New milestone in Handel research: Volume 100 of the Halle Handel Edition has been published

The academy project “Halle Handel Edition" (HHA) is approaching a milestone: with the publication of the “Foundling Hospital Anthem” and the “Peace Anthem”, edited by Stephan Blaut, the 100th volume of the renowned complete edition published by Bärenreiter is now available.

This marks a significant milestone for the international research project as it nears completion of the edition of all the works of George Frideric Handel: “The internationally networked edition sets new standards for the scholarly edition of Handel's works; its musical texts are used worldwide for performances of his music,” emphasises the editor-in-chief, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Hirschmann.

To mark this editorial milestone, a public celebration lasting around one hour with a musical programme will take place on 23 February 2026, Handel's 341st birthday, at 5 p.m. in the chamber music hall of the Handel House in Halle (Saale). The event is organised by the George Frideric Handel Society Halle and the Handel House Foundation. It offers an opportunity to appreciate the significance of the Halle Handel Edition for research and performance practice.

The Halle Handel Edition is a research project of the Academy of Sciences and Literature | Mainz and is funded by the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Saxony-Anhalt as part of the Academies' Programme coordinated by the Union of German Academies of Sciences and Humanities. It is sponsored by the George Frideric Handel Society and cooperates closely with experts from Great Britain and the USA. The HHA is supported both financially and conceptually by the Handel House Foundation, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, and institutional and private sponsors.