Two of the greatest Baroque Era composers who still influence music to this today with their compositions are Johan Sebastian Bach and George Fredrick Handel. The influence of Bach and Handel are found in mainstream media throughout the world. Their compositions are still played in modern times by tribute bands, television commercials, opera concerts and even sound therapies by relaxation therapists. It is evident that their music has touched the lives of many people. Bach and Handel both had unique styles of music. Even though they are similar in some ways, they are also uniquely distinctive in other ways.
Handel and Bach composed music for similar types of instruments and genres; they composed pieces for harpsichords, pipe …show more content…
Handel had suffered a couple of strokes throughout his musical career. However, this did not stop him from composing. These two composers suffered blindness toward the end of their careers. A very peculiar coincidence is that Bach and Handel received surgery from the same surgeon, (Name). (Dr’s Name) performed a procedure on Bach two years before he performed on Handel. Although, the surgery was not successful on Bach, he continued to compose music. Bach’s medical condition worsened and died two months after his eye surgery on July 1750. The cause of Bach’s death was said to be a stroke. Handel’s unsuccessful surgery caused him to lose sight in his left eye. Handel continued to compose music. Later on Handel had a stroke and lost strength in his arm. His fans feared that he would not be able to play again. Six months later he regained strength and began playing the organ again. Handel …show more content…
He grew up hearing music played by minstrels in the courts, where his father worked. The minstrels would play their music for the public to enjoy for any donations the people could give. This had an obvious effect on Handel and his pursuit to become a musician himself. Handel’s father hoped he would become a successful lawyer, so that he would have a stable source of income. On the other hand, Handel’s mother fully supported Handel’s desire to learn music. Despite Handel’s father forbidding him to own an instrument, his mother secretly purchased a clavichord, so that George could practice it in the attic of their home. On one fateful day George was allowed to play in the duke’s courts of Weissenfels, where he met Friedrich Wilhalm Zachow a musician who saw that Handel giftedly talented. After receiving lessons from Zachow, Handel began to composing music for the organ, oboe and Violin by the age of 10 years old. A year later Handel was composing church cantatas and chamber music. Sadly, these compositions were not saved due to the fact that they were written for small