The Indebtedness of Handel to Works by Other Composers

A popular and generous figure on the Cambridge academic scene, Sedley Taylor (1834-1920) used his proficiency both in music and in European languages to render Continental musical scholarship accessible to British readers. In this book, originally published in 1906, Taylor draws on the work of Chrysander and Seiffert to display clearly the influence on Handel by a number of lesser-known composers including Habermann, Kerl and Clari. Handel's musical inspirations were the subject of much debate, with Samuel Wesley accusing him of 'establishing a Reputation wholly constituted upon the spoils of the Continent'. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in musical history and the contested originality of Handel.