VISIT THE NEW AND IMPROVED HANDEL HENDRIX HOUSE ON BROOK STREET, MAYFAIR
Credit: Christopher Ison
If you have never visited Handel Hendrix House, now is the time to schedule a visit. Handel’s Mayfair home has been fully restored and upcoming exhibitions will shed new light on the great composer and his musical next-door neighbour, Jimi Hendrix. The house cares for and presents the homes of two of the greatest musicians ever to have lived in the capital.
George Frideric Handel
Credit: Christopher Ison
George Frideric Handel lived at 25 Brook Street, Mayfair, from 1723 until his death in 1759. It was here that he wrote and rehearsed his greatest works, including Messiah and its ever popular ‘Hallelujah chorus’. ‘Zadok the Priest’, was also written in Brook Street and has accompanied the coronation of every British monarch since George II (for whom it was written in 1727), including HM King Charles III.
The £3m project means that you can now access all of Handel’s house including the basement and the ground floor (until recently, this was Aspinal of London). The front façade of 25 Brook Street has been restored so that visitors can finally enter Handel’s home through his front door, and you can visit the ground floor parlours where Handel once received his guests and aristocratic patrons. Handel’s basement kitchen has been restored with all its fixtures and fittings, carefully curated based on research and an inventory made shortly after Handel’s death.
Credit: Christopher Ison
Historic rooms are presented as they might have been in the 1740s, when Handel was achieving enormous success writing dramatic oratorios, with a new burst of creative energy. Recently acquired works of art have joined the line-up, resulting in an impressive art collection representative of 100+ works of art that Handel once owned and kept in his Brook Street abode.
Dynamic exhibitions showcase Handel’s music and the musicians he worked with, including a mixed reality audiovisual display bout the writing of Messiah in the very room where it was composed - this is something truly special. Live music will be performed in the rooms in which it was written, and, often, first heard - this is not to be missed. Visitors can also expect masterclasses and exclusive private events, and the income will be reinvested in the museum’s heritage and learning programme.
Jimi Hendrix
Credit: Christopher Ison
Jimi Hendrix moved into an adjoining flat at 23 Brook Street in 1968. It was here, in the only place he said he felt truly at home, Hendrix entertained, inspired and collaborated with other icons of British 60s rock music. In 2016, Jimi Hendrix’s flat was brilliantly restored and opened to the public.
To be enjoyed as a contrasting and complementary part to a visit to Handel’s home, the Hendrix experience has been expanded as part of the Hallelujah Project. Visitors can walk up and down the stairs to his flat for the very first time, where George Harrison famously had to step over one of Jimi’s other visitors who had passed out en route to the exit.
A new exhibition features a film showing visitors exploring Hendrix’s legendary guitar technique and his influence on musicians and creatives, with high quality sound supported by Bang & Olufsen. The film includes material uncovered by Handel Hendrix House through their national ‘Your Experience’ appeal for memories, images and stories of people’s encounters with Jimi Hendrix across the country. Hendrix fans are invited to share their own recollections of Hendrix’s performances.
Credit: Christopher Ison
Simon Daniels, Director of Handel Hendrix House commented, “The team at Handel Hendrix House are thrilled to be opening our doors once again, after 18 months’ construction. There is more to see at the museum than ever before, from a Georgian kitchen to fascinating new exhibitions and stunning 18th-century interiors, complemented by a fantastic programme of live performance and talks. The Hallelujah Project is the culmination of more than 60 years’ effort to acquire and fully restore Handel’s home, and we are delighted to be offering greater insight into Jimi Hendrix’s music and life in London. As we saw at the Coronation, Handel’s music is as fresh and powerful as the day it was written and has the ability to inspire and move us. He is London’s great composer, and we are delighted to have achieved our goal of restoring his house and excited to be sharing his life and music with more visitors, schools, and the local community. I am grateful to all the generous donors, supporters and advisors who have helped make this project possible.”
USA-born countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, who recently gave a performance at the British Residence in New York for supporters of the Handel House Foundation of America, said, “Ever since I was a young singer, the Handel Hendrix House has served as a great inspiration, making the past feel tangible and illuminating the underpinnings of music that has come to define me.”
The house is open Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00am – 17:00pm
Tickets are £14.00 for adults, £10.00 for students and free for the under 16s.
You can purchase tickets online or on the day at the museum.
