Norwich bulletin., 1922-04-20
FAMOUS MEN.
GEORGE TtREpER1cK HANDEL.


 George Frederick Handel, one of the greatest musical geniuses the world has ever seen. was born in Saxony in 1884, spent his entire life in the profession for which he was so admirably ted, and died at the advanced age of seventy five, having composed his great work, Triumph of Time and Truth" the year of his death.
 On April 6, 1759, Handel attended a performance Of the "Messias'' at Gov ent Garden London, which was his last public appearance, for on the Saturday following he died at his house in Brook street, in the English metropolis Though born in SaXony, Handel became a natur- affixed British subject, and he left behind him in his adopted country, a name and popularity which never has beemL and probably never will be, rivaled by that of any other composer.
 Handeps father was a, surgeon, and he thought art of any character was degrading, and consequently strove in every way to stife the alarming symp- toms of musical genius in his son which appeared almost in infancy.
 In spite of this, some friendly hand Contrived to convey into the house a clavichord which was concealed in a garret, where, without being discovered the boy taught himself to play. He ad- vanced so rapidly that before he was ten years of age he had a number Of compositions to his credit, and his pre- ceGtor was compelled to confess that the boy knew more about music than him self
 Although Handel wrote a number of operas and other large compositions, it was his setting to music of religious stoTies such as the Messiah" "Israel in EgYpt,h Saul" etd- upon wf1h1h his fame rests most securely, and no con- 1 poser hals ever equalled him in this | character of werk.
 ] The great works that Handel compos- | ed after he was fifty years of age were: 1 "Sadi" and Israel in Egypt composed l in 173S; Messiah" in 1742; "Samson' l 174S; "Joseph,'' 1744 "Belshazzar'' and Hercules" in 1745; Judas Maceabae l us." 1747; Joshua" 174S; "SoIomon,' l 1749 'fSussHna," and PTheodora," ir 1750 and his last oratorio was "Jeptha, | composed in 1751 and performed in 1752 1t was while engaged on this las i work that he was first at'peked by th,
 disease which finally deprived him 1 his sight. Three times he was couchet | for cataract, but without success anc for the remainder of his life he was al
 most totally blind. He was at iiIst pro 1 foundIy depressed by his affliction; bu ] after time, with lndomitable strength he rose superior to it. He actually con
 tinued to preside at sSe organ during tn performance of his own oratorIos an,
 even to play organ concertos.
 Handel, besides a composer, was
 teacher, chapel-master, an opera ii
 rector and an impressario. The rapidit
 with which he composed was as wonder ful as his industry. His opera. of "fRi . .1af was written in fourtsen days an his "Messialh" in twerI y-four. It wa
 as vodll and, above all, q chora
 writer. that Handel is sElnreme No nn hr'r eave1ycf fad reeEHroes of thl
 chorus as he did; and his composition
 of this class remain to this day una. proachable. No one before or since ha
 so well understood how to extract fro.
 body of voices such grand results | ! such artfuL, simple means as those h t used