Handel for kids: his life, his music, and what to play first

George Frideric Handel was a composer who lived from 1685 to 1759. He was born in Germany and spent most of his working life in London. He wrote grand music for kings, for the theater, and for large choirs. His best-known piece is the Hallelujah chorus from Messiah, and it is the best first piece for a child.

This guide gives you the story, the sound, and five pieces to try.

Quick facts

• Born: 1685, in Halle, Germany
• Died: 1759, in London, England
• Era: Baroque
• Played: organ and harpsichord
• Known for: Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks

The life in short

Handel was born in the same year as Bach, in a town not far from Bach’s. The two never met.

His father was a barber-surgeon who wanted his son to become a lawyer. An early book about Handel’s life tells a story from his childhood. It says the boy had a small keyboard hidden in the attic and practiced at night while the family slept. A duke heard him play the organ and told his father to let him study music.

As a young man Handel played in an opera orchestra in Hamburg. Then he spent several years in Italy, where he learned to write operas. In 1710 he took a job with a German prince. Soon after, he went to London, and he liked it so much that he stayed.

A few years later that same German prince became King George I of Great Britain. In 1717 the king held a party on the River Thames. Handel wrote Water Music for it. About 50 musicians played on one barge while the king listened from another. The king liked it so much that he asked to hear it again and again that night.

Handel wrote Italian operas for London for many years. When the fashion for them faded, he turned to oratorios. An oratorio tells a story with singers, a choir, and an orchestra, with no costumes or scenery. In 1741 he wrote Messiah in about 24 days. It was first performed in Dublin the next year, at a concert to raise money for charity.

Handel lost his sight late in life and kept playing the organ at his concerts. He died in London in 1759 and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

What the music sounds like

Handel’s music is bold and bright. He liked trumpets, drums, and big choirs. Where Bach weaves many lines together, Handel often hits you with one strong idea and lets it ring.

His choruses are built for effect. He repeats a short phrase, moves it from one group of singers to the next, and adds more instruments until the whole hall is full of sound. Children feel the energy even when they do not know the words.

Five pieces to play first

Hallelujah, from Messiah. A choir sings one word, again and again, with trumpets and drums. In many concerts the audience stands for this chorus. People say the custom began when a king stood up at an early performance. Stand up at home and count how many times you hear the word.

Hornpipe, from Water Music. Horns and trumpets take turns with the strings in a lively dance. Picture the players on a barge, floating down the river at night. Ask your child which group plays first.

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. Fast strings rush along while two oboes sing a tune above them. It lasts about three minutes and it never slows down. This is good music for tidying a room at speed.

La Réjouissance, from Music for the Royal Fireworks. The title means “the rejoicing.” Handel wrote this music for a royal fireworks display in a London park in 1749. It is loud and proud, with trumpets and drums. March to it.

Zadok the Priest. The strings begin quietly and build for more than a minute. Then the choir bursts in. Handel wrote it for the crowning of a British king in 1727, and it has been sung at coronations since then. Ask your child to guess when the choir will come in.

Things to do together

Stand for Hallelujah. Tell the story of the king, then stand up when the chorus starts. Sing along on the word “Hallelujah” each time it comes.

Float a concert. At bath time or by a pond, play the Hornpipe and float a toy boat. Talk about what it would be like to play an instrument on a moving barge.

Wait for it. Zadok the Priest teaches patience. Sit still through the quiet opening. Agree on a signal, such as hands in the air, for the moment the choir enters.

Place him in time. Handel and Bach were both born in 1685. Find them on the composer timeline and see who lived longer.

Words to know

Oratorio. A story told in music by solo singers, a choir, and an orchestra, with no acting.

Chorus. A piece sung by the whole choir. The same word can mean the choir itself.

Suite. A set of short pieces, often dances, that are played one after another.

Print and play

Print the Handel fact sheet. It has the story, three pieces, and room to write and draw. The instrument families listening chart works well with Water Music, because the brass and the strings take turns.

Next, meet the other great Baroque composers: Bach and Vivaldi. For all 24 composers by era, see classical composers for kids.