Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-12-17
lexa. Gazette IL Virginia Advertiser.


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THE LAST DAYS OF HANDEL.
In 1850 ''rheodora, Handel's favorite ora
toro, was first performed-and that to empty
houses. Like most tavorite children, 1t was
also the worst. 1t was the most glariDg failure
the great composer ever made; put with accus'
toned obstiuacy, he refused to acknowledge
the fact, Iustead of Withdrawing the oratorlo
after the first few representations he continued
it, but to wcefully empty houses. friend OF
his being present one evening when the house
was very poorly filled, Handel said to him, at
the close of the performance "Wlll you be
here next Friday night2 | will play it to you
He was less good-natured another time, when,
being informed that if he would repeat ''rheo-
dora a person of note from the city would en-
gage to fill all the boxes, he replied: he is a
fool the Jews will not come to 1t as to Judas
Maccal aus, because it is Christian story;
and the ladies will not come, because 1t is
VirtuouS one
Handel hal now been suffering for some
time from gutta serena. In February, 1852, be
produced "Jephtha," his last work. He had
three tunes submitted to an operation, but
vainly. On January 81, 1853, it was announced
that ''Mr. Handel has at last unhapplly quite
lost his sight" During this year, at each per
formauce Of his oratorios, he played as usual
concerto upon the organ Samson one of
his tavorite oratorios was n the programme of
the season. The grand old man was seated at
The organ. Spite of his usual 6rmoess, he
could not listen unmoved to the pathetic air
and words of the sigLtless Hebrew Hercules,
giving utterance to grief so nearly bis own.
Mltun's own words had been adapted to the
music:
Total eclipse no sun, no moon!
All dark amid the blaze at noon!
No glorious light, no cheering ray
TO glad my eyes with welcome day,
Why thus deprived thy prime decree
Sun, moon and stars are dark to me. =
The eyes of the audience we're upon him.
They saw him grow pale and tremble-he who
had faced the popular dlSpleasure so often; and
when the assistants led him forward to the
front of the stage, the assembly rose in respect
to his misfortune, and many eyes were filled
with tears
Handel died on the 18th of April l759, at the
ripe age of seventy-tour years. ln person ne
was stout massive, possessed OF powerful!
constitution, great muscular vlgor, and coun-
,enance indicative of great wit and intelligence.
His repartee was quick, and generally stingiog
Once he auarreled with an English singer, nam
ed Gordon who reproached him with accom-
panyng him badly Said Gordon, ''lf you per-
sist 10 accompanying me 10 that manner, will
lump upon your harpsicord and smash 1t to
pieces oh" replied Handel, "let me know
when you will do that and will advertise it, for
I am sure more people will come to see you
Jump than to hear you sing"
Independence was Hapdel's most prominent
quality. In an age when musicians were ranked
with Wallets aud cooks, he made himself respect
ed by even his enemies, and Was treated as the
equal of those great men whom his genius de-
lighted. Witha he was cool amid discouraging
circumstances. When some one was express
lug to him his regret at seeing the house SO
empty, he replied "Nevre moiud, de music
will sount de PETER.
His hasty temper sometimes led him into
ludicrous extremes. One of the female sing
ers once declined to sing the part given her.
Handel few at the rebel, saying: II always
knew you were very demon; but shall now
let you know that am Beezebub, the prince
of demons" then seizing her he ran to the wln-
dow, and swore that if she did not sing the air
be would immediately throw herinto the street.
She was subdued, and sang without further OBJ
lection.
Il was we'll known that he could not bear to
hear the tuning of instruments-for which rea-
sou this was always done before his arrival at
the theater. A musical wag stole into the
orchestra one night, when the Prince OF Wales
was to be present, and untuued all the lnstru
ments. AS soon as the prince arrived Handel
gave the signal to begin, con spirito. The hor-
rible din and discord may be imagined. The
eDraged maestro started up, overturned a
double bass 10 his way, seized kettle-drum,
and threw it at the leader with such violence
that be lost his full bottomed wig 10 the effort.
Then advancing bare headed to the orchestra,
he stood there, literally speechess with rage,
staring and stamping, till the prince came and
led him away.
To composition be was exceedingly rapid, and
always greatly affected himself at what be wrote.
Whsn his servant used to bring him up his
chocolate in the moruiug, he often stood in
seut astonishment to see bis masters tears,
mixing with the ink with which he penned his
notes. When asked what we're his feelings when
composing the Hallelujah Chorus, Handel said,
81 did tink [ see oil heaven before me and de
great God himself" a friend calling upon him
when in the act of setting to music the pathetic
words. "He was despised and rejected of men,
found him actually sobbiug. ;.
10 his habits be was simple 10 visit exhl-
bitious of paintings seems to have been his ia
vorite amusement. He was never married.
Once in Germany, before be achieved great.
ness, he was ready to be married but was dis
gusted by remark of his intended motherln
law, that she would never consent to see her
child married to fiddler He broke off the
match. Like most men of genius he worked iu-
cessantly He had Rucker harpsichord, every
key of which from constant use. was followed
like the bowl of spoon.
Such was the most illustrious composer the
world has known. II be was not fully appre
cisted by his own age, it must have been a
source of satisfaction to him to recoltect that
his n,ns;o bod O nart In every leading event of