This year marks the 250th anniversary of the death of George Frideric Handel, one of the greatest
composers of the Baroque period. There are and have been celebrations of his life and works world
wide. Although he composed in every musical genre of his time, he is most famous for his oratorios,
and in particular the Messiah. The details of his public life are well-known, but his private life remains
obscure, especially in regard to his sexuality. It is of significance that he was associated with the Orpheus
myth throughout his life, and also in one of his monuments. In the eighteenth century Orpheus
was connected with both music and homosexuality. What the truth may be, Handel emerges as an even
more human and interesting figure than ever. His authentic portraits are discussed in two sections:
those with and those without his wig.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:tut/oai:encore.tut.ac.za:d1001287 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Steyn, C, Mare, EA |
| Publisher | South African Journal of Art History |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | |
| Rights | South African Journal of Art History |
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