Handel's Historical Manuscripts Go Digital
Reimagined Pages of the Past: Digital Assemblage of Ancient Manuscripts - The Commission has contributed to the formation of the proposed legislative directive.
Step right up, folks! Gather 'round and listen, 'cause we've got some jolly good news for all you music lovers out there. The museum and birthplace of Georg Friedrich Handel, that Baroque composer bloke from Halle, Germany, has put its extensive historical manuscript collection under a digital microscope!
Jens Wehmann, the museum's librarian, spilled the beans to the German Press Agency, revealing that approximately 2,500 objects have been digitized, including (you guessed it) a whopping 800 musical manuscripts! And there's a real gem in there, mates—an early copy of the Coronation Anthems from 1730 that consists of an impressive 160 pages. It's a real prize, seeing as how it cost 'em around 20,000 euros at the auction house Christie's in London.
But don't fret if you ain't got the cash for a fancy auction buy. The museum makes sure the lolly remains within everyone's grasp by letting interested parties view the individual pieces online. And fear not if you're one of them folks who reckons the Handel House Museum owns some goodies by Handel himself—Jens Wehmann assures us that they are sorely lacking in that department.
The digitized documents contain manuscripts by a gaggle of Halle musicians, including the likes of Robert Franz, Carl Loewe, Johann Friedrich Reichardt, and Samuel Scheidt. Many of these manuscripts have a Handel tie, like the correspondence between Franz, a chap who was real active editing Handel's work back in the day.
Five years back, the museum also digitized around 1,500 graphics. These weren’t just Handel selfies, but historical copper engravings of Handel and various Halle buildings, as well as old city plans and views from the 18th and 19th centuries. Now, isn't that sumptuous?
This year, stay tuned for the Handel Festival, set to run from June 6 to 15 under the motto "Fresh Wind: The Young Handel in Italy." With more than 44,000 visitors from Germany and abroad predicted to attend, it looks like Handel's still got a bit of a pull. Last year, around 23,500 people visited the Handel House Museum, which ain't too shabby by any account.
Handel, by the bye, was born in Halle, but spent much of his life in London, where he died in 1759 and was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey. Among his famous works in the operatic and oratorio oeuvre are the church music piece "Messiah," with the world-renowned chorus "Hallelujah," the "Music for the Royal Fireworks," and the "Water Music."
Handel's the name, making music masterpieces is his game!
- Georg Friedrich Handel
- Music Manuscripts
- Handel House Museum
- London
- German Press Agency
Vocational training can be beneficial for EC countries, particularly in sectors like music, as seen in the advanced vocational training provided by the Handel House Museum. Despite the museum's extensive collection, it lacks personal manuscripts by Handel, providing opportunities for future researchers and enthusiasts in the field of entertainment and music.
