Handel, George Frideric

George Frideric Handel was born in Halle (Saale) in 1685 and died in Westminster in 1759. George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer known for his operas. He was strongly influenced both by the Central German polyphonic choral tradition and by composers of the Italian Baroque. He is consistently regarded as one of the greatest composers of his time. In 1737, he suffered a physical collapse, changed his creative direction, turned to the middle class, and made the transition to English choral works. After his success with "Messiah," he never composed another Italian opera. His musical legacy remains alive worldwide and continues to be received with great attention.