If I had the opportunity to meet either Handel or Bach, it would be Handel. While both are outstanding composers, Handel's additional knack for business is admirable. Not only is Handel able to harness his creative intuitions to write original, extensive, and beautiful music; but he can then effectively and systematically market himself and his creations to the public. Such a deep and successful use of both his right- and left-brain hemispheres is a rarity and sign of pure genius. It could be assumed, then, that there is not a topic that Handel could not discuss.
If I could choose one piece of music for Handel to perform for me, it would likely be “Ombra mai fu.” It is a secular aria that serves as the opening to the opera Xerxes. It has a homophonic texture and eloquently uses dynamics to set a peaceful mood. The dominant instruments are string, including violins, violas, and basses. The English lyrics beautifully describe a love of nature on a level that could almost metaphorically describe the love for another:
Tender and beautiful fronds
of my beloved plane tree,
let Fate smile upon you.
May thunder, lightning, and storms
never bother your dear peace,
nor may you by blowing winds be profaned.
A shade there never was,
of any plant,
dearer and more lovely,
or more sweet.
- Charles Stover, 13 March 2011
“Ombra mai fu.” <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ombra_mai_fu>. 26 February 2011. Accessed 10 March 2011.
“Ombra Mai Fu” by Dmitri Hvorostovsky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0PcHEdSpnA