handel from his service.
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However that was not the last time Handel met George Augustus. The British queen, Anne, had died without any children. Prince George Augustus was one of Anne's closest relations. And she had named him as the next king. So, in 1714, George Augustus left Germany to become King George the First of Great Britain and Ireland. Handel continued to compose music for the royal family. And he became a British citizen in 1726.
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During his early years in Britain, Handel continued to compose operas. However, they became less and less popular. Some people disapproved of the operas' stories - they were not always very moral! And singers usually sang in a foreign language. People wanted music that they could understand - and maybe even sing themselves! So, Handel reacted to their demands. He started to produce another form of musical presentation - the oratorio.
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An oratorio was a large piece of music performed by single voices, along with a group of voices and different instruments. It was different from an opera. People sang an oratorio - they did not act it. An oratorio's story was often about religious characters. So this made it acceptable to the church-going public. It was a way for them to enjoy popular music without feeling that they were turning away from their religion. Also, Handel wrote his oratorios in English, and this pleased the British public. They could enjoy the beautiful music and understand what was going on!
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Handel's most famous oratorio is "The Messiah". It centres on the person of Jesus Christ. It tells of ancient prophets promising Jesus' birth. It tells of Jesus' life and work. And it finishes with his death and his rising to new life. It took Handel only three weeks to compose the music! And his friend, Charles Jennens, wrote the words for it. Jennens used parts of the Christian Bible to tell the story. And the result? One of the most popular pieces of music ever! And it is still performed around the world today!
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Handel first performed "The Messiah" in Ireland in 1741. And it amazed the people who heard it. One listener wrote:
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"Handel's wonderful Messiah will never be out of my head. I may say that my heart was raised almost to heaven by it!"
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Handel continued to perform "The Messiah" for many years after that. He often gave money from the performances to people in need. And this made the British public love him even more. Handel had given them music that they could understand and enjoy. They could even perform it themselves! And he also showed that he cared for the people around him - not just for his own musical success.
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Handel died on the sixteenth of April, 1759. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. This was a great honour! Usually only kings, queens and the most important British citizens are buried there. 3000 people went to watch the ceremony - and to mourn the loss of this great man.
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April 2009 marks the 250th anniversary of Handel's death. And there are many events happening around the world to celebrate Handel's music. People will always remember him best for his most famous piece of music: the Hallelujah Chorus.
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