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George Handel

Birth: February 23, 1685, Halle, Germany
Death: April 14, 1759, London, England

Born in Germany in 1685, George Frederick Handel was one of the greatest composers of the baroque period. He began his musical career at the age of twelve when he became the assistant organist at the cathedral of Halle.

From 1706 to 1710, Handel lived in Italy, composing operas and oratorios in the Italian style. After that, he returned to Germany where he was the music director to the elector of Hanover, the man who became King George I of England in 1714. From 1719 to 1728 he was the music director of The Royal Academy of Music, and the so-called Second Academy from 1728 to 1734.

Handel wrote approximately forty-six operas, thirty-two oratorios, and he was a prolific composer in many other genres as well. He is well known for his outstanding contributions to church music, secular vocal music, and instrumental music of various types.

Handel's most well known oratorio, The Messiah, was written in a twenty-four day period in 1741. Portions of The Messiah are reflected in the familiar Christmas tune, "Joy to the World! The Lord is Come."

Page numbers in Trinity Hymnal (1990) and The Worshiping Church (1990)

Title	Trinity	Worshiping
Awake, My Soul, Stretch Every Nerve	576
I Know That My Redeemer Lives	690
Awake, My Soul, Stretch Every Nerve	576
I Know That My Redeemer Lives	690
Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come	195	146
My Soul Magnifies the Lord		351
O Christ, Our Hope, Our Heart's Desire	161
Thine Be the Glory	274	251
O Christ, Our Hope, Our Heart's Desire	161
Thine Be the Glory	274	251
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks	223