BIOGRAPHIC DETAILS: ENGLAND 1712-1726

1712

7 August: Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow dies at the age of 48.

Autumn: Returns to London in late autumn. At first Handel stayed with a certain "Mr Andrews of Barn-Elms", (now Barnes in Surrey) and later, until 1716, with Richard Boyel (sic), Earl of Burlington.

24 October: Handel finished his opera "Il Pastor fido" (HWV 8a).

22 November: First performance of "Il Pastor fido" in Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats 26 and 29 November, 3, 6, and

27 December 1712 as well as 21 February 1713.

19 December: Handel finished the opera "Teseo" (HWV 9).

1713

8 January: Arcangelo Corelli dies  at the age of 59.

10 January: First performance of "Teseo" in the Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats 14, 17, 24 and 28 January, 4, 11, 14 and 17 February, 17 March, 18 April and 16 May 1713. After the second performance, the theatre manager Owen Swiny, took off with the proceeds.

14 January: Final completion of "Utrecht Te Deum" (HWV 278)

6 Feburary: Assumed first performance of "Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne" (HWV 74) which had been completed shortly before. Whether it actually took place or not is not known.

26 February: First performance of the pastiche "Ernelinda" in the Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket. cf. W. C. Smith II, p. 288 or III p. 141 "possibly the person's work whose second act is found in Hamburg and on which Handel had collaborated".
Spring 1713-1717: Handel stays in Richard Boyle third Earl of Burlington's palace in Piccadilly. Meets John Gay, Alexander Pope, John Arbuthnot. The young Duke's mother, Lady-in-waiting to the Queen, probably supported Handel's presentation at court. The invitation for this visit probably came to Handel at a very early point in the year. (The details about the start of this sojourn vary in Handel's biographies between 1712 and 1716, cf. June/July 1713). Handel left Burlington House at the latest in the summer of 1717.

31 March (11 April): Conclusion of the Utrecht Peace Treaty between England and France. Proclamation in London on 5 May. Peace between France and the Empire did not come until 1714. France had to do without dynastic unification with Spain. (According to the continental calendar the date of the Peace Treaty was 11 April).

June/July: Private performance of Handel's opera "Silla" (HWV 10) on the stage of Burlington House. Since Burlington was staying in Italy from November 1714 to January 1715, this performance was dated as spring 1715 or even just before November 1714. The surviving printed text book is dated 2 June with a dedication by Giacomo Rossi to Louis-Marie D'Aumont Rochebaron, Louis XIV on 2 June. A precise timing of June/July 1713 can be set as a special envoy had been sent to England (cf. 31 March 1713) at the end of 1712 during the process of the peace talks. The libretto is quite clear as naming Handel as the composer but not the names of the singers.

7 July: Performance of the "Utrecht Te Deum" and "Jubilate" in St Paul's Cathedral.

1714

6 February: First performance of "Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne" (HWV 74) in Windsor. For the dating of this performance as 6 February 1713 cf. W. C. Smith I, p. 296, II, p. 150 as well as Walther Siegmund-Schultze. Queen Anne is said to have granted Handel a life-long annual pension of  200 (cf. also spring 1713).

1 August: Death of Queen Anne. Proclamation of the Elector of Hanover (Braunschweig-Lüneburg) (grandson of James I) as King George I of England.

18 September: George I comes to England.

1715

25 May: First performance of the opera "Amadigi" (HWV 11) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 11, 15 and 28 June,

2 and 9 July: Further performances: London 16 and 21 February, 3 and 6 March, 20 June, and 12 July 1716; 16 and 23 February, 21 March, 11 April and 30 May 1717. – Hamburg: September 1717 (under the title "Oriana"); 6, 9 and 10 February, 14, 21 and 29 June, 9, 17 and 24 August and 2 October 1719; 12 and 28 August and 12 September 1720.

22 August: On this day, according to James Peller Malcolm, the King's court made a trip on the Thames to Limehouse. This could have offered the opportunity for Handel's ‘ reconciliation' with George I, first reported by Mainwaring. Apparently it did not come to an actual row.

1716

13 March and 29 June: Two of Handel's letters, probably to the secretary of the South Sea Company, with the request to pay out his dividend of  500 capital that he had probably invested the previous year. The first pieces of evidence about Handel's financial affairs, it is assumed that he needed the money for his forthcoming trip to Germany. Mainwaring, Burney and Hawkins offer opposing opinions about Handel's income and financial dealings. Reliable details are also missing with regards to the three pensions, each  200 that Handel is supposed to have received: from Queen Anne, George I and as teacher to the Royal Princesses (cf. Mainwaring p.92). Although Handel's financial position was often under pressure, there is nothing to suggest that he was ever bankrupt, not even in 1737 or 1745. On his death he left a fortune of  20 000 which by careful estimation could be worth approx  5 million. (cf. W. C. Smith I, pp. 9-64)

July: Trip to Hanover in the entourage of George I.

Summer/Autumn: Visit to relations in Halle and also his friend Johann Christoph Schmidt in Asbach who follows him to London. Return from Hanover to London probably at the end of the year. (The King does not return until 18 January 1717. Even as the English King, George I felt more like a German duke, he also spoke hardly any English).

1717

5 June: In the last performance of "Rinaldo" (HWV 7a) the French dancer Marie Sallé appeared for the first time in one of Handel's operas. He is said to have often worked with her later.

17 July: Kings court takes a trip on the Thames, performance of Handel's "Water Music" (HWV 348-350). cf. Hans F. Redlich and O. E. Deutsch, p. 76ff. Johan Mattheson dedicated "Das beschützte Orchestre" ("The protected orchestra") (Hamburg 1717) to 13 contemporary musicians among them Reinhard Keiser and George Philipp Telemann as well as George Frideric Handel. (His dedication is dated 19 July 1717.)

1717-1719

From the summer 1717 to the latest February 1719, sojourn in Cannons at the invitation of the James Brydges, Earl of Carnavon (sic), later Duke of Chandos. Compositions included the "Chandos Anthems" (HWV 246-256), the first six, it is assumed in summer and autumn 1717, the following six in 1718, certainly at the beginning of the year.

1718

8 August: Death of Handel's sister Dorothea Sophia Michaelsen.
Composition of "Acis and Galatea" (HWV 49a) and its performance in Cannons, probably in that year.

1719

February: Foundation of The Royal Academy of Music, whose directors included Attilio Ariosti, Giovanni Bononcini and Handel.

20 February: Letter to his brother-in-law Michael Dietrich Michaelsen on the death of his sister. Delay in his long planned trip to Germany probably caused by the preparations for the foundation of The Royal Academy of Music.

24 February: Letter to Johann Mattheson. Second answer to Mattheson's inquiry seeking Handel's opinion on solmization and the Greek modes. (Handel's previous letter is lost.) For him they seemed to be of little importance or use for the modern musician. Mattheson's request for an autobiographical outline did not materialise due to a shortage of time at the time.

3 April: First performance of "The Passion according to Barthold Heinrich Brockes" (HWV 48) in Hamburg Cathedral. Handel composed the passion in 1716 or 1717. The text by Brockes "Jesus, the martyr, who died for the sins of the world, according to the four Gospels" (Hamburg 1712) was also set to music by Reinhard Keiser (1712), George Philipp Telemann (1716) and Johann Mattheson (1718). Mattheson's composition was performed on 20 March 1719, Telemann's Passion on 4 April and, according to Chrysander; Keisers setting was performed again in Hamburg. Further Performances in Hamburg: 20 March 1720, 7 April 1721, 2 April 1724.

May-December:

Trip to Germany.
Authority and instructions for the trip by Thomas Holles, Duke of Newcastle, Lord Chamberlain and governor of The Royal Academy of Music, dated 14 May. Engagement of singers for The Royal Academy. Sojourns in Düsseldorf, in Halle, where he is supposed to have missed Johann Sebastion Bach, and in Dresden. In September Handel played the harpsichord here in front of Frederick August I, Elector of Saxony. ("August the strong", King August II of Poland.) Return to London at the end of the year. It is assumed Handel left Dresden at the end of October and travelled via Halle to Herrenhausen near Hanover. He joined the King's entourage that had left London on 11 May from here he returned to England in December. and (cf. Johannes Gress.)

26 July: Letter from Dresden to Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington. Report of the planned contract with the singers Senesino (Francesco Bernardi), Matteo Berselli and Guicciardi (who never actually came to England).

1720

2 April: Opening of the first season of The Royal Acadamy of Music with Giovanni Porta's opera "Numitore".

27 April: First performance of Handel's opera "Radamisto" (HWV 12) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. When the opera resumed on 28 December Senesino, who had come to England towards the end of the year, sang as Radamisto, his first Handel rôle and Signora Durastani played Zenobia. Repeat performances: 30 April, 4, 7, 11, 14, 18 and 21 May, 18 and 22 June 1720. Further performances (in a reworked edition): London: 28 and 31 December 1720 and 4, 21 and 25 January, 21 and 25 February 1721; 25 and 29 November and 2 and 6 December 1721 (perhaps also on 28 but not 31 December), probable other performances 1728 – Hamburg: performances since 28 January 1722 (under the title "Zenobia"), 17 performances 1722, 6 performances 1723, one performance each in 1724 and 1726, 3 performances in 1736.

14 June: First Royal printing patent granted to Handel, in force until 1734. First used on the first edition of "Suites des Pieces pour le Clavecin" published on 14 November and for the first edition of "Radamisto" of 13 December 1720.

25 June: End of the first season of The Royal Academy. First performance of the masque "Haman and Mordecai" (HWV 50a), the first setting of Handel's oratorio "Esther" (HWV 50) in Cannons. Thus far it is not possible to give this performance an exact date. It was probably in the months following the end of the first season and before the beginning of the second season of The Royal Academy, as Handel had the chance to fulfil another visit to Cannons. But a performance on the occasion of the official opening of the chapel in Cannons on 29 August 1720 is not likely. Further performances: London: 23 February and 1 March, 3 March, 20 April 1732, 24 February 1743, 26 February 1753. cf. 23 February and 2 May 1732. cf. O. E. Deutsch p. 112, W. Dean p. 191.

14 November: Publication of the first collection of harpsichord suites by John Cluer in London (HWV 426-433).

19 November: Opening of the second season of The Royal Academy (with "Astarto" by Bononcini).
 Handel subscribes to John Gay's "Poem on Several Occasions".

1721

23 March: Handel finishes the third act of the opera "Muzio Scevola" (HWV 13). The first act was composed by Filippo Amadei and the second by Giovanni Bononcini.

15 April: First performance of the opera "Muzio Scevola" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeat performances: 19, 22, 26 and 29 April, 3, 6, 13 and 17 Mai and 7 June 1721. Further Performances: London 7,10, and 13 November 1721, 27 (?) and 31 October as well as 10 and 13 November 1722 – Hamburg 7 January 1723.

1 November: Opening of the third season of The Royal Academy.

28 November: Handel finished the opera "Floridante" (HWV 14)

9 December: First performance of the opera "Floridante" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeat performances: 13,16, 20, 23, 27 and 30 December 1721, 3 and 5 January, 13 and 20 February, 25 and 28 April, 23 and 26 May 1722. Further performances: London: 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22 and 26 December 1722; 29 April and 12 May 1727; 3, 6, 10 and 13 March, 8, 15 and 19 May 1733; - Hamburg 1723: 11 performances starting on 28 April.

1721-1742

Robert Walpole Prime Minister. Walpole promotes the further strengthening of England as a maritime and colonial power and also the British slave trade.

1722

9 February: First verifiable date of a performance of the "Water Music"

10 August: Handel completes the opera "Ottone" (HWV 15).

27 October or 7 November: Opening of the fourth season of The Royal Academy with "Muzio Scevola" (cf. Deutsch, p. 136 f.) The Dayly Courant  announced the performance for this day but did not publish the usual repeat announcement on the same day as the performance. The announcement on 31 October made no mention of a postponement. Burney (II, 721) gives the date of the new performance as 7 November, Kelly the 31 October, Chrysander 27 October.
First publication of Handel's twelve sonatas for violin, flute or oboe with basso continuo (HWV 359-367, 369, 372, 373) and the six sonatas for two violins oboes or flutes op. 2 (HWV 386-391) by Jeanne Roger in Amsterdam. Around 1732/1733 John Walsh's first edition of the 12 solo sonatas with slightly differing content (HWV 359-370) and also a new edition of the 6 trio sonatas op. 2.

December: Francesca Cuzzoni's arrival in London.

1723

12 January: First performance of the opera "Ottone" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket with the debut of F. Cuzzoni. Repeat performances: 15, 19, 22, 26 and 29 January, 2, 5, 12 and 16 February, 26 March, 4 and 8 June 1723. Further performances: London: 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26 and 28 February, 5 and 8 March 1726; 11 and 13 April 1727; 13, 17 20 and 24 November 1733; 5 (cf. Deutsch p. 376 f.), 10, 14, 17, 21 and 23 December 1734. – Brunswick: August 1723 and February 1725. – Hamburg: 1726 four performances, starting 15 May, 1727 and 1729 one performance each.

25 February: Handel named as "Composer of Musick for his Majesty's Chapel Royal".

7 May: Handel finishes the opera "Flavio" (HWV 16)

14 May: First performance of "Flavio" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 18, 21, 25, 27 and 30 May, 11 and 15 June 1723. Further performances: London: 18,22 25 and 29 April 1732.

July: Handel moves into his house in Brook Street (after 1766 57 Brook Street, since 1868 number 25), Hanover Square, where he lives until his death.

27 November: Opening of the fifth season of The Royal Academy with "Farnace " by Bononcini.

1724

5 January: Performance of a "Te Deum and a new Anthem" in the Chapel Royal "in the presence of the King and members of the Royal household" ("London Journal", 11 January). In all probability "Utrecht Te Deum und Jubilate" (HWV 278) and the anthem " O praise the Lord, ye angels of his" (HWV 257) were performed. King George I had returned from Hanover shortly before.

20 February: First performance of the opera "Guilio Cesare" (HWV 17) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 22, 25, 27 and 29 February, 3, 7,10,14, 21, 24 and 28 March, 7 and 11 April 1724. Further performances: London: 2, 5, 9, 16, 19, 23 and 26 January, 2, 6 and 9 February 1725, 17, 24, 27 and 31 January, 3, 7, 14, 17 and 21 February, 21 and 31 March 1730; 1, 5, 8 and 12 February 1732; - Brunswick: August 1725 and August 1733. – Hamburg: 21 November 1725; 29 April and 3 December 1726; 9, 12 and 16 June 1727; 17 August 1733.
The performances planned for 5 September 1735 and 27 November 1737 could not take place (Deutsch, p. 395, 442). There was a total of 36 performances until the end of the Hamburg Opera in 1738. – Vienna, 1731.

13 June: End of the fifth season of The Royal Academy of Music with a performance of the pastiche "Aquilio Consolo".

3-23 July: Composition of the opera "Tamerlano" (HWV 18)

29 August: On 24 August Handel played St. Paul's Cathedral's organ for the Princesses Anne and Caroline. This is the first official documentation of Handel's work as a music teacher to the three princesses Anne, Amelia and Caroline, the daughters of George II. It is dated September 1727. In all probability he had at least taught Princess Anne since about 1720. From about 1728 Handel is described as the princesses "Musick Master" in their independent household. From 1735 – 1755 (following the marriage of Princess Anne in 1734) he is known only as Amelia's and Caroline's music teacher. An important part of Handel's harpsichord music and particularly the studies in composition are a result of the lessons he gave to the princesses. (cf. Terence Best, Alfred Mann)

31 October: Opening of the sixth season of The Royal Academy of Music with the first performance of Handel's opera "Tamerlano" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24 and 28 November 1724. Further performances: London 1, 4 and 8 May 1725; 13, 16 and 20 November 1731. – Hamburg: 27 September 1725.

1725

20 January: Handel finishes the opera "Rodelinda" (HWV 19).

13 February: First performance of "Rodelinda" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 16, 20, 25 and 27 February, 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20 and 30 March, 3 and 6 April 1725. Further performances: London: 18, 21, 23 and 28 December 1725 and 1, 4, 8 and 11 January 1726; 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25 and 29 May 1731. – Hamburg: 29 November 1734, with one repeat; one performance in summer 1735, two performances in autumn 1736.

6 May: The score of "Rodelinda" appears, the first of ten of Handel's works published on a subscription basis.

11 June: Letter to his brother-in-law Michael Dietrich Michaelsen. Mention of a missing letter from Handel to his mother. Thanks for Michaelsen's help and support towards Handel's mother.

19 June: The sixth season of The Royal Academy of Music ends with a performance of the pastiche "Elpidia" with a libretto by Apostolo Zeno and music by Leonardo Vinci and others. This is perhaps the first pastiche for which Handel, as music director of the operatic section of The Royal Academy of Music, composed new recitatives. (cf. Chrysander, vol. II, p. 132; Deutsch, p. 181)

30 November: Opening of the seventh season of The Royal Academy of Music. John Smith the younger becomes one of Handel's pupils in this year. The seventh season of The Royal Academy of Music begins with a performance of "Elpidia" (HWV A1).

1726

2 March: Handel finishes the opera "Scipione" (HWV 20)

12 March: First performance of "Scipione" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 15, 19, 22, 26 and 29 March, 2, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 and 30 April  1726. Further performances: London, 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, and 21 November 1730.

11 April: Handel finishes the opera "Alessandro" (HWV 21)

5 May: First performance of "Alessandro" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket with the debut of Faustina Bordoni. Repeats: 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26 and 31 May, 4 and 7 June 1726. Further performances: London: 26 and 30 December 1727 (Colman's Opera Register gives 29 December 1727 and not 30 December and names repeat performances on 2 and 6 January 1728). – Brunswick: 17 August 1728. – Hamburg: 18 November 1726 (a combination of Agostino Steffeni's "La Superbia d'Alessandro", first performed in Hamburg in 1695 and Handel's opera). cf. also 15 November 1743.

10 November: Handel finishes the opera "Admeto" (HWV 22) Founding of The Academy of Vocal Music (from 26/5/1731 renamed as The Academy of Ancient Music)

1726: First appearance of Jonathan Swift's socially critical satire, "Gulliver's Travels".