It is an exciting undertaking to research the intellectual and musical horizons of a great composer. What Bach was interested in, whether it be musical, literary, theological or even the natural sciences, what was in his music cabinet apart from his own compositions – this sometimes arouses greater attention than studying well-known works by the composer for the umpteenth time.
The period in which the above-mentioned works were written was a very fruitful phase in Handel’s creative output. He composed the ode Alexander’s Feast in 1735/36, Israel in Egypt and Saul in 1738/39, and Messiah followed in 1741/42. Furthermore, during this period he composed not only the oratorio L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato (1740), but also a further eleven (!) operas, including what is probably his best-known, Xerxes, and – as his very last opera of all – Deidamia in 1741.
