Until the early 20th century, George Frideric Handel’s oeuvre was represented on concert stages by a handful of his orchestral works and oratorios. It was but a fraction of his glorious legacy. In reality, the Baroque master composed in every genre cultivated in his era. Wrocław Baroque Ensemble, led by Andrzej Kosendiak, will demonstrate Handel’s versatility, presenting an exceptionally vivid portrait of this national British composer's catalogue. For the first time at the NFM, the acclaimed trumpet virtuoso Justin Bland will perform alongside the Wrocław artists.

Yet the concert will begin with a fragment of a work whose canonical status has remained unchanged since its composer’s time. This is the oratorio Messiah, premiered in Dublin in 1742. It is the magnum opus of the Germano-British artist, and the concert will feature the instrumental introduction to the composition, the Sinfonia, whose form is that of the French overture. We will also hear the Rodelinda Overture. This opera is dedicated to the story of the titular heroine, the Queen of Lombardy. The story was inspired by one of Pierre Corneille’s dramas. The Suite in D major for trumpet, strings, and basso continuo includes excerpts from the opera Partenope, as well as the famous Water Music performed in 1717 during King George I's cruise on the Thames. The coronation anthem, Zadok the Priest, is played to this day during the enthronement ceremonies of kings at Westminster Abbey. The piece has also found its place in pop culture. It is well known to football fans, as it became the official anthem of the Champions League.

George Frideric Handel spent over three years in Italy. From late 1706 to early 1710, he intensely absorbed local art and culture, maintaining close contact with the region’s most distinguished virtuosos, composers, and musicians of the time. Both compositions from his Italian period, which the Wrocław Baroque Ensemble will present, are the result of Handel’s stay in Rome. It is likely that the motets Nisi Dominus and Dixit Dominus were composed for the commemoration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the local church of Santa Maria in Montesanto. In these works, the composer demonstrates his skill in combining German-style counterpoint with the melodic lightness characteristic of Italy. As can be seen, Handel, despite being a Lutheran, did not shy away from writing music for the Catholic liturgy while in Rome. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” the English say.