A Baker-Nord Cosponsored Event
When Handel arrived in London, he was in the employ of the Elector of Hanover, Georg Ludwig, who was heir to the throne of Great Britain. The current monarch Queen Anne welcomed Handel at court, and the composer quickly began composing works for ceremonial court occasions. In the meantime, Lord Burlington (who is thought to have supported the claims to the throne of “James III”, the nephew of Queen Anne who was living in exile in France) welcomed Handel into his artistic circle. How did these different political pulls on Handel’s time affect his career, and why was he fired by the Hanoverian elector? Although this talk focuses on Handel’s first years in London when he was simultaneously working for the Elector of Hanover, composing for Queen Anne, and accepting commissions from Lord Burlington, it also looks more broadly at his place in politics throughout his long London career.
Additional Resources
Cosponsored with:
The Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Program, CWRU Department of Music