El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-01-02
Handel's Passion Eating
Great Musician Cared Nothing for
Women, but Was Once En-
gagged to Opera Singer.
BY Madison q. Peters
LARGO" the most
beautiful of LargOs is IA

ANDELS LARGO, lhS iiO9'
- beautiful of Largos is IA
Il 4 nous to all whether they
know anything about music or not.
In the town Of HaIle-on-the-seaie,
was born February %, 1885, George
Friedrich, the son of George Handel
the town physiciany and his second WIFE
Dorothea Faust
The father wished his son TO be-
come a lawyer and did everything ne
cou1d to discourage his fondness 1or
music, but the boy got an o4d spl me.
and practiced on it secretly IN the nay
when the physician visited a brother
in the service of the Duke OF WelSen-
fields. he took his son with him. Inc
how wandered into the chapel and soon
found his way to the organ, where aII
of a sudden a private concert was under
fu1l blast The duke happened to near
the performance and wondered VINO
could combine so much melody WltA
so much evident unfamlllarlty with
the organ. The boy was brought pc
fore him and instead of blaming MN
for disturbing the organ, the duke
praised the performance ana persuaueu
the father to let his boy follow the
bent of his genius. The duke, VINO
was A great patron of music, filled
the boys pockets with coins and urged
him TO develop his extraordinary talent.
Passion Was Eating.
Handel cared little for women. his
passion was eating, he was gourna4 lIe
devoted to the pleasure of the table
gratifying his appetite IN unseemIy
fashion, resembling his friend Dr.
Samuel Johnson in many notable ways.
Owing to Handles iron digestion ms
gluttony did him little harm.
Though wholly Indifferent to women
he seems to have attracted them IN
spite of his burly frame, and quick
temper which ragged and Wnlr!Wlhus
of excitement at small proVocauon- IL
is said that three women were madly
in love with him. OF these three Wo-
men whose lives are interviewer with
this whimsical disagreeable and cold
blooded bachelor, the name OF only one
is known; the other two were ms
pupils. one of whom was not allowed
10 wed a Fiddler" and following the
fashion of the time she fell into de-
cline and died.
The second was said to be a. per,
sonage of very high station. She offered
TO marry Handel if he would give up
his career, which ne promptly re
fused.
Handel is said to have been engaged
to a noted Italian opera singer, VIC
toria Tesi. Among the reasons given
by biographers why she did not marry
him are: first, she scOrned the con-
ventionality of marriage; second, she
was the f2VOrlte mistress OIL lhe uuhe
of Tuscany, while the third reason
given is that Handel was too prudent
to marry a person possessing so much
temperament as an opera singer. par
ticularly an italian. She took the lead
ing part in his first Italian opera
| "Roderigo," which was produced in
! Florence.
Victoria was a woman of spirit toT
| she followed Handel to Vienna where
she took part in his opera 'Agrippina.
which was a tremendous success.
l. While in Italy Scarlattf went to a
masked ball where Handel was also a
l guest The latter ran his fingers over
Z a clavichord which caused the italian
1 to remark, THAT must be either the
| famous Saxon or the devil"
Handel was devoted to his art and
/ praticed on his harpichord in secret
! until every key was followed by his
/ fingers to resemble the bowl of q
| spoon. The last years of his life were
! spent in London. Although be be-
, came a natUralized English citizen, h'
, was always a German at heart. Hi:
| operas are familiar now only to thu
| students of music, but his orations be-
long to all ages.
Had Violent Temper.
Handel had a violent temper, yet M
! was kind-hearted and would Away
| help the poor and suffering. His pc
charity was the Founding Asylum, TO
/ the benefit of which each year h