Editing George Frideric Handel (section)

=== University ===

Perhaps to fulfil a promise to his father or simply because he saw himself as "dedicated to the liberal arts", on 10 February 1702 Handel matriculated at the [[Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg|University of Halle]].<ref>{{harvnb|Dean|1982|p=2}}; {{harvnb|Deutsch|1955|p=8}}.</ref> That university had only recently been founded. In 1694, the [[Frederick I of Prussia|Elector of Brandenburg Frederick III]] (later Prussian King Frederick I) created the school, largely to provide a lecture forum for the jurist [[Christian Thomasius]] who had been expelled from [[Leipzig University|Leipzig]] for his liberal views.{{sfn|Lang|1966|p=20}} Handel did not enrol in the faculty of law, although he almost certainly attended lectures.<ref>{{harvnb|Lang|1966|p=20}}; {{harvnb|Dent|2004|p=2}}</ref> Thomasius was an intellectual and academic crusader, who was the first German academic to lecture in German and also denounced witch trials. Lang believes that Thomasius instilled in Handel a "respect for the dignity and freedom of man's mind and the solemn majesty of the law", principles that would have drawn him to and kept him in England for half a century.{{sfn|Lang|1966|pp=20–21}} Handel also there encountered the theologian and professor of Oriental languages [[August Hermann Francke]], who was particularly solicitous of children, especially orphans. The orphanage he founded became a model for Germany and undoubtedly influenced Handel's own charitable impulse when he assigned the rights of ''Messiah'' to London's [[Foundling Hospital]].{{sfn|Lang|1966|p=21}}

[[File:Dom Halle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Halle Cathedral]]]]
Shortly after commencing his university education, Handel (though Lutheran{{efn|Records of the Marktkirche show that he took communion there in April of the years 1701 to 1703.<ref>{{harvnb|Burrows|1994|p=10}}; {{harvnb|Deutsch|1955|pp=8, 9, 10}}.</ref>}}) on 13 March 1702 accepted the position of organist at the [[Halle Cathedral|Calvinist Cathedral in Halle]], the Domkirche, replacing J. C. Leporin, for whom he had acted as assistant.{{sfn|Dent|2004|p=2}} The position, which was a one-year probationary appointment, showed the foundation he had received from Zachow, for a church organist and cantor was a highly prestigious office. From it, he received 5 thalers a year and lodgings in the run-down castle of Moritzburg.{{sfn|Burrows|1994|p=20}}

Around this same time, Handel made the acquaintance of [[Georg Philipp Telemann|Telemann]]. Four years Handel's senior, Telemann was studying law at Leipzig and was assisting cantor [[Johann Kuhnau]] ([[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]]'s predecessor at the [[Thomaskirche]] there). Telemann recalled forty years later in an autobiography for Mattheson's ''Grundlage'': "The writing of the excellent Johann Kuhnau served as a model for me in fugue and counterpoint; but in fashioning melodic movements and examining them Handel and I were constantly occupied, frequently visiting each other as well as writing letters."<ref>{{harvnb|Burrows|1994|pp=10–11}} translating {{harvnb|Mattheson|1740|p=359}}.</ref>