Beginning of Essay
"Handel is the greatest composer who ever lived. I would bare my head and kneel at his grave." Georg Friedrich Handel was born on February 23, 1685 in Marienkirche, Halle. At the age of seven, Handel visited Saxon Court at Weissenfels with his father. It was he ....

Middle of Essay
.... 8, 1705 that Almira premiered. From 1706 until approximately 1710, Handel composed 100 chamber cantatas while living in Italy. Some of these cantatas were composed while Handel was employed as a household musician to Marchese Francisco Maria di Ruspoli during a sixth month span in 1707. These cantatas were composed for meetings of the Arcadian Academy. In 1710 Handel became the director of music for the elector of Hanover. Handel then took a position in 1718 as the director of music for the duke of Chandos. During this whole time span Handel had composed many operas and cantatas. Unfortunately, Handel started having trouble with his vision ....