The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-07-31

come from ualle, OIL tHe Oailo, ttuu ~
the son Of surgeon-barbor."
"Will you recommend me now to
the princess ?" inquired young Handel
of Buononcini, as soon as he could
make himself heard.
"That will not be necessary, my
child; you have sufficiently recon-
mended yourself" said the lady who
had given him her place at the piano.
II am Sophie Charlotte, and / learn
to-day that I am far from being the
performer my friends would make me
believe am. I thank you for this
valuable lesson, Herr Domorganist--
it shall yield good fruit for your pu-
pill, yes, and for mo, too. I shall
expect to see you tomorrow noon at
the castle, when young Handel shall
play before the elector; then we will
consider further with regard to him.
Signor Buononcinl, these two gentle
men will, Of course, be your guests as
long as they remain in Berlin. Good
evening, gentlemen"
And now, after this short saluta-
tion, it seemed as though the sun,
surrounded by rose-tinted clouds, had
disappeared. A brilliant suite gath
cred around the electress; the ladies,
and even some Of the gentlemen, of
the little troupe, to young Handel's
surprise, accompanied her. Even the
serious man in black followed her.
All disappeared like dream. Zachau
and his pupil gazed after the retiring
singers almost stupeded with amaze
ment. The former was the first to
recover his selfpossession, and, touch
ing his young companion on the
shoulder, he said somewhat abruptly:
"Come, come, boy, an electress ls only
woman, after all |! You did bravely.
Buononcini himself could not have
done better. The princess is evident
ly pleased with you; and, to win the
favor of the women, is to more than
half win the battle Of life"
"Well, my little troupe pleased you,
did it not2 Now you can understand
why I dare not keep them waiting"
said Buononcini, smiling. GA more
aristocratic troupe no .capellmeister
ever had: an electress at the piano,
and, among the singers, the Duchess
of Courland, her charming daughter
Maria, her son Prince Frederick Viii
liam, and my distinguished country
man Antonio Tcsi." IS
"ADd the elderly gentleman dressed
like the courtiers Of Louis XIV ?"
asked Handel.
"That was the first chamberlain to
the electress, Francois de Jeancourt,
Seigneur de Villarnel ct d'Ausson.
Bnt see-there are half a dozen dis
tinguished people, who are waiting
to congratulate you. There are Tosi
and Corelli; the tall, serious looking
man just behind them is Ariosti; the
one at his side is my brother Giovan-
nj Battista."
These gentlemen approached, and
praised the youth in the most eulo-
CYSTIC terms. The enthusiastic Corelli
embraced him again and again, and
cried out in his broken German:
"He will be recognized as the mu-
sical genius Of the age! A future full
of gold and laurels lies before him !"
Zachau was radiant, for the admi-
ration evinced for his pupil could not
have delighted him more if the pupil
had been his son. Sand STILL" said
he, finally interrupting them, "you
have no idea, as yet, of what he is
capable. You must see some Of his
sacred music; there is more in the
boy, I trust, than a simple player"
An hour lat ,r a right merry supper
party was assembled at Buononcini's.
Late in the evening, the domorganist
of Halle on the Saale, forgetful of his
deep-rooted prejudices, even toasted
Italian music, and then, we'll pleased
with himself and the world, and
fanked on either side by his host and
his pupil, retired to his chamber. At
the door, after the "fslice notte," ,"
young Handel detained the Italian o
moment, and asked:
"Who was the gentleman, dressed
in black, who spoke so much with the
electress? Is he, perhaps, her ply
sician2 lie looked almost as though
ho might be-"
"You might be farther from the
fact, my young friend" answered
Buononcini; "he is at least the ply
sician of her soul, for to him Sophie
Charlotte goes with all her cares and
doubts. he is, uuquestionably, the
most learned man in the world. You
have certainly often heard him spoken
of at home-his name is Leibnitz.''
The following day young Handel
played before the elector, and pleased
him hardly less than he, the previous
evening, had pleased the electress
He played selections from the compo.
sitions of his master. Scandelli, Ora
zio, and Scaletta, and then some fan.
tasias from themes given by the cleo
tor. And the princess also played, tc
the great delight of young Handel
When she had ended, he was loud in
her praise-it seemed to him that he
had never heard any thing so charm
ing; but the electress smiled at his
enthusiasm, and seemed to doubt the
correctness of his Judgment. "Let vi
hear" said she, "what your master
thinks of my playing"
"Guadigste Frau Churfurstin," sale
the domorganist, 81 think your play
ing is really wonderful for woman
Indeed. I would never have believed {