Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Handel's London or England in the Age of Walpole or the Georgian Age
George Frederic Handel (1685-1759)
- Contemporary of Bach with a very different career
-Hamburg, 1703-1706
--Almira;
Opera
-city life
-individuality
-social setting
-Castrati, Prima donnas, Impresarios
In 1706 Handel traveled to Italy and learned the art of Italian Opera
In 1710 Handel became the court conductor for the House of Hanover
-traveled to London, had success with the opera Rinaldo
In 1714 the Elector of Saxony became King George I of England
-Handel writes the Water Music in 1717; Chandos anthems 1717-1719.
-Under George I, Whigs have control in Parliament, led by the skillful "prime minister" Robert Walpole ("the Robinocracy").
-Opposition meets around the crown prince, who becomes George II in 1727
Stability and prosperity
-Constitution: King, Parliament, and Courts of Law; or King, Parliament, and Local Governments
London is a city of energy and activity
-1719, Handel is involved in the creation of the Royal Academy of Music, which closes in 1729 or 1730.
--composes operas
--composes festival music: Music for the Royal Fireworks
--composes oratorios: The Messiah is performed in Dublin in 1742.
George Frederic Handel (1685-1759)
- Contemporary of Bach with a very different career
-Hamburg, 1703-1706
--Almira;
Opera
-city life
-individuality
-social setting
-Castrati, Prima donnas, Impresarios
In 1706 Handel traveled to Italy and learned the art of Italian Opera
In 1710 Handel became the court conductor for the House of Hanover
-traveled to London, had success with the opera Rinaldo
In 1714 the Elector of Saxony became King George I of England
-Handel writes the Water Music in 1717; Chandos anthems 1717-1719.
-Under George I, Whigs have control in Parliament, led by the skillful "prime minister" Robert Walpole ("the Robinocracy").
-Opposition meets around the crown prince, who becomes George II in 1727
Stability and prosperity
-Constitution: King, Parliament, and Courts of Law; or King, Parliament, and Local Governments
London is a city of energy and activity
-1719, Handel is involved in the creation of the Royal Academy of Music, which closes in 1729 or 1730.
--composes operas
--composes festival music: Music for the Royal Fireworks
--composes oratorios: The Messiah is performed in Dublin in 1742.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Newtonianism Spreads
New political culture
-Constitutional monarchy
-Parliament
--Whigs and Tories
--Jacobites, Radical Whigs, Radical Republicans
Latitudinarians
Royal Society of London
-Boyle Lectures: Richard Bentley, Samuel Clarke
Richard Bentley
--"The Folly and Unreasonableness of Atheism"
--"Holy alliance": Newtonian Science + Church of England
Samuel Clarke
--Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence
John Theophilus Desaguliers
--Popularizing Newtonian science: Course of Experimental Philosophy
--Mechanical experiments
--Civil engineering
Francois-Marie Arouet or Voltaire (1694-1778)
--Letters Concerning the English Nation (1733) = Lettres Philosophiques (1734)
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Newton Lecture
