The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-01-31
MUSIC REALM

M OUxV II M
HANDEL
Handel (1685-1759)
German Compo-er
When George Friedrich Handel
was baby he loved the deep tones
of the church bell. One year, when
tiny lad, his Christmas gifts con-
sisted of musical toys, such as
trumpet, drum, flute, and horn. He
arranged these playthings carefully
in miniature orchestra.
His father was insistent that his
son should study law. He was very
stern with the child and tried in every
way to suppress his musical tenden-
cies. He banished all musical instru-
ments from the house, and forbade
the lad to go where there was music.
One day the father visited the
Dukes palace and took young Handel
with him. Straying into the chapel
the child was irresistibly drawn to
the organ and began to play. The
Duke overhearing him, was carried
away with the playing, and not only
pronounced the boy genius, but per-
suaded the father to give his son a
musical education.
From then on Handel studied sing
ing, composition, the organ the CLAW
Ter, and several orchestra instruments.
When nine years Of age, he began
writing instrumental trios. At the
age of eleven he was sent to Berlin
to study. At sixteen he received an
appointment as organist and soon be-
came one of the greatest organists of
his time.
Handel wrote many cantatas, songs
and compositions for various in
struments, but his fame chiefly rests
on his oratorios, which were written
in London, where the greater part of
his life was spent. He became a
naturalized Englishman and was
idolized by the people of his adopted
land. ''The Messiah" the greatest of
his oratorios, was composed in three
weeks, and was first performed in
Dublin. The city went wild with en-
thusiasm. The story of this oratorio
is based upon the life of Christ, and
is faithful to the Scriptures in de-
tail. It has been performed more
often and in more countries than any
other musical work for a large Choir
us. In many cities it is given every
Christmas.
Six years before his death, Handel
became totally blind, but this afflic-
ton in no way interferred with his
work at the organ. A week before
his death he directed a performance
of ''The Messiah" The great COM
poser was buried in Westminster Alb.
hey.
Handel's music expresses nobility,
majesty and deep tenderness.
o.
Largo-Handel
Handel's Largo is of such majestic
beauty and inspiration that it has
come to be regarded as sacred, and
is usually associated with sacred
words. It is always with a spirit of
reverence that we listen to this COM
position. Nevertheless it was original
ly an opera air and strangely enough
the opera Of which it was a part, was
comic one. The air now known as
Largo" was sung at the beginning
of the first act of the opera "Xerxes"
and was in praise of the plane tree
(our own sycamore) whose branches
shaded the hero.
Rubinstein, Anton
(Russian)
10th Century
|, Anton Rubinstein founded the mu-
sic schools in Petrograd and Moscow,
where the present modern Russian
composers have received their train
ing. He is better known as a con-
crt pianist than as composer, al
though his compositions will always
be remembered by the world. Rubin
steien made concert tour of Amer
lea in 1923.
Melody in "F," one of the COM
poser's we'll known works, is full of
imagery and follows the song form
so that, while not so called by Rub
instein, it might well be named a
song without words. Originally pi-
ano selection, it has been used for
many instrumental combinations and
has also been given words by the
poet Michael Watson. As a vocal
number it is a favorite in the schools.
The well-known melody Of the COM
position, with its flowing RHYTHM,
sings itself naturally. Each phrase
moves to a graceful climax as the
melody rises and falls within its
phrase limits. There is middle sec
ton in which the theme has a vague
wandering character and which. is
gradually retarded. Then the first
melody again returns.
M -