Handel and Royalty

Handel fell in love with England on his first visit, writing music for Queen Anne herself. He was reconciled with George I partly with his Water Music Suite and wrote the coronation music for George II.

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Key course information

Date
11/03/12

Day(s)
Sun

Duration
1 week

Time
10:30 - 15:30

Fees
Full fee: £38^NC

Venue
KS - Keeley Street

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Course code
HH085

Availability
This course has finished

^NC: No concessionary fees available as there is no government funding for this course.

This course has finished

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Still got questions?
humanities@citylit.ac.uk or call 020 7492 2652

Course outline

What is the course about?

It is an examination of how closely his music and career was bound up with the British royal family from Queen Anne to George II. George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) was one of the first composers to make a successful career independent of any major church or court appointment. Nevertheless, he had a very close association with the British Royal Family from Queen Anne to George II lasting nearly half a century from 1710 to 1759. This led to some of his greatest masterpieces including: The Utrecht Te Deum and Jubilate, The Water Music, Zadok the Priest, The King Shall Rejoice, The Dettingen Te Deum, The Music for the Royal Fireworks, and Judas Maccabeus.

What topics will we cover?

The course will run through Handel's life and career chronologically, concentrating on his relationship with members of the British Royal Family from 1710 to 1759. He was commissioned to write music for official royal celebrations such as a Te Deum and Jubilate to celebrate the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the Water Music for a royal procession up the Thames in 1717, and when George II succeeded in 1727, 4 anthems for the coronation including Zadok the Priest which has been used at every subsequent coronation. Handel continued to write music for special royal occasions such as the marriage of the Prince of Wales in 1736, the funeral of Queen Caroline in 1737, and also to celebrate royal triumphs like George II's victory at Dettingen (another Te Deum and anthem) in 1743, his son's victory at Culloden (Judas Maccabaeus) in 1746, and the Music for the Royal Fireworks in 1748 to celebrate the end of the War of the Austrian Succession.

By the end of this course you should be able to:

Discuss music with more authority.
Listen to music with greater appreciation of the background to how the composer approached its composition.
Recognise the style of the composer and influences from other sources.
Analyse the interaction between the composer and the events going on around him.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This is an `introductory` course and does not assume any previous study or reading although you will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. As with most of our history and current affairs courses, an open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Lectures, discussions, questions, listening to musical extracts and following scores.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Please bring pen and paper.

Do I need to have an interview before I can enrol?

No.

What feedback will I get?

You will receive regular feedback from your tutor throughout the course, as and when appropriate. At the end of the course you and your tutor are asked to assess the progress you have made.

How will I be able to give my views on the course?

Please complete the evaluation form at the end of your course. These are monitored and help us to continually improve our courses.

How do I find out if I can get some support for my learning?

You may be interested in: education and careers advice; financial and childcare support; disability support; support for Deaf and hearing-impaired students; dyslexia support; English and maths support; counselling, and library services (supported learning centre). To find out what may be available to you, and how to apply, see page 213 of the 11/12 course guide, or visit www.citylit.ac.uk/students

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Information and Advice Shop, open Monday to Friday 12:00 – 19:00 during term time, and Monday to Friday 12:00 – 17:00 out of term time. See the course guide for term dates and further details.

Who can I contact for further information?

Tel: 020 7492 2652

humanities@citylit.ac.uk

Advice times:

During term-time Monday 12.30–13.30 and 17.30–18.30 Thursday 12.30–13.30 and 17.30–18.30

Non term-time Monday 17.30–18.30 Thursday 12.30–13.30.

To enrol on a course, call 020 7831 7831.