THREE GREAT MUSICIANS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1682, 25 May 1904, Page 18

THREE GREAT MUSICIANS

HANDEL. George Frederick Handel, now distinguished as the “immortal Handel,” was the son of a surgeon, and born at Halle, .in Upper Saxony, 24th February, 1684. His father intended him for the profession of the law, and to cheek his (Handel’s) great inclination for music, all access to musical instruments, was forbidden him. The boy’" however; in spite of his father’s prohibition, obtained a small ‘‘clavichord,” with which he amused himself at the top of the house when his parents were asleep. : His accidental visit with his father to the Court of the Duke of Shxe-Weissenfels, to whom the boy’s brother was valet, enabled him at. last to follow the bent of his genius. Child as he was, Handel played the organ after the morning service with such effect that the Duke, who happened to he present, prevailed on the father to permit his son’s genius to be cultivated. "While under his master at Halle, hoy of nine years old composed the church services for voices and instruments, and after surpassing his master, he went to Berlin, where the King of Prussia heard and rewarded his extraordinary powers. From Berlin Handel went to Hamburg, afad here his genius excited the

jealousy of all the musicians, one of ; whom gave him a push with a sword as he was returning from the orchestra; a music-book, placed inside his coat, received the blow and saved bis life. In 1741, at the age of fiftyseven, Handel produced his "undying '• work,. ‘‘The Messiah,” which, sublime as it is was not at first appreciated; .(but it grew into favour, as all excellent things do sooner or later. The other oratorios of Handel are “Saul,” “S'amson,” “Judas IMaccabaeus,” “Jephtha,” and “Israel in Egypt,” the latter being an especial favourite. He also composed many operas. Handel’s manners were rough and his temper violent, hut he was kind-hearted, and his disposition generous. Some time previous to his death this richly gifted musician was afflicted with blindness, but it had little effect on his spirits, for he continued to perforin in public, and even to compose,, till within a week of his death, which took place at the age of seventy-five. Handel is buried in "Westminister Abbey. NICOLO FAGANINL One of the greatest musicians who ever lived wao Nicolo Paganini, the famous violinist. Has childhood was an unhappy one, for his father, finding that he had a marvellous talent for music, used his son’s gift as a means of gaining money for himself. This impaired the boy’s constitution, and, together with the dissipation he afterwards indulged in, brought his life to j . an earlier close than should have been. He appeared in public at the age of f nine. Not till he was fifteen, however, did he break free from his bondage. Unfortunately, having received ; no education, he resorted to gambling ' and dissipation. <A violin was lent j him, on which he played with such j extraordinary power that its owner gave it to him. He married a singer, .Antonia Bianchi, who nearly ruined him with her extravagance, so that he was obliged to separate from her, and after this he seemed to care for nothing Tout his violin. Books, politics, even necessary food, failed to attract ( him. His whole life was wrapped up . in his art. He went from capital to . capital, his fame increasing as he travelled. With his. strange appearance, gaunt frame, and skeleton hands, wonderful stories 'Were circulated about him, and he was likened to some wandering demon. The following story is an instance of his marvellous genius, which has never been excelled, or even equalled. He was once requested to improvise the story of a man

j avlio had done a murder, and then I leaped into an abyss with the girl who | had refused his love. Paganini exI tinguislied the lights and began to play. Tiie weird and terrible music !he producted so terribly interpreted [ the story that several ladies fainted. lAt last, with broken health, but a large fortune, Paganini retired from 1 publicity, and spent some quiet years at Parma. A journey to Paris that he undertook proved, however, too much for his feeble health, and he was taken ill at Nice. He died on the 27th of May, 1840. His violin its owner’s only ! memorial, is now preserved at his native town of Genoa.

MOZAHT. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart—born 1756, died 1791—was born at Salzburg, Germany. At a very early age Mozart gave surprising tokens of his musical genius, which his father— Leopold Mozart—fostered and encouraged in every possible way. At the age. of four years he received his first lessons on the harpischord, and two or three years afterwards on the violin. When ho was about six years old, his father took him and his sister on a professional tour to Vienna. They went later to Munich, Mayence, and other cities of Southern Germany, and then proceeded to Paris and London. They were everywhere received with great favour. In 1765 they went to j Holland, where young Mozart wrote the six sonatas for violin with piano- : forte accompaniment, for the Princess of Orange. E'arly in 1767 Mozart went again to Vienna, where he spent two or three years in study and composition. Here he produced his first Mass, 1768. From 1768 till 1781 he produced many operas, but none worthy of mention; but in 1781 he produced at Munich “Idomenes.” This work, although to’ a great extent built upon the old Italian model, abounds in characteristic beauties, both in"‘the choruses, and in the instrumental scoring. “Le Nozze di Figaro” (1786) is too well-known to be commented upon here, hut it may be mentioned that it is Mozart’s finest work from a purely dramatic point of view. In “Don Giovanni,” produced 1787, he excelled in the elucidation of individual character. Then followed “La Glemenza di Tito.” Within a few weeks of “Tito,” the “Zauberflote” , was completed, and performed at Vienna, and was repeated one hundred times duiing the same and the following year. This was his last opera. Mozart had been

active in the production of ether Avorks. He had also written a number of pianoforte concertos and sonatas. His last work was the “Requiem,” 1791, -the greater portion of which he composed on his death-bed. Tberek has' been much discussion among critics regarding the authenticity of this work. Some assert that his pupil, Sussmaier, avlio had already given him much assistance, composed the greater part, but if this be the case, it is astonishing that so accomplished a writer should have left behind him- no other abiding memorial of his poAvers.