Music of Germany era was undoubtedly in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Friedrich Händel in the first half of the 18th century. Bach established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and adapted rhythms, forms, and textures from Italy and France. Bach wrote numerous works, including preludes, cantatas, fugues, concertos for harpsichord, violin and wind, orchestral suites, the Brandenburg Concertos, "St Matthew Passion", "St John Passion" and the "Christmas Oratorio". Händel was a cosmopolitan composer that wrote music for virtually every genre of his time. His most famous works include the orchestral suites Water Music, Music
2000 in British music charts selling albums. The major event of the classical music year was the launch of the Faenol Festival in North Wales by opera singer Bryn Terfel. The festival programme included popular music as well as classical and opera. In its first year, the festival performers included Michael Ball. The Proms season was notable for being the year in which Sir Andrew Davis ended his run as conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, subsequently to become musical director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Composer Peter Maxwell Davies spent the year as Artist in Residence at the Barossa Music Festival, and produced