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Although born in Germany, the great Baroque<\/strong><\/a> composer George Frideric Handel spent much of his career in England, where he achieved great fame, culminating in composing no fewer than four anthems for the Coronation of King George II in 1727. <\/p> Handel excelled in the fields of opera, oratorio<\/a><\/strong>, and instrumental compositions. His best music has a captivating grandeur and eloquence of expression, combined with the kind of intricate counterpoint you can also hear in his contemporaries Bach and Vivaldi.<\/p> Written during his years in Italy, the influence of Vivaldi<\/strong><\/a> on this anthem is clear. A virtuosic choral piece with exuberant counterpoint and drive, Dixit Dominus<\/em> is one of Handel’s most dramatic and vibrant choral works. Setting to music the words of Psalm 110 ‘Dixit Dominus’ (‘The Lord said unto my Lord’), it’s a perfect showcase of the young composer’s mastery of choral writing and his debt to the Italian Baroque school.<\/p>Best of Handel: six key works<\/h2>
Dixit Dominus<\/strong><\/em> (1707)<\/strong><\/h3>