Handel's London

Throughout the eighteenth century, London (the cities of London and Westminster) was the place to be for anyone, native or foreign, who had any ambition. Through trade and colonial expansion, London was the centre of an increasingly buoyant national economy. It was where the royal family lived for most of the year (and thus the court) and was the centre of government and Parliament. By 1750, London held over one fifth of the total population of Britain and was at least ten times bigger than the largest of provincial towns. It was the national centre of fashion and patronage, of luxury production and consumption. It provided the greatest access to cultural information from abroad, was the hub of a growing press network as well as printing and publishing.

Johann Mattheson said in 1713: "In these times, whoever wishes to be eminent in music goes to England. In Italy and France there is something to be heard and learned; in England something to be earned." Indeed, Mattheson's perception is borne out by the great numbers of musicians (and on a broader scale artists and artisans) from the continent who came to try their luck in Britain. Some, like the French Huguenots, came because of religious persecution in their native land, but for many it was the appeal of a relatively free market, which contrasted so dramatically with the bondage of continental church or court patronage.

This section of the website gives a taste of Handel's life in London. For more detailed information, see the Handel House Museum Companion available from the shop.