George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany, he spent most of his life in England. He came to dominate English musical life with his efforts to convert audiences to opera and his subsequent elecation of the oratorio to a more important music form, culminating in the Messiah 1742, written in three weeks. He also wrote several instrumental works, including the orchestral suites The Water Music 1715 and the Music for the Royal Fireworks 1749.