A celebrity in his own time, Handel remains popular with performers, music-lovers and scholars today. The specially commissioned contributions to this volume will enable students, teachers and concert-goers to better appreciate his music through a deeper understanding of the world in which he lived. The chapters focus on key aspects of the composer's career within the different social, political, cultural and musical contexts he experienced in Britain and Europe. They explore Handel's lifestyle and his personal and professional relationships; the various musical establishments for which he worked; the styles, practices and personnel that shaped his compositions; and the influence, reception and legacy of his music during and since his lifetime. Writing from a variety of perspectives, authors shed light on each topic while helping readers to navigate the breadth of recent scholarship. This book is an essential reference work for anybody studying Handel's music or that of his eighteenth-century contemporaries.