Was handel gay

He once dismissed King George II’s inquiries about his love life by insisting that he had no time for anything but music. In the privacy of his own home, the composer of the manliest oeuvre of the 19th century preferred lace corsets to steel armor and winged helmets. George Frideric Handel (born February 23, , Halle, Brandenburg [Germany]—died April 14, , London, England) was a German-born English composer of . I admit that I myself have frequently enjoyed repeating this juicy piece of knowledge.

@Bebs There's a difference between "signs of someone's homosexuality" and "evidence of being a homosexual". Handel was one of the best-known composers of the Baroque era, especially famous for his smash-hit oratorios like The Messiah. Of course, there is no concrete evidence of Handel's having engaged in homosexual activity. And there are no contemporary sources that link people like Alexander Pope or even the conspicuously named John Gay to homosexual behaviors.

Although I should immediately add that Ms. Add that to the undisputable fact that Handel remained a bachelor all his life, and one might start to wonder …. From the triumphant "Hallelujah Chorus" to the majestic "Water Music Suite," each piece in this collection exemplifies Handel's mastery of composition and his ability to create captivating and. Want to keep up with my classical musings?

Pingback: Was Beethoven Black? But you would be wrong. While a non-black Beethoven is evidently a white Beethoven, a not openly gay Handel is not necessarily a heterosexual Handel. George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (/ ˈhændəl / HAN-dəl; a baptised Georg Fried[e]rich Händel, b German: [ˈɡeːɔʁk ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈhɛndl̩] ⓘ; 23 February – 14 April ) 3c was a German .

He once served Queen Christina of Sweden, a lesbian royal, and also moved in the same circles as Handel. His closest friends, however, were known to be gay." Note: I'm not sure whether this question is on topic here. Frederick the Great is said to have been gay. Music historian Ellen Harris leads on the case for Handel’s homosexuality, arguing that his cantatas exhibit a clear homosexual subtext in her book Handel as Orpheus.

Signs of homosexuality are subjective (feelings, urgings, attractions, thoughts, fantasies) As for evidence of being gay, one or several male lovers would be enough. At the age of seventeen his lover was decapitated in front of him, by his. Enter your email address and click subscribe. Is there such a thing as gay music?

Add that to the undisputable fact that Handel remained a bachelor all his life, and one might start to wonder Why Handel wasn’t gay In two articles on Handel’s social circles in Rome and London, Thomas McGeary convincingly buried the idea that Handel was surrounded by homosexual men. That goes for almost all composers before the late 19th century.

At least in England, accusing public figures of sodomy was a national pastime. And I found that the idea of a homosexual Handel is completely baseless. Handel’s music is synonymous with royalty and occasion – but this is the most iconic of the lot. However, I almost never got the shocked response I was hoping for.

And does that matter? He was believed to have been gay, moving in circles in Italy and London where same-sex desire was accepted. That was an enjoyable read. My curiosity grew out of a comment made by a classical music critic on the radio that "Händel never married and led a very private personal life. Historians today widely believe that he was gay.

Music historian Ellen Harris leads on the case for Handel’s homosexuality, arguing that his cantatas exhibit a clear homosexual subtext in her book Handel as Orpheus. She illuminates the differences between Handel's writing for male and female characters, and shows how musical details can often support a same-sex interpretation of a work whose libretto is.

His most famous works include his Messiah, . But as Harris makes clear, there is enough circumstantial evidence to justify those. You might think that such an absence of first-hand accounts is due to 18th century squeamishness about the love that dare not speak its name. The composer penned for coronation anthems for King George II of England . Probably because people consider a certain level of gayness self-evident in an era where all gentlemen of means chose to dress like Liberace.

However, what is undeniable is that Handel socialized in circles in which homosexuality was an open secret, from the Italian and German courts to his artistic cadres in London. Classical Musings. Just like people from African descent, the LGBTQ community could use more high-profile icons in the domain of classical music. Taking on a homosexual identity was literally unthinkable in those days. It seems I owe all these people an apology.

Feel free to closevote it if it isn't. George Frideric Handel () was a composer of baroque music who was born in Germany but became an English citizen. Some modern-day musicologists consider him to be LGBTQ+. Because I recently decided to check the facts instead of acting like a common gossipmonger.