List of plates; Notes on contributors; Preface; Chronology; Introduction Donald Burrows; Part I. Background: 1. Germany - education and apprenticeship John Butt; 2. Italy - political and musical contexts Carlo Vitali; 3. Handel's London - political, social and intellectual contexts William Weber; 4. Handel's London - the theatres Judith Milhous and Robert D. Hume; 5. Handel's London - British musicians and London concert life H. Diack Johnstone; 6. Handel's London - Italian musicians and librettists Lowell Lindgren; 7. Handel's London - Handel's English librettists Ruth Smith; Part II. The Music: 8. Handel and the aria C. Steven LaRue; 9. Handel's compositional process David Ross Hurley; 10. Handel and the idea of an oratorio Anthony Hicks; 11. Handel's sacred music Graydon Beeks; 12. Handel's chamber music Malcolm Boyd; 13. Handel as a concerto composer Donald Burrows; 14. Handel and the keyboard Terence Best; Part III. The Music in Performance: 15. Handel and the Italian language Terence Best; 16. Handel and the orchestra Mark W. Stahura; 17. Production style in Handel's operas Winton Dean; 18. Handel's oratorio performances Donald Burrows; Bibliographical note; Notes; List of Handel's works; Index.