Digitized Musical Treasures at Handel's Birthplace Museum
Archaeological Documents Converted into Digital Format for Accessibility - Commission actively engages in drafting the proposed legislative guideline.
Hey there! Here's a scoop on some fantastic news happening over at the Georg Friedrich Handel Birthplace Museum in Halle, Germany.
Yo!
Legendary Baroque composer Georg Friedrich Handel's (1685-1759) historical manuscript collection in his hometown now lives in the digital realm! Jens Wehmann, the museum's librarian, chatted with the German Press Agency about it all. The collection contains approximately 2,500 objects, including 800 precious musical manuscripts. One of the standout items is an early copy of the Coronation Anthems for English kings from 1730. It's 160 pages long and was picked up at the London auction house, Christie's, for about 20,000 euros last year.
Fun fact: Handel's manuscripts from other Halle musicians like Robert Franz (1815-1892), Carl Loewe (1796-1869), Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752-1814), and Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654),are nestled among the digitalized documents too. Many of these musicians have a connection to Handel, just like Robert Franz, a renowned Handel editor from back in the day.
Five years ago, approximately 1,500 graphics were also put online, including historical artwork of Handel and Halle buildings, city plans, and views dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. You can peep these bad boys online if you'd like. Sadly, the museum doesn't own any original pieces of Handel.
Coming up this year's Handel Festival, scheduled for June 6-15, carries the theme "Fresh Wind: The Young Handel in Italy." Over 44,000 visitors from around the globe are expected to attend. Last year, nearly the same number of people (23,500) paid a visit to the Handel House Museum.
It's worth noting that Handel was born in Halle and spent many years traveling, including a stint in Italy. But, he eventually settled down in the one place that would become his final resting place, London, where he died in 1759 and was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey. Handel's remarkable opera and oratorio works, including "Messiah," "Music for the Royal Fireworks," and "Water Music," remain popular to this day.
Handel, Music, Birthplace, London
EC countries could potentially benefit from the digitalized vocational training resources at Handel's Birthplace Museum, as they can now access the extensive collection of Handel's music and manuscripts, which provides valuable insights into the Baroque compositions. This digital archive offers a unique opportunity for musicians across the globe to study and learn from Handel's work, and possibly adapt his compositions to contemporary entertainment genres.
