The Washington herald., 1912-09-12
Interesting News Gossip Gathered
In European Court Circles

That 50 per cent were habitua1 consumers
'of alcohol In the shape Of brandy or kin
Idred liqueurs. Is per cent were confirmed
absinthe drinkers. ~ per cent were ad-
dicted to bitters or liqueurs with dimin-
ished strength Of pure alcohol. similar
percentage were cider drinkers. IN per
cent were drinkers Of wine, 81 per cent
had been partial to sugar sweetened
iiqueurs, while but on per cent were beer
drinkers
Handelian enthusiasts by the thousands
gathered at the Crystal Palace, London.
to attend the twentieth Handel festival.
Among the many distinguished music
lovers were Princess Victoria. former
Queen Amelie Of Portugal. A, J. Balfour.
as well as the Chinese Ambassador. The
choir. which numbered $500 voices. sang
extremely well under the leadership Of
Sir Frederick Cowen. Some OF the for
tissimos' like, for instance. In Israel
In Egypt" were magnificent in their
grandeur. Then there was the Samson
and the "Hallelujah" chorus, the latter,
according to custom, being listend to by
ALL standing. But the finest interpreta-
ton was that of another of the Messiah
chorus. For Unto Us a Child is Born
Among the soloists for the first time In
forty-ive years was missed the familiar
figure Of Sir Charles Santley. Exceeding
ly well rendered was Arm, Arm. Ye
Brave" Judas Maccabaeus). and Thy
Glorious Deeds" (samson) by Robert Rad
fords fine barytone: also. Brown and
Rumford's duet, The Lord Is a Man OF
War" The alto Of Miss Clara Butt In
"ombra Mai Flu" and the soprano Of
Miss Percival Allen in Angels Ever
Bright and Fair" were perfection.
Few great composers have worked as
rapidly as Handel. Between July % and
October o. 1873. he actually completed
both Saul" and Israel in Egypt" Saul
occupying two months and Israeli being
written between October l and q. The
Messiah" begun on August 2, l7f1, was
finished by September Il, yet the strain
OF such rapid composition only seemed to
stimulate his powers. for eight years
after ending the long canto OF Messiah
he started to work on Samson"
Unlike Handel. a good many other
great masters Of music received but
small pay for their compositions. Mo-
Fart died poor. although the number of
his compositions totals 625. For his won
derful Marriage of Figaro he received
100 forms, and for Don Juan 225 for
ins. Der Freischuetz.'' for many years
Europe's most popular opera. Melted Mo-
Fart about 1000 forms. Beethoven was
placed beyond want by a small pension.
which he owed 10 the goodwill of some
friends. In recent years leading must
clans have been treated much better.
Brahms got about 1000 thaler for his
Third Symphony" Wagner, though he
had his struggles. too, while a beginner,
In his later years achieved riches. due
perhaps mostly to the business acumen
Of Frau Cosima-
No other musician OF his time, in fact.
was as fortunate in money matters as
Handel. For a TIE Deum." composed to
celebrate the peace treaty of Utrecht, he
got an annual pension of 1900 until his
death. This amounted in all to $4,000
Another of his compositions earned for
him a similar pension from King George
I. and for the last twenty years OF his
life he drew another sc0o annually from
Queen Caroline. So, although he lost
at least s1e.oo0 in an unsuccessful at
tempt to run an opera in London. Han
del died possessed OF E2G.oOd sterling.
the largest fortune realized by any mu-
steal composer until the dawn OF the
nineteenth century.
Handel had an enormous appetite. To
prevent the possibility OF short rations
he would take extraordinary precau-
tons. On one occasion he went to a
tavern, in the days before restaurants.
and ordered dinner for himself and two
friends As the repast seemed inordi-
nately long In preparation, the hungry
composer sent for the proprietor, and
asked angrily why he was kept waiting.
We are waiting for the other two gen.
tlemen." was the explanation. Den
bring up de dinner prestissimo." shout
ed Handel. II am de oder two shentle-
mems"
The Kaiser's speech at the Kiel re-
gatta for once seems TO have given more
satisfaction. II is generally accepted
with which the nag may be hoisted and
the difficulty attending the lowering of
the same with honor had reference TO
last summers Moroccan controversy and
is a reply to the Pan-German attacks
upon the Kaiser and his advisers with
regard to the German flag incident in
Agadir harbor. The number Of intell!-
gent Germans who still believe that
the flag never should be shown there
is not diminishing.
With regard to the Kaiser's claim for
freedom in the water and in the air for
the German flag. the conservative press
pertinently remarks that all these things
are excellent, but this claim for free
dom would probably be appreciated more
by the German people were the sem
tence freedom in our own land added
to It. In general. II may be said that
this speech follows the pattern Of a
number of Others which have been de-
livered In the maritime towns OF the