Handel

Last night saw one of the classical music events of the year, a special performance of Handel’s Messiah from Westminster Abbey to mark the 250th anniversary of his death. Even if you are a non- classical music fan it is worth listening to the concert which is available on the BBC iplayer.

Handel (1685 - 1759) is one of BBC Radio 3’s composers of the year and a variety of programs are being or have been produced to celebrate and explore his life one of most recent ones was from Peter Day.

BBC business correspondent Peter Day looks at Handel’s extraordinary success on the stock market as well as examining the financial matters involved in putting on operas and oratorios in 18th-century London.
Handel speculated in the newly-formed London stock market throughout his life in the capital. Strikingly, he put money into South Sea stock in 1716 when prices were low and had sold up by 1720 when the South Sea credit bubble burst in one of the great financial cataclysms in fiscal history. Many others lost fortunes, including Sir Isaac Newton, warden of the Royal Mint. The composer profited handsomely and, while others shied away from the uncertainties of speculation, he continued to invest throughout his life. From 1744 Handel’s investments just grew and grew.

Talking to Handel experts and financial historians, Peter Day enters the tough economics of 18th-century music-making and visits the Bank of England to see the composer’s extravagant signature on numerous ledgers as he traded annuities.

There is also an accompanying article on the BBC website.