One minor problem is the inconsistency in the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, announced by the papal bull Inter gravissimas issued on February 24^th, 1582 (according to the Julian calendar). (The original text reads — “…in the year 1581, the sixth calends of March”. That is March 6^th, according to the new Gregorian calendar, but the year is given as 1581 in connection with the Florentine custom of starting the new year on March 25^th — the day when the archangel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus Christ to Mary, not coincidentally 9 months before Christmas.) That is exactly 143 years and 1 day before Handel's birth. It is worth remembering that while in Catholic countries the calendar reform was mostly carried out in the year of the bull's issuance, in predominantly Protestant countries it was gradually adopted later.

Handel's birth is given as February 23^rd 1685 according to the Julian calendar, in the Gregorian calendar this corresponds to March 5^th. Handel was born in a Lutheran area of ​​Germany, and at the time of his 40^th birthday he lived in Anglican England, where the Julian calendar was still in effect at the time, so he celebrated his birthday on the same date — February 23^rd.

before Handel's birthday, February 22^nd, The Daily Post advertised a subscription for the score of the opera Rodelinda.

According to The Daily Courant of February 23^rd, due to illness in the cast (the castrato Senesino), the planned performance (of Rodelinda, obviously) did not take place. There was no information whether there would be a replacement programme at the theatre. It seems that Handel had a day off on his 40^th birthday.

food and drink, and it can be assumed that he did not neglect this aspect of life, especially on his 40^th birthday.

is often an opportunity to take stock. On this day, Handel still had more than 30 years of creative life ahead of him, a period in which he wrote most of the works that made him permanently famous, including all the English oratorios (except the first version of Esther).

On his 40^th birthday, after his beginnings in Hamburg (4 operas), Handel had already had a fruitful stay in Italy (2 operas, 3 oratorios, a huge number of Italian cantatas, duets and trios, a lot of Latin liturgical music, the serenade Aci, Galatea e Polifemo), a short episode with the Elector of Hanover (who later became the English monarch), and his departure for England, where the most fruitful period of his life began.

There, he composed and premiered 13 operas by the time he was forty. Plus the first version of the oratorio Esther, the masque Acis and Galatea, the Chandos Anthems, five of the six Concerti grossi Op. 3, several hymns, the famous Water Music (3 orchestral suites), much music for keyboard instruments (Handel wrote almost all of his compositions for keyboard instruments before 1725).

Even if Handel had not written a single note after his 40^th birthday, he would still be one of the most famous composers of his time and his music would certainly be played today.

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