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George Frederick Handel, who
lived 1685 - 1759, came to London in 1710 and moved to England
permanently in 1712. He stayed in Burlington House,
now the Royal
Academy of Arts, in Piccadilly but in 1723 became
the first occupant of 25 Brook Street, where he lived until
his death.
The composer spent most of his
professional life in London and wrote the majority of his
works in Brook Street including the 'Messiah', 'Israel in
Eygpt' and the 'Music for the Royal Fireworks'.
Handel was associated with Thomas
Coram's Foundling Hospital, in Lambs Conduit Fields, holding
fund-raising concerts in its chapel and left the rights of
the 'Messiah' to the hospital. Handel's own copy of
the 'Messiah' can be seen at the Foundling
Museum in Brunswick Square.
The composer played the organ
in the church of St George on St George Street, near Hanover
Square, and his works are now performed here in conjunction
with the museum.
The Handel House Museum, on the
upper floors of 25 Brook Street, was opened at the end of
2001. The Trust has refurbished the upper floors to recreate
the composer's home. As the Trust does not own the whole building
visitors must use the lift at the rear of the building.
Apart from a small area displaying
manuscripts and letters, most of the house is set out as Handel
might have known it.
None of Handel's furniture has
survived but the house has been refurbished using an inventory
of his possessions taken after his death. The furnishings
include a full-tester bed and two reproduction harpsicords.
Although Handel's art collection
of over 60 paintings, including two Rembrandts, was dispersed,
the Trust has furnished the house with paintings, illustrating
the composer, his musical associates and the events for which
he composed music. The
large front room on the first floor was Handel's 'rehearsal
room'.
The composer was an impressario
and musical director, as well as a performer of the harpsicord
and organ, and some rehearsals for the opera he staged at
the Covent Garden Theatre in the 1730's took place here, with
friends and patrons present. Today, the rehearsal room's
double manual harpsichord is available for music students
to practice on.
The upper floors of adjoining
25 Brook Street is where Jimi Hendrix lived in 1968/69.
These rooms, restored to their 1960s decor, are used as offices
by the Handel House Trust.
Admission charge
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