Composer
George Frideric Handel
A German composer who became England's adopted musical celebrity.
Born in Germany the same year as Bach, George Frideric Handel took a very different career path: after early success writing Italian opera, he moved to London and became, in effect, England's most celebrated composer, enjoying the kind of public fame and royal patronage Bach never had. His skill at reading an audience and writing music built to impress large public crowds shaped everything he wrote.
His Oratorio Messiah is his single most enduring achievement, and remains one of the most frequently performed works in the entire choral repertoire — its "Hallelujah" chorus is instantly recognizable even to listeners who don't otherwise know classical music at all. Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks were both written for lavish royal outdoor occasions, and their bright, ceremonial orchestral writing still carries that celebratory function today, showing up at weddings, graduations, and state occasions centuries later.
Where Bach worked mostly inside the church, Handel worked mostly for the public and the crown, and his music reflects that: outward-facing, grand, and built to be heard by (and please) a large audience rather than serve a liturgical function alone.
Where to start listening: the "Hallelujah" chorus from Messiah is the obvious starting point; Music for the Royal Fireworks is a celebratory, purely orchestral alternative.