Two Georgs
May 29, 2014
Three hundred years ago, Georg von Hannover was crowned King of England as George I - a decisive moment in European history that spurred a new era of cultural exchange between Great Britain and the continent. One of the artists who achieved European fame in that era was a fellow Georg born in Germany: Georg Friedrich Händel. That's reason enough to celebrate the coronation anniversary in a musical way. Halle, the city in which Händel (who later anglicized his name to George Frideric Handel) was born, is doing just that, as is the city of Göttingen, which hosts its own annual International Handel Festival.
From competitors to partners
The organizers of the two fests plan together and synergize, but that is hardly a matter of course. For decades in a divided Germany, each city staked a claim to Handel and his musical legacy. Now, both profit from cooperation, agree Göttingen festival head Tobias Wolff and his Halle counterpart, Clemens Birnbaum.
"We have differing profiles," Wolff told DW. "Halle has the historical attractions, while Göttingen is a small city, and the festival pervades it. Göttingen is sometimes called the Bayreuth of Baroque."
Both festivals remain true to their decades-long traditions. The Göttingen event emerged in 1920 at the initiative of local citizens. Handel operas - completely unknown at the time - graced the program. By its 100th anniversary in 2020, the Göttingen festival is set to have showcased all 42 of the composer's operas. This year will see the Göttingen premiere of "Faramondo," the production offering a critical look at nationalism and war.
The 47 events on Halle's calendar, on the other hand, include no fewer than five operas by Handel, four in stage presentations and one performed concertante.
"Many of the places Handel was familiar with still exist," says festival head Birnbaum. "The home where he was born is now a museum and houses the Handel Foundation. Then there's the church where he was christened, and the cathedral where he was employed as an organist. People can take in much more than just concert programs here."
It's all about the music
Handel's catchy melodies and grand musical gestures made his compositions longstanding favorites in the classical music world. His "Water Music" and "Music for the Royal Fireworks" belong on that list, as does "The Messiah" with its famed "Hallelujah" chorus. Even three centuries later, his music has a notably fresh quality. As Tobias Wolff explains, "Handel really has the ability to touch people emotionally, and he's able to get at a big idea with an often small but essential melody."
Handel was a thoroughly European artist who combined German tradition with Italian influences into something brand new, enthusing audiences then and now. Though a true cosmopolitan, nationalists in 19th and early 20th century Germany and England both tried to claimed him as their own, quarreling over the "English Handel" and the "German Händel" - the topic of a symposium held during the festival in Göttingen.
A hunger for Handel
Things are clearly different now, cooperation and exchange being the norm among all of the places celebrating the composer's legacy. Laurence Cummings, artistic director in Göttingen, heads London's Handel festival as well. Close ties with England are also maintained in Halle. The fest features a strong contingent of musicians from England, and at the Handel House, German musicologists are joined by counterparts from Britain and the US in putting together an complete edition of the composer's works.
Tens of thousands of music lovers from around the world will head to Göttingen and Halle in May and June, more than a few of them stopping in both cities. And if that dose of bewitching melodies and colorful Baroque costumes isn't enough, they can head to Karlsruhe in November for Germany's third significant Handel festival.