Messiah Musings Part Eight:

By Josiah Tazelaar

 If a survey were to be taken of a large number of people who have a considerable amount of knowledge about great music, and the question is : Which two composers were the greatest in the 20th Century (or Modern Era), there'd be a huge difference of opinion.  Likewise, if the question is Which Two would top the list in the 19th Century (or Romantic Era), it would be Beethoven and a long list of other candidates.  However, it's easier when the question is Which Two dominated the Classical Era (1750-1800).  It's Haydn and Mozart, hands down.  And the same for the Baroque Era (1680-1760):  no doubt, Bach and Handel.  No one else comes close.

    My last two "Musings" will look at those two Baroque giants.  Today, I'll focus on their similarities.  Next week, their differences.

    It is astounding that these two were born less than four weeks apart (Handel on Feb. 23, 1685, and Bach on March 21, 1685), and fewer than 80 miles apart (Handel in Halle, East Saxony, and Bach in Eisenach, Thuringia).  Just as incredible is that they died in the same decade (Bach in 1750 and Handel in 1759), and both were blind at the time of their deaths.  But, believe it or not, they never once met each other!

    Both men were born into the Lutheran faith.  Both were organists.  Both, as we know, composed great religious works.  But they also were employed by heads of state and could compose wonderful secular music such as Bach's Brandenburg Concertos and Handel's Musick for the Royal Fireworks and Water Musick.   Both, by the way, had moments of very angry outbursts for which they were threatened with prison!

    Another interesting and somewhat amusing thing they had in common was visiting the great Lubeck organist-composer Dietrich Buxtehude when they were young men.  Everyone wanted to hear the great, but aging, man play the organ.  Bach, still a teenager, walked all the way, stayed for three months, absorbed a great deal of knowledge, and was given the opportunity to succeed the great man in the Lubeck church.  One stipulation:  he would have to marry Buxtehude's daughter.  One look at her convinced Bach he didn't really want that job all that badly.

    Two years later, Handel and his good buddy Johann Mattheson also went to Lubeck, after hearing a position was about to open.  Buxtehude's health was deteriorating and the need for a successor was now urgent.  The boys certainly were impressed with Buxtehude's playing, but the stipulation to get to old man's job still was the same:  “Marry my daughter.”  They politely declined and returned home.

    One final sidebar:  Handel and Mattheson were fast friends, but rivals as well, and when Handel showed more talent than did Mattheson, the latter took offense.  It all came to a head during a performance of Mattheson's opera "Cleopatra," which starred Mattheson as Marc Antony, while Handel was conducting the orchestra in the pit.  Marc Antony dies in Act II, and Mattheson decided to take the baton for Act III.  Handel refused to give it up.  Words were exchanged and it escalated into a swordfight as the audience gasped in astonishment and delight.  The fight was carried into the street.  Mattheson's sword shattered one of the buttons in Handel's waistcoat.  Had it not been for that button, we'd likely have never sung "Messiah"!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

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