>rnia 

 
 PubluhHJiinttnn' •f'ni'i.
 
 A N 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MUSICAL PERFORMANCES 
 
 I N 
 
 WESTMINSTER- ABBEY, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 PANTHEON, 
 
 May 26tli, 27th, 29th; and June the 3d, and 5th, 1784. 
 
 I N 
 
 COMMEJM ORATION 
 
 O F 
 
 HANDEL. 
 
 By CHARLES BURNEY, Muf.D. F.R.S. 
 
 All 
 
 The multitude of Angels, with a ftiout 
 
 Loud as from numbers without number, fwect 
 
 As from blcfs'd voices, uttering joy, heav'n rung 
 
 With jubilee, and loud Hofaimas fiU'd 
 
 Th' eternal regions. Milt. Parad. Lost, Book III. 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed for the Benefit of the Musical Fund; and Sold by T. Payne aud 
 Son, at the Meiife-Gate -, and G. Robinsok, Patcr-nofter-Row. 
 
 MDCCLXXXV.
 
 -410 
 
 TO THE 
 
 KING. 
 
 GReatnefs of mind is never more wil- 
 lingly acknowledged, nor more 
 fincerely reverenced, than when it de- 
 fcends into the regions of general life, and 
 by countenancing common purfuits, or par- 
 taking common amufements, jfhews that it 
 borrows nothino; from diftance or for- 
 mality. 
 
 By the notice which Your Majefty has 
 been pleafed to beftow upon the celebration 
 
 A 2 of 
 
 -<■■> M r— 9
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 of Handel's memory. You have con- 
 defcended to add Your voice to public 
 praife, and give Your fan(£^ion to mufical 
 emulation. 
 
 The delight which Mufic affords feems to 
 be one of the firft at'-ainments of rational 
 nature ; wherever there is humanity, there 
 is modulated found. The mind fet free from 
 the refiftlefs tyranny of painful want, em- 
 ploys its firft leifure upon fome favage me- 
 lody. Thus in thofe lands of unprovided 
 wretchednefs, vvhlch Your Majefty's encou- 
 raeement of naval inveftiaation has brought 
 lately to the knowledge of the polifhed 
 world, though all things elfe were wanted, 
 every nation had its Mufic j an art of v/hich 
 the rudiments accompany the commence- 
 ments, and the refinements adorn the com- 
 pletion of civility, in which the inhabitants 
 of the earth feek their firft refuge from evil, 
 
 and.
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 and, perhaps, may find at laft the moft ele- 
 gant of their pleafiares. 
 
 But that this pleafure may be truly ele- 
 gant, fcience and nature muft affift each 
 other j a quick fenfibility of Melody and 
 Harmony, is not always originally beftow- 
 ed, and thofe who are born with this fuf- 
 ceptibility of modulated founds, are often ig- 
 norant of its principles, and muft therefore be 
 in a great degree delighted by chance ; but 
 when Your Majefty is pleafed to be prefent 
 at Mufical performances, the artifts may con- 
 gratulate themfelves upon the attention of 
 a judge in whom all requifites concur, who 
 hears them not merely with inftin^live emo- 
 tion, but with rational approbation, and 
 whofe praife of Handel is not the effu- 
 fion of credulity, but the emanation of 
 
 Science. 
 
 How
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 How near, or how diftant, the time may 
 be, when the art of combining founds (hall 
 be brought to its higheft perfe£lion by the 
 natives of Great Britain, this is not the 
 place to enquire j but the efforts produced 
 in other parts of knowledge by Your Ma- 
 jefty's favour, give hopes that Mufic may 
 make quick advances now it is recom- 
 mended by the attention, and dignified by 
 the patronage of our Sovereign. 
 
 I am. 
 
 With the moft profound Humility, 
 
 Your Majesty's moft dutiful 
 
 And devoted Subjeft and Servant, 
 
 CHARLES BURNEY.
 
 vu 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PREFACE, — — — i 
 
 Sketch of the Life of Handel, — — i 
 
 CharaSler o/' Handel, as a Compofer, '— 39 
 
 Chronological Lijl of Y{K'iiT)Y.\Js Compofitio7is, — 42 
 
 Propofals for printijig a complete Edition of his Works, 47 
 
 Addenda to the Preface, — — 48 
 
 Addenda to the Life of Handel, — — 50 
 
 COMMEMORATION of HANDEL. 
 
 Introdu6l'ion, — — — 3 
 
 Li/i of the DireSlors, Conductors, Infrumental and Vocal 
 
 Performers — — ^16 
 
 Plan of the Orchejlra, a7id Difpofition of the Band — 24 
 
 First Performance, Wejhnmjler- Abbey, — 25 
 
 Second Performance, Pajitheon, — 48 
 
 Third Performance, Wejlminjier- Abbey,. •— 74 
 
 Fourth PEKroKMANcr:, Wejlmijijlpr- Abbey, — 93 
 
 Fifth Performance, Wejlminjier- Abbey, — 11 1 
 
 Letter from Count Benincafa, on the Commetnoration of 
 Handel, — — — — 151 
 
 State of the Money received in Confeqiience of the Five Mu- 
 fical Performances, — — — 124 
 
 Dijburjcment of Sums expended, and appropriated to Cha- 
 ritable Purpojes, — — — 125 
 
 APPENDIX. AbJlraB of the Laws and Refolutions of the Fund 
 j'or the Support of Decayed Mujicians and their Families, 129
 
 Defcription of the Plates, and Diredlons for placing them. 
 
 Plate I. 
 
 Frontispiece. TheMuDKL^ruck on occa/ion of the Commemoration of 
 Handel, and worn by their Majejlies and the Dire^ors, on the Days 
 of Performance. To face the Title. 
 
 Pl. II. 
 Vie'ta of Handel'j Monument in Weflminfier-Ahhey, with the additional 
 Tablet, recording his Commemoration. 
 
 To face the i ft page of Handel's Life. 
 
 Pl. III. 
 
 Ticket of Admiffion to the Firfi Performance ; which being originally fixed 
 
 for the lift of April, to commemorate the Day of Handel'j Funeral^ 
 
 reprejents a Sarcophagus, with a Medallion of the great Mufician over it. 
 
 To face the Title of the Firft Day's Performance, p. 23 
 
 Pl. IV. 
 Ticket of Admiffion to the Second Performance. Handel compoftngjacred 
 Mufic ; the Genius of Harmony crowning him, and aSeraph wafting his Name 
 to Heaven. 
 
 To face the Title of the Second Day's Performance, p. 43. 
 
 Pl. V. 
 
 Ticket of Admiffion to the Third Performance. Britannia pointing to a Py- 
 ramid, on which the Name 0/ Handel is engraved ; a Genius offering the 
 Firfl-fruits of a Sacrifice to his Memory ; and on the Back-ground, a per- 
 fpe£live View of Weftminfter- Abbey . 
 
 To face the Title of the Third Day's reiformance, p. 71 
 
 Pl. VI. 
 
 View of the Gallery prepared for the Reception of their Majeflics, the 
 
 Royal Family, DireSfors, Archbifiops and Bijhops, Dean and Chapter of 
 
 Weflminfler, Heads of the Law, and others of the principal Perjonages 
 
 in the Kingdom, at the Commemoration o/" Handel in Weftminfter- Abbey. 
 
 To face the Title of the Fourth Day's Performance, p. 91 
 
 Pl. VII. 
 
 View of the Orchestra and Performers in Weftminfter- Abbey, during the 
 Commemoration cf Handel. 
 
 To face the Title of the Fifth Day's Performance, p. 109.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 A Public and national tribute of gratitude to dc- 
 ceafed mortals, whofe labours and talents have 
 benefitted, or innocently amufed, mankind, has, at all 
 times, been one of the earlieft marks of civilization in 
 €very country emerged from ignorance and barbarifrn. 
 And there feems no more rational folution of the mys- 
 teries of ancient Greek mythology, than to imagine that 
 men, vvliofc virtue and abilities furpaffed the common 
 ftandard of human excellence, had excited that degree 
 of veneration in pofterior times, which gave rife to 
 their deification and apotheofis. 
 
 Such a gigantic idea of commemoration as the pre- 
 fent, for the completion of which it was neceiliiry that 
 
 a fo
 
 u 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 fo many minds fhould be concentred, muft have been 
 long foftering ere it took a pradicable form, and was 
 matured into reality. But from the conception of this 
 plan to its full growth, there was fuch a concurrence 
 of favourable circumftances as the records of no art or 
 fcience can parallel : the Royal Patronage with which it 
 was honoured ; the high rank, unanimity, and adlive 
 zeal of the diredors ; the leifure, as well as ardour and 
 fkill of the conductor ; the difinterefted docility of in- 
 dividuals ; and liberal contributions of the public ; all 
 confpired to render this event memorable, and worthy 
 of a place, not only in the annals of Mufic, but of 
 mankind. 
 
 And indeed it was hardly pofTible for a Mufical Hif- 
 torian not to imagine that an enterprize honoured with 
 the patronage and prefence of their Majefties ; planned 
 and perfonally direded by noblemen and gentlemen of 
 the firft rank ; attended by the mofh numerous and 
 polite audience that was ever allembled on a fimilar 
 occafion, in any country ; among whom, not only the 
 King, Queen, Royal Family, nobility, and great officers 
 of ftate appeared, but the archbijfhops, billiops, and 
 other dignified clergy, with the heads of the law, 
 
 would
 
 PREFACE. iii 
 
 would form an a?ra in Mufic, as honourable to the art 
 and to national o;ratitude, as to the great artift himfelf 
 who has given occaiion to the Fefti\al. 
 
 HANDEL, whofe genius and abilities have lately been 
 fo nobly commemorated, though not a native of England, 
 fpent the greatefl: part of his life in the fervice of its in- 
 habitants : improving our tafte, delighting us in the 
 church, the theatre, and the chamber ; and introduc- 
 ing among us fo many fpecies of mufical excellence, 
 that, during more than half a century, while fentiment, 
 not fafhion, guided our applaufe, we neither wanted 
 nor wifhed for any other ftandard. He arrived among 
 us at a barbarous period for almofl every kind of mufic, 
 except that of the church. But, befides his oratorio 
 chorufes, which are fo well intitled to immortality, his 
 organ-pieces, and manner of playing, are ftill fuch mo- 
 dels of perfe<aion as no mafter in Europe has furpafled ; 
 and his operas were compofcd in a ftyle fo new and ex- 
 cellent, that no Mufic has fince, with all its refine- 
 ments of melody and fymmetry of air, in performance, 
 had fuch effects on the audience. 
 
 Indeed his works were fo long the models of perfec- 
 tion in this country, that they may be faid to have 
 
 a 2 formed
 
 IV 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 formed our national tafte. For though many in the 
 capital have been partial, of late years, to the compo- 
 fitions of ltaly> Germany, and France ; yet the nation 
 at large has rather tolerated than adopted thefe no- 
 velties. 
 
 The Englifh, a manly, military race, were inftantly 
 captivated by the grave, bold, and nervous ftyle of 
 Handel, which is congenial with their manners and fen- 
 timents. And though the produdlions of men of great 
 genius and abilities have, fmce his time, had a tranfient 
 fhare of attention and favour ; yet, w^henever any of the 
 works of Handel are revived by a performer of fuperior 
 talents, they are always heard with a degree of general 
 fatisfadion and delight, which other compofitions fel- 
 dom obtain. Indeed, the exquifite manner in which 
 his produ£lions are executed at the concert eftablifhed 
 for the prefervation and performance of old mafters, 
 ftimulates a defire in all who hear them to have a more 
 general acquaintance with his works. And it was, 
 perhaps, at the late performance in Weftminfter Abbey, 
 that the compofitions of this great mafter were firfl: fup- 
 plicd with a band, capable of difplaying'all the wonder- 
 ful powers of his harmony* 
 
 Pope,
 
 PREFACE. V 
 
 Pope, more than forty years ago, imagining that his 
 band was more numerous than modern times had ever 
 feen or heard before, contented himfelf with calling 
 him Centimanus, where he fays : 
 
 Strong in new arms, lo ! Giant Handel flands,. 
 Like bold Briareus with his hundred hands. 
 
 But if our great bard had furvived the late Commemo- 
 ration, when the produdlions of Handel employed more 
 than five hundred voices and inftruments, he would, 
 perhaps, have loft a pun, a fimile, and a boii mot, for 
 want of a clafTical allufion to lean on. 
 
 Notwithftanding the frequent complaints that are 
 made of the corruption of Mufic, of public caprice, 
 and private innovation, there is, perhaps, no country 
 in Europe, where the produdlions of old mafters are 
 more effedlually preferved from oblivion, than in Eng- 
 land : for, amidft the love of novelty and rapid revo- 
 lutions of fafhion, in common with other countries, 
 our cathedrals continue to perform the fervices and full 
 anthems of the i6th and 1 7th centuries, by Tye, Tallis, 
 Bird, Morley, Gibbons, Humphrey, Blow, and Purcell ; 
 as well as thofe produced at the beginning of the pre- 
 
 fent
 
 vi PREFACE. 
 
 fent century, by Wife, Clarke, Crofts, and others, whofe 
 grave and learned compofitions have contributed to keep 
 harmony, and the ancient choral ftyle, from corruption 
 and decay. The Crown and Anchor Concert, efta- 
 blifhed in 1 7 1 o, for the prefervation of old mafters of 
 every country, has long endeavoured to check innova- 
 tion ; and the annual performances at St. Paul's, for 
 the benefit of the Sons of the Clergy ; the Madrigal 
 Society, as well as the Catch-Club, and Concert of 
 Ancient Mufic, are all more peculiarly favourable to the 
 works of the illuftrious dead, than thofe of living can- 
 didates for fame. 
 
 But the moft honourable eulogium that can be be- 
 ftowed on the power of Mufic is, that whenever the 
 human heart is wifhed to expand in charity and bene- 
 ficence, its aid is more frequently called in, than that 
 of any other art or advocate : as the delight it affords 
 in exchange for fuperfluous wealth, is not only the moft 
 exquifite which the wit of man can fupply, but the 
 moft innocent that a well-governed ftate can allow. 
 
 Indeed Handel's Church-Mufic has been kept alive, 
 and has fupported life in thoufands, by its performance 
 for charitable purpofes : as at St. Paul's for the Sons of 
 
 the
 
 PREFACE. vii 
 
 the Clergy ; at the Triennial Meetings of the Three 
 Choirs of Worcefler, Hereford, and Gloucefter; at the 
 two Univerfities of Oxford and Cambridge ; at the Be- 
 nefit Concerts tor decayed Muficians and their Fami- 
 lies ; at the Foundling-Hofpital ; at St. Margaret's 
 Church for the Weftminfter Infirmary ; and for Hof- 
 pitals and Infirmaries in general, throughout the king- 
 dom, which have long been indebted to the art of Mu- 
 fic, and to Handel's Works in particular, for their 
 fupport. 
 
 This will not only account for the zeal of indivi- 
 duals in propagating his fame, but alacrity of the na- 
 tion at large, in fupporting an enterprize calculated to 
 do honour to the memory of fo great an artift, and 
 extenfive a benefadlor. 
 
 From all the information with which my mufical 
 reading and inquiries have furniflied me, it feems not 
 too much to fay, that the muficians aflembled on this 
 occafion exceeded in abilities, as well as number, thofe 
 of every band that has been colledlcd in modern times : 
 as may be reafonably inferred from the following chro- 
 nological lift of the moft remarkable mufical mufters 
 upon record. 
 
 At
 
 viii PREFACE. 
 
 At an interview between Francis I. king of France, 
 and Pope Leo X. in 15 15, at Bologna in Italy, the 
 muficians and fingers of the French king and the Ro-» 
 Tnan pontiff meeting together, formed the moft nu- 
 merous band which had ever been incorporated in thole 
 times. The number, however, is not mentioned ; but 
 as the chapel and court eftablifhment of thofe princes 
 could never, when united, form a body of mulicians 
 fufficiently confiderable to be put in competition with 
 that lately affembled, the number may ftill remain 
 indefinite, without leaving the leaft doubt of its fupe- 
 riority. 
 
 On the cefiation of the plague at Rome, in the 
 
 early part of the laft century, a mafs compofed by 
 
 Benevoli, for fix choirs, of four parts each, was 
 
 performed in St. Peter's church, of which he was 
 
 maeftro di capella; and the fingers, amounting to 
 
 more than two hundred, were arranged in different 
 
 circles of the dome : the fixth choir occupying the 
 
 fummit of the cupola. On both thefe occafions 
 
 no inftruments feem to have been employed, but 
 
 the organ. 
 
 We
 
 PREFACE. ix 
 
 We are told la Bonnet's Hijl. de la Mufique (a)^ that 
 the 'Te Deum^ which Lulli had compofed for the recovery 
 of Lewis XIV. in 1686, was afterwards performed 
 at Paris, on the recovery of his cldefl: fon, Monfcigneur, 
 by three hundred mujtcia?ts. 
 
 In the year 1723, moft of the great miificians of 
 Europe were aflembled together in the city of Prague, 
 by order of the emperor Charles VI. to celebrate the 
 feftival of his being; crowned king of Bohemia. Hif- 
 tory, fays Quantz (the late celebrated performer on the 
 German flute, and mafter of the prefent king of Pruf- 
 fia), does not furnifli a more glorious event for muflc, 
 than this folemnity ; nor a fimiiar inftance of fo great 
 a number of eminent profefTors, of any one art, being 
 collected together. Upon this occaflon, there was an 
 opera performed in the open air, by a himdred voices, 
 and two himdred injlruments (b). 
 
 A folemn fervice was performed at the funeral of 
 Rameau, 1767, at the church of the Oratory, in Paris, 
 hy all the muficians of the king's band, and by thofe of 
 
 (a) Tom. II. p. 93. Publiflied by Mnrpurg at Berlin, 1751. 
 
 (b) Herrnjvhanu Joachim ^uatitzens Sec likewife Alujical Tour, vo). ii. 
 Ltbenjlaiify von ihm felh/l entworfen. p. 177. 
 
 b the
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 the Royal Academy of Mudc, united. On this occafion, 
 we are told faj^ that many pieces from Pvameau's beft 
 produd:ions were feleded, which drew tears from fevT- 
 ral that were prefent, by the excellence oi the muiic,. 
 and the melancholy cccafion on which it was per- 
 formed. 
 
 At Santa Chiara^ in Naples, about the fame time, 
 according to Signor Corri, who was then in that city 
 ftudying under the famous Porpora, near three hundred 
 miificians were employed at the laft confecration of a 
 nun of great diftindion. 
 
 And at the public funeral of Jomelli, in the fame 
 city, 1774, a like number was affembled together, in 
 order to pay their laft duty to that great mafter j and 
 thefe not only performed ^r<3://V, but contributed to the 
 neceffary expences of this folemn fervice (b). 
 
 At many other gran ftmzioni and feftivals in Rome, 
 Venice, and other parts of Italy, a congrcfs of two or 
 three hundred muficians is not, perhaps, very uncom- 
 mon ; but from the time that the prefent fyftem of 
 harmony was invented, to this period, no well-authen- 
 
 fa) Effa: fur faMtif. tom.lU.p.^f)^. dt Savcrio Afattci. In Niipoli, 1774^ 
 (i) Scig^'o di Focf.c Laiiiic cd J'.dsans 
 
 ticated
 
 PREFACE. xi 
 
 ticated iiiftance, I bslieve, could be produced, of five 
 hundred performers, vocal and inftrumcntal, being 
 confolidatcd into one body, and giving fuch indif- 
 putable proofs of taknts and difcipline, as on the late 
 occafion. 
 
 Indeed the fortunate arrival of Madame Mara in this 
 country, while the manner of celebrating the intended 
 feftival was in contemplation, ealed the directors and 
 condu6lor of much anxiety and difficulty, as to the 
 diftribution of the Songs. There were, at this time, 
 but {^\N great fingers in London v/ho flood high in the 
 favour of the public ; and thofe were either inaccef- 
 lible, or appreheniive that a fingle voice, of whatever 
 volume, would be inaudible, in fuch an immenfe build- 
 ing as Weft minfter- Abbey. The voluntary offer there- 
 fore of this admirable linger to perform at each exhi- 
 bition, and the liberty granted by the managers of the 
 
 Pantheon, to whom fhe was excluHvely engaged, gave 
 birth to hopes from lingle fongs, which were greatly 
 furpaffed, in effecl, on the day of performance. In- 
 deed, the moft fanguine promoters of this enterprize, 
 muft at lirft have imagined, that the chief difference 
 and fuperiority of thefe performances to all others, 
 
 b 2 would
 
 xii PREFACE. 
 
 would have arifen from the aggregate of founds pro- 
 duced by fo immenfe a band, in the chorufes. But the 
 effects were not rendered more new, grand, and fur- 
 priiing, by the united force of the whole, than fweet, 
 diftiiid, and audible, by the fnigle efforts of indi- 
 viduals. The knowledge, experience, and abilities of 
 the two alternate leaders of this Muiical Legion, Meff. 
 Hay and Cramer, were never more manileft, nor were 
 their orders ever more implicitly obeyed, than on this 
 great and trying occafion. 
 
 Indeed, the effects of this amazing band, not only 
 overfet all the predidtions of ignorance and farcafm^. 
 but the conjectures of theory and experience. By fome 
 it was predided, that an orcheflra fo numerous could 
 never be in tune \ but even tu?iing^ to fo noble an or- 
 gan, was, for once, grand, and produdive of pleafing, 
 fenfations. By fome it was thought that, from their 
 number and diftance, they would never play iii time ; 
 which, however, they did moft accurately, and without 
 the meafure being beat in the ufual clumfy manner. By 
 others it was expefled that the band would be fo loudy 
 that whoever heard this performance, would never hear 
 again ; however, the found of thefe multiplied tones? 
 
 arrived
 
 PREFACE. xili 
 
 arrived as niild and benign at the ears of the audience, 
 as they could from the feeble efforts of a few violins, in 
 a common concert-room. And, laflly, that from the 
 immenfe fize of the building, no Jingle voice had the 
 leaft chance of being heard by thofe who liad places 
 remote from the orcheftra • but, luckily, this was fa 
 far from being true, that not a vocal breathing, how- 
 ever feeble by nature, or foftened by art, was inaudible 
 in any part of the immenfe fpace through Vv'hich it dif- 
 fufed itfelf in all dire(^ions> 
 
 All thefe difficulties, real and imaginary, were hap- 
 pily obviated by Mr. Commiffioner Bates, the Con- 
 ductor of this great enterprize ; for this gentleman, 
 who had fo long made the various works of fo great 
 and fertile a genius his particular ftudy, feleded the 
 pieces, collected, collated, and corrected the books ; 
 and, with a diligence and zeal, which nothing but 
 enthufiafm could infpire, after the idea was fuggeftedi 
 totally devoted every moment of his Icifure to its ad^ 
 vaneement and completion. 
 
 There have been commentators who have dedicated 
 their whole lives to the ftudy of one author : Homer, 
 Ariftotle, and Shakfpeare, have liad votaries of this 
 
 kind.
 
 XIV 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 kind ; and when admiration and zeal are moderated 
 and tempered by reditude of judgment, thofe who, 
 during a long feries of years, have chiefly pointed their 
 attention to a particular ftyle of mufical compofition, 
 muft be beft: acquainted with its beauties, and able to 
 dired others how to execute it with energy and pre- 
 ciiion. 
 
 No mufical amateur had perhaps ever fuch experi- 
 ence in thefe matters, or fuch frequent opportunities 
 of combining and difpofmg a numerous band to the 
 befb advantage, as Mr. Bates ; who, while he was pur- 
 fuing the ftudy of literature and fcience at King's- 
 College, Cambridge, had the reputation not only of 
 being the beft gentleman-performer on the harpflchord 
 and organ of that time, but had the chief diredion of 
 the concerts and choral performances in that univer- 
 fity ; as he had afterwards at Hinchinbroke, where 
 the earl of Sandwich frequently regaled his neighbours 
 and friends with Oratorios, executed with the utmoft 
 preciflon, by performers of the firft clafs. After the 
 eftablifliment of that moft refpedable inftitution, the 
 Concert of Ancient Muflc, in 1776, of which Mr. 
 Bates digefted the plan, he was long the fole con- 
 
 dudlor
 
 PREFACE, XV 
 
 diiclor of the performances at tliefe meetings, fo juftly 
 celebrated, not only for accuracy and precilion, but 
 for the new effedls produced from fuch old and vener- 
 able produdlions of great mafters of harmony, as would 
 otherwife have been buried in oblivion, or fwept away 
 from public notice by the rage for novelty, and tide 
 of fafliion» 
 
 Hovvever my mind may be imprelled with a reve- 
 rence for Handel, by an early and long acquaintance 
 with his perfon and works, yet, as it amounts not to 
 bigotry, or the preclulion of all refpe6l or admiration 
 of excellence in others, wherever I can find it, my 
 narrative will be lefs likely to excite fufpicions of im- 
 probability, or hyperbole, in fuch readers as were not 
 fo fortunate as to participate of the furprize and rap-^ 
 turc of all that were prefent at thefe magnificent per- 
 formances, and are able to judg'^ of the reality of the 
 fenfations dcfcribed. 
 
 As fuch uncommon attention has lately been be- 
 ftowed on the works of Handel, it feems natural to 
 imagine, that the fame public which has interefted it- 
 fclf fo deeply in their performance, will be cmious 
 about every thing that concerns the perfon of fo re- 
 nowned
 
 xvi PREFACE. 
 
 nowned a compofer. I fliall therefore prefix to the 
 following account, a Sketch of his Life^ drawn from 
 fuch narrations as have been publifhed in England and 
 Germany, as well as from the recolledtion of what 
 paffed within my own memory and knowledge. And 
 though I referve the critical examination of the entire 
 works of Handel for the laft volume of my Hiftory, 
 yet, as indifcriminate praife is little better than cen- 
 fure, I fhall fpecify fuch beauties of compofition and 
 cffed: as I felt moft forcibly in attending the perform- 
 ance of each day, and for which, by a careful peru- 
 fal of the fcore, I have been fince enabled to afTign 
 reafons. 
 
 After fo long a Preface to fo fliort a book, I fhall 
 add nothing more, in apology for my narrative, than 
 that I was ftimulated to the drawing it up, thus 
 haftily, by the extreme fatisfaclion I felt in finding 
 that the late Commemoration was not only an under- 
 taking of fuch magnitude as to merit the patronage 
 of an enlightened public ; but that the public, by its 
 liberal fupport and profound attention, manifefted it- 
 felf to be worthy of the undertaking. 
 
 SKETCH
 
 FUL. 
 
 L. F /tij/rt,^- Min , 
 
 CKORCK KUKHKRlH^ II \NDE4 Ef^f |^ 
 
 born IVlminrv Will. MIX l.XXXIV. ''^.. 
 
 lu-d on <'t<)o(1 KriHiiY, Ajiril XIH, MUC'CLtX.jjj-jj,„,,^,K.<, 
 
 ioiHiiiHiiiiiiiiiiii 
 
 /JK/ir/u/tn" •tttJp. 
 
 ^/ lr,f' r/ Hri:\ 'IJEL'S. //f> 
 
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 K E T C H 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 E 
 
 O F 
 
 HANDEL. 
 
 IT is by fuch minute degrees that men arrive at that point of 
 eminence which interefts the pubHc, and awakens general cu- 
 riofity, that the beginnings of greatnefs pafs unobferved, till they 
 can no longer be diftindtly feen through the blaze of meridian 
 brightnefs. Thus the early events of an illuftrious charader are 
 generally as obfcure and fabulous, as tlie firft years of an ancient 
 and powerful empire. For Biographers, notwithlVanding the 
 title they affume, feldom draw from the life ; nor, till an illuf- 
 trious perfonage has been fome time deceafed, do enquiry and con- 
 jedture begin to bufy themfelves in tracing incidents, defcribing fi- 
 tuations, and delineating charadlers. And hence, by procraftination, 
 the whole becomes little better than a me\-& fancy-piece. 
 
 B If
 
 2 SKETCH OFTHE 
 
 If it were pofllble, however, to know, in detail, the youthful 
 exploits of an Alexander, or a Csfar ; the firft poetical effufions 
 of a Homer, or a Virgil ; the dawnings of reafon in a Newton, or a 
 Locke i or the primary fermentations and expanfions of genius in 
 a Handel, they would afford great gratification to human curio- 
 fity, which delights in feeing by what minute gradations, or gi- 
 gantic ftrides, men gifted with uncommon powers, begin- their 
 journey to the Temple of Fame. 
 
 The Memoirs of the Life ^/'Handel, publiflied in 1760, the 
 year after his deceafe, though written with zeal and candour, are 
 neither fufficiently ample nor accurate to enable us to afcertain \ 
 
 with precifion the places of his refidence, dates of his produdtions, f. 
 
 or events of his early years, previous to his firfl: arrival in Eng- | 
 
 land, in 1710, at the age of Twenty-fix. ^ 
 
 It is however generally agreed, that the great mufician, George f 
 
 Frederick Handel, was born at Halle, in the Duchy of ; 
 
 Magdebourg, and Circle of Lower Saxony, the 24th of February, 1 
 
 1684; that his father was an eminent furgeon and phyfician of 
 the fame place, and upwaj-ds of fixty years of age when this fon, 
 the ifliie of a fecond marriage, was born ; and that, in his early 
 childhood, he difcovered fuch a pafTion for Mufic as could not be 
 fubdued by the commands of his father, who intended him for 
 the profeffion of the law. 
 
 He had made a confiderable progrefs in this art, by ftealth, 
 before he was allowed a mafler ; but at feven years old, his father 
 finding it impoflible to fix his attention to any thing but Mufic, 
 for which he feemed to have been endowed by nature with very 
 uncommon propenfities and faculties, he placed him under Za- 
 chau, organift of the cathedral church of Halle ; a man of con- 
 fiderable
 
 LI F EOF HANDEL. 3 
 
 fidenible abilities in his profeflion, and proud of his pupil. By 
 the time he was nine years old, our young Mufician was not only 
 able to officiate on the organ for his m.ifler, but began to lludy 
 compofition ; and at this early period of his life he is faid to have 
 compofcda Service, or, as it is called in Germany, Tifpirittial Can- 
 tata, every week, for voices and inftruinents, during three years 
 fucceflively. The late Mr. Weideman was in poflelTion of a fet of 
 Sonatas, in three parts, which Handel compofed when he was 
 only ten years old faj. 
 
 He feems to have continued to ftudy under his firft mailer 
 Zachau, in his native city, till the year 1698 j when, being ar- 
 rived at the age of fourteen, he was carried to Berlin, where 
 operas were in a very flourirtiing flate, at the court of die Ele(5tor 
 of Brandenburg, afterwards King of Pruffia, who had then in 
 his fervice not only many fingers of eminence from Italy, but 
 Bononcini and Attilio, to compofe. Handel is faid to have 
 diftinguilhed himfelf in this city as a wonderful performer, for 
 his early years, and to have given birth to fuch expedlations of 
 his future greatnefs, that his Eledloral Highnefs offered to take 
 him into his fervice, and fend him to Italy, for the completion 
 of his Mufical ftudies ; but his father declining this honour, 
 from a fpirit of independence, it was determined that he fliould 
 return to Halle, where he muft have continued a confiderable 
 
 fa; The earl of Marchmont, in his travels fiire, and laughing, faid, " I ufcJ to write 
 
 through Germany, when Lord Polwurth, like the D 1 in thofc days, but chicfiy 
 
 picked them up as great curiolities, and for the hautbois, which was my favourite 
 
 gave them to Mr. Weideman, of whom he inftiiimcnt." This, and the having fuch 
 
 took leflbns on the German flute. A friend, an exquifite performer to write for, as San 
 
 who favoured me with this anecdote, pro- Martini, accounts for the frequent oppor- 
 
 cured a copy of thefc juvenile produftions, tunitics which Handel took of compoling 
 
 which arc now in his Majelly's coUcaion, for that inftrument, in the early part of his 
 
 and which Weideman fliewcd to Han del; life, 
 who fecmed to look at them with much pica- 
 
 B 2 time J
 
 4 SKETCHOFTHE 
 
 time; though we are told that his father's death happening foon 
 after his return from Berhn, Handel, not being able to fupport 
 the expence of a journey to Italy, whither he was ambitious of 
 going, removed to Hamburgh, in order, by his mufical talents, 
 to procure a fubfiftence : this city, next to Berlin, ' being then 
 the mod renowned for its operas. We lofe fight, however, in 
 all the accounts of his life hitherto publifhed, both of our young 
 Mufician and his improvements from the time of his quitting 
 Berlin, till his arrival at Hamburgh, a period of five years ; for, 
 according to his rival Matthefon, he did not vifit that city till the 
 year 1703, at the age of nineteen. 
 
 Yet the celebrated Telemann, one of the greateft German Mufi- 
 cians of his time, in a well-written account of his own life and 
 works, drawn up by himfelf at the requeft of Matthefon, in the 
 year 1740, furniflies two or three incidents concerning Handel, 
 which intervened between the time of his quitting Berlin and 
 arrival at Hamburgh, that will help to throw a little light on 
 this dark period of his hiflory. 
 
 Telemann, born at Magdeburgh 1681 fa), like Handel, 
 difcovered an early pafiion for Mufic, and, while he was at fchool, 
 had, like him, made a great progrefs in the art, contrary to the in- 
 clination of his friends ; but though he played on almoft every kind 
 of inftrument, and had attempted to compofe an opera at twelve 
 years old, yet, in obedience to his mother's pofitive commands, 
 on whom, as his father was dead, he was folely dependent, at 
 about the age of twenty he folemnly renounced his mufical pur- 
 fuits, though with the greateft reludtance, and fet out for Leipfic, 
 in order to ftudy the law in that univerfity. In the way thither, 
 
 (a) See Cum. Tour, vol. ii, p. 242. 
 
 how-
 
 LIFEOFHANDEL. 5 
 
 however, he ftopt at //,r//A', where, fays Tel emann, " from my 
 " acquaintance with Handel, who was already famous, I again 
 " fucked in fo much of the poifon of mufic as nearly overfet all 
 " my refolutions." 
 
 Handel was now but fixteen years of age ; and as Telemann, 
 in his account of himfelf and his ftudies, foon mentions our ju- 
 venile Mufician again, I fhall proceed a little further in his nar- 
 rative. 
 
 " However," continues Telemann, " after quitting Handel, 
 " I perfevered in the plan prefcribed by my mother, and v/ent to 
 " Leipfic to purfue my ftudies J but, unfortunately, was lodged 
 " in a houfe where I perpetually heard Mufic of all kinds, which, 
 " though much worfe than my own, again led me into tempta- 
 " tion. And a fellow-ftudent finding among my papers a pfalm 
 " which I had fet to mufic, and which, in facrificing all my other 
 *' illicit attempts at compofition, had chanced to efcape oblivion, 
 " he begged it of me, and had it performed at St. Thomas's 
 " churcli, where it was fo much approved, that the burgomafter 
 " defired I would compofe fomething of this kind every fort- 
 " night ; for this I was amply rewarded, and had hopes, like- 
 " wife, given me, of future advantages of much greater import- 
 " tance. At this time I happened to be reminded of the folemn 
 " promife I had made my mother, for whom I had a great reve- 
 " rence, of utterly abandoning all thoughts of Mufic, by receiv- 
 " ing from her a draught for my fubfiftence : which, however, 
 " I returned ; and, after mentioning the profitable and promifing 
 " ftate of my affairs, earneflly intreated her to relax a little in the 
 " rigour of her injundtions, concerning the fludy of Mufic. Her 
 " bleilings on my new labours, followed ; and now I was half a 
 " mufician again. 
 
 " Soon
 
 6 SKETCHOFTHE 
 
 " Soon after I was appointed direcflor of the opera, for which 
 " I compofed many dramas, not only for Leipfic, where I efta- 
 " blifhed the College of Mufic which ftill fubfifts, but for So- 
 *' rau, Frankfort, and the court of WeifTenfels. The organ of the 
 *' new church was then juft built, of which I was appointed or- 
 *' ganift and director of the Mufic. This organ, however, I only 
 " played at the confecration, or opening, and afterwards refigned 
 '^ it, as a bone of contention for young mufical ftudents to quarrel 
 *• and fcramble for. At this time the pen of the excellent Kuh- 
 ** nau ferved me for a model in fugue and counterpoint ; but in 
 " fafliioning fubjedls of melody, Handel and I were contiJinally 
 *' exercijlng our fancy, and reciprocally cotnmunicating our thought Sy 
 " both by letter and converfation, in the frequent •vifits ive made to 
 " each other fa J". 
 
 According to Telemann's dates, all this mufl have happened 
 between the year tyoi and 1703, when Handel, quitting Halle, 
 arrived at Hamburgh, a place too diftant from Leipfic for frequent 
 vifits between thefe young Muficians to have been pradticable fbj. 
 
 It is fo difficult to obtain authentic intelligence concerning the 
 tranfadions of individuals, in remote parts of the world ; that, 
 finding how feldom foreigners fpeak accurately of what happens in 
 our own country, when we fpeak of theirs, I cannot help fufpedl- 
 ing myfelf, as well as others, of fimilar ignorance and inaccuracy. 
 
 In the accounts of our Theatres, by Riccoboni ; of our Poets 
 by Quadrio ; and of our Mufic by Matthefon, and otliers, the 
 information is fo fcanty and erroneous, that nothing can be more 
 contemptible than the fituation into which we are placed in the 
 eyes of our neighbours by thefe accounts, unlefs it be the authors 
 
 (a) Matthefon's (gljren ^fOttf, p. 354. fi) Leipfic, which is only 24 Englirti 
 jj^o. miles from Halle, is 200 from Hamburgh. 
 
 them-
 
 LIFEOFHANDEL. 7 
 
 themlclves, in the opinion of thofe who are able to detedl their 
 miftakes. 
 
 The difficulty of eradicating error when it has once gained adr- 
 mifllon into books, has been long obferved ; as it is much more 
 eafy to take fadts for granted and ijnplicitly tranlcribe, than to exa- 
 mine and confute them. 
 
 Hanpel having pafled his youth on the continent, and chiefly 
 in Germany, the incidents of that part of his life muft have 
 been better known by his cotemporary countrymen than by an 
 inhabitant of England, who, at the diftance of fifty years from 
 the arrival of this great Mufician among us, depended on tradi- 
 tion for fadls. 
 
 Joht Matthefon, an able Mufician and voluminous writer on 
 the fubjeft of Mufic, who refided at Hamburgh during the 
 whole time that PI an del remained in that city, has many par- 
 ticulars difperfed through his writings, which merit attention. 
 For though he fometimes appears as a friend, companion, and ad- 
 mirer of Handel's genius and abilities, and at others affumes 
 the critic, difcovering manifefl figns of rivalry, envy, and di£. 
 content, at his fuperior fuccefs ; yet, Matthefon was never 
 fo abandoned a writer as to invent or difguife fads, which he 
 knew the whole city of Hamburgh, and even Handel himfelf, 
 who was living till within five years of this author's death, could 
 confute (a). 
 
 (rt) When I firft began tins Sketch, fcvc- to correft the mifiakcs into which I had 
 
 ral of Matthefon's Mulical Tra£\s in my been led by trufling to his former Englifli 
 
 pofTclTlon having been miflaid, I was unnble Biographer, but to infcrt from German 
 
 to confult them ; but being fince found, writers fuch other incidents as concern 
 
 refpea for my readers, and for truth, have Handel's younger years, of which, as we 
 
 induced me to cancel fcveral leaves that know but little" in Enghind, the admirers 
 
 were already printed, and to new write this of this venerable mailer will be more parti- 
 
 pauof Handel's Life, in order not only cularly curious. 
 
 Mat-
 
 8 SKETCH OFTHE 
 
 Mattheson, born at Hamburgh 1681, had a liberal educa- 
 tion, and became a confiderable perfonage in that city ; where, in 
 the younger part of his life, he figured in the triple capacity of com- 
 pofer, opera-fmger, and harpfichord-player : and afterwards, though 
 he quitted the flage upon being appointed fecretary to Sir Cyril 
 Wych, the Engliih refident, yet he continued to ftudy, prad:ife, 
 and write on Mufical fnbjedls, till the time of his death. 
 
 He difcovered as early a propenfity to Mufic as Telemann or 
 Handel : having been able at nine years old to fing his own 
 compofitions to the organ, in one of the Hamburgh churches; 
 and, at eighteen, he fet an opera called the Pleiades, for the theatre 
 in that city, in which he fung the principal part himfelf. 
 
 Indeed, Matthefon's early connexion and intercourfe there with 
 Handel, before his name as a great Mufician had penetrated 
 into other parts of Europe, were fuch, that it is hopelefs now to 
 feek for better information than his writings furnifh, concerning 
 fo interefting a period. 
 
 Matthefon was a vain and pompous man, whofe firft wifli in 
 all his writings was to imprefs the reader with due reverence for 
 his own abilities and importance faj. It was his boafl before his 
 death, in 1764, at the age of eighty-three, ' that he had printed 
 
 * as many books, on the fubje6t of Mufic, as he had lived years j 
 
 * and that he fhould leave to his executors an equal number, in 
 
 * manufcript for the ufe of pofterity. 
 
 ' In 1761, he publiihed aTranflation of the Life of Handel, 
 ' from the Englifh ; with additions and remarks, which are nei- 
 
 * ther very candid nor liberal. But how ihould the author of that 
 
 (a) In this he feems to have fuccceded purg's Treatife on Tljorough-Bafe, among 
 with his countrymen, as fcveral theoretical the reft. llanOuClj bcp Drill Ocncral' 
 books are dedicated to him : and Mr. Mar- bafff UnD DCi vCOIlipOtitlOll. Berlin, 1762. 
 
 • book
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. [*i] 
 
 * book exped quarter from him, in which it is aflerted, that " Mat- 
 " thefon was no great finger, and only employed occafionally." In 
 
 * refutation of which he affures us, " that he conftantly fung the 
 " principal parts in the Hamburgh operas, during fifteen years, 
 " and with fuch fuccefs, that he could command the pafllons of 
 " his audience, by exciting in tliem, at his pleafure, joy, grief, 
 *' hope, and fear." And who llvall venture to doubt of his 
 ' having poffefTed thefe powers, when their effefts are thus at- 
 ' tefted by himfelf(a) V 
 
 In a work of Mufical biography and criticifm, by Matthefon, 
 called »J?ninbIa0C cincr CE'jrcn-pforrc, Foundation of a triuinphal 
 Arch, in honour of Mufic and Muficians, publifhed at Ham- 
 burgh, 1740, in which there is a long and inflated account of 
 himfclf and his works, which occupies thirty pages, we have, as 
 well as in his annotations on the Englifli Life, a more ample and 
 fatisfadtory account of Handel's juvenile compofltions and ad- 
 ventures, than I have been able to find elfewhere. 
 
 After telling us that he arrived at Hamburgh in the fummer of 
 1703, rich in genius and good difpofition : " Here," fays Mat- 
 thefon, " almoft his firft acquaintance was myfelf ; as I met with 
 " him at the organ of St. Mary Magdalen's church, July the 
 " 30th, whence I condudled him to my father's houfe, where he 
 *' was treated with all pofiible kindnefs as well as hofpitality ; and 
 " I afterwards not only attended him to organs, choirs, operas, 
 " and concerts, but recommended him to feveral fcholars, par- 
 *' ticularly to one in a certain houfe, where every body was 
 " much devoted to Mufic (b). 
 
 (fl) Journal of a Mufical Tuiir through had fupplanted Handel before his dcpar- 
 
 t^crmany, &c. vol ii, ture from Hamburgh, by being a|)poiiitcd, 
 
 {b) This appears, in another of Mat- nol on\y Sea clahe de Lcgatmi, ami Govcr- 
 
 thefon's works, to have been the houfe of nor to the Rcfidcnt's fon, but his Mufic- 
 
 the Englifli rcfident, where"tl fcenis as if he niafltr. 
 
 * B " At
 
 [*2] SKETCH OF THE 
 
 " At firft he only played a ripieiio violin in the opera orcheflra, - 
 " and behaved as if he could not count five^ being naturally in- 
 " clined to dry humour fa J. 
 
 " At this time he compofed extreme long Airs and Cantatas 
 " witlaout end j of which, though the harmony was excellent, 
 " yet true tafte was wanting ^ which, however, he very foon 
 •' acquired by his attendance at the opera." 
 
 As thefe young Muficians lived much together in great inti- 
 macy, they had frequent amicable contefts and trials of llcill with 
 each other ; in which it appearing that they excelled on different 
 inftruments, Handel on the organ, and Matthefon on the harp- 
 fichord, they mutually agreed not to invade each other's province, 
 and faithfully obferved this compact for five or fix years. 
 
 Matthefon tells us, that in the year 1704, tlie opera-houfe at. 
 Hainburgh happening to be fliut, leaving Handel behind him, 
 he travelled to Holland, played on the famous organs, and heard the 
 great performers in that countr}^ j made concerts at Amfterdam, 
 and might have been elected organift of Haerlem : having had an 
 offer of that place, with a falary of fifteen hundred Dutch goldens, 
 equal to near a hundred and fifty pounds fterling a year. He had thea 
 thoughts of going to England, but was prevented from executing 
 that defign, or of accepting the place of organift at Haerlem, by 
 the preffmg intreaties he received from the managers of the opera, 
 his familv, friends, and confeffor ; but chiefly by a moft kind and 
 obliging letter which was written to him by Handel, from 
 Hamburgh. This letter in order to iliew the kind of intimacy 
 
 (a) " I know," fays Matthefon, " if " cook's fon who blew the bellows for us at 
 
 «« he happens to read this, he will laugh in " St. Mary's ; our parties on the water to« 
 
 «' his heart, for he never laughed outward- " gether ; and a hundred other circum- 
 
 «« iy ; particularly if he remembers the poiil- " llai:ces, ftill frcfli in my mind." 
 " terev who travelled with us ; the paftry- 
 
 which
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. [*3] 
 
 which then fubfifted between them, Matthefon has inferted in his 
 Triumphal Arch. It is dated March i8, and was written before 
 clafliing interefts and rival claims had occafioned any interruption 
 to their friendlhip ; among other expreflions of civility from 
 Handel, he gives the following. 
 
 " I often wilh to enjoy your very agreeable converfation, which 
 " I hope will foon happen, as the time approaches, when, without 
 " your prefence, nothing can be done at the opera. I mod hum - 
 " bly intreat you to inform me of your departure from Amffcer- 
 " dam, that I may have an opportunity of fhewing my regard, by 
 " giving you the meeting." 
 
 Handel, at this time, muft have been compofing his firfl 
 Opera, in wliich, depending upon Mattliefoii to perform the 
 principal man's part, he had, probably, fet the fongs to his ftyle 
 of fmging and compafs of voice j but vanity never fuffered Mat- 
 thefon to afcribe Handel's attentions to anything but pure love 
 and kindnefs. 
 
 In his remarks on the Englifh Life of Handel, he is parti- 
 cularly fevere on that part of it which contains an account of the 
 quarrel which happened between him and that compofer, foon 
 after the letter was written : accufing the Biographer not only of 
 violating geography, chronology, and hiftory, but of a wilful 
 mifreprefentation of fads, in relating the circumllances of this 
 breach between them. 
 
 Matthefon, who, with all his felf-complaifance and pedantiy, 
 is generally allowed to have been diligent in finding, and exa6l 
 in ftating fadts, after telling us that Handel, when he firft came 
 to Hamburgh, notwithftanding the exalted ftation at which he foon 
 arrived, had no better part afligned him in the opera, than tlie 
 
 * B 2 Second
 
 [*4] SKETCH OF THE 
 
 Second ripieno Vi:Tm fa) ; informs us, that " though he then pre- 
 " tended to know nothing, yet he ufed to be very arch, for he 
 " had always a dry way of making the graveft people laugh, with- 
 ** out laughing himfelf. But his fuperior abilities were loon dif- 
 " covered, when, upon occalion of the harpfichord-player at 
 ** the opera being abfent, he was firft perfuaded to take his 
 ** place i for he then fliewed himfelf to be a great mafter, to the 
 '* aftonifhment of every one, except myfelf, who had frequently 
 " heard him before, upon keyed-inftruments." 
 
 According to Matthefon's own confeflion, he acquired from 
 Handel, by frequently meeting him at his father's houfe, and 
 praftifmg with him, a knowledge of modulation, and method of 
 combining founds, which he could have learned of no one elfe. 
 
 Upon a vacancy in an organift's place at Lubec, tliey travelled 
 thither together, and in the u-ageu compofed fevcral double 
 fugues y da mente, fays Matthefon, not da penna. Buxtehude 
 was then at Lubec, and an admirable organ-player ; however, 
 Handel's powers on that inilrument aftonifhed even thofe who 
 were accuflomed to hear that great performer. Handel and 
 Matthefon were prevented from becoming candidates for the place 
 of organift at Lubec, by a condition that was annexed to the 
 obtaining that office ; which was no other than to take with it, 
 a wife, whom their conftituents were to nom.inate ; but thinking 
 this too great an honour, they precipitately retreated to Hamburgh. 
 About this time an opera, called Cleopatra, compofed by Mat- 
 thefon, was performed on that ftage, in wliich he adted the part of 
 Anthony himfelf, and Handel played the harpfichord ; but Mat- 
 
 (a) " To how minute an origin we owe 
 
 " Young AmaioD, Cafar, and the great Niiflku !" 
 
 thefon
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. [*5] 
 
 thefon being accuftomcd, upon the death of Anthony, which 
 happens early in the piece, to take the harplichord, in the cha- 
 radier of compofer, Handel refufed to indulge his vanity, by 
 relinquifliing to him this poft ; which occafioned fo violent a 
 quarrel between them, that at going out of the houfe, Matthefon 
 gave him a flap on the face; upon which, both immediately 
 drew their fwords, and a duel enfued in the Market-place, before 
 the door of the Opera-houfe : luckily, the fword of Matthefon 
 was broke againft a metal button upon Handel's coat, which 
 put an end to the combat, and they were foon after reconciled. 
 
 Such is the account, which, long before the death of Han- 
 del, Matthefon himfelf publiflied, concerning the difference 
 that happened between them, during his refidence at Hamburgh. 
 The Englifli biographer is very roughly handled by Mattheibn 
 for faying, that this duel had " more the appearance of ajfajjina- 
 ** tion than of a rencounter i" and accufes him of conflantly and 
 wilfully diminifliing the age of Handel, in order to reprefent 
 him not only as a prodigy in Mufic, but a youth of too tender 
 years to be poflelled of courage, reafon, or ficill, fufficient to de- 
 fend himfelf; but if he had been capable of making a defence, 
 fays the author of his Life, " he could not be prepared for it." 
 In anfwer to all this, Matthefon obfei-ves, that " Handel, at the 
 " time of the quarrel, was twenty, years of age; tall, flrong, 
 " broad-fhouldered, and mufcular ; confequently, well able to de- 
 " fend himfelf:" and adds, that " a dry Jhp on the face ivas no 
 " ajjojjinatiou, but rather a friendly hint, to put him on his guard." 
 This rencounter happened the 5th of December, 1704; and, 
 as a proof of a fpeedy reconciliation, Matthefon tells us, that on 
 the 30th of the fame month, he accompanied the young compofer 
 to the rehearfal of his iiril opera of Almira, at the theatre, and 
 
 per-
 
 [*6] SKETCH OF THE 
 
 performed in it the principal part ; and that, afterwards, they 
 became greater friends than ever. This opera, though rehearled 
 at the end of 1704, was not pubUcly performed till the begin- 
 ning of 1705, when it was greatly approved (a). 
 
 On the 25th of February of the lame year, he produced his 
 fecond opera, called Nero^ which had likewife a very favourable 
 reception (b). It was at the end of the run of thefe two dramas 
 that Matthelbn, who performed the principal man's part in 
 both, quitted the ftage, on his being appointed fecretary to 
 the Britilh relident at Hamburgh ; an office in which he continued 
 to the time of his death, at the diitance of near iixty years from 
 his lirft appointment (c). 
 
 That Matthefon had more knowledge than talle, no other 
 proof need be given than the following conceit, which was re- 
 lated to me at Hamburgh. Late in life, in fetting, as part of his 
 own funeral anthem, the third verfe of the fourth chapter of Re- 
 velations : '* And there was a rain-bow round about the throne," 
 he contrived in a ver}' full fcore, to make every part form an arch, 
 by a gradual afcent and defcent of the notes on paper, in plain 
 counter-point j which appearance to the eyes of the performers, 
 he probably thought would convey the idea of a rain-bo\u to the 
 ears of the congregation ! 
 
 (a) The German title of this opera is : (c) Matthefon's firft opera, called the 
 SDCt m ftroncn crLingte CfuchfUJtClji'ft. PltiaJes, was performed at Hamburgh, 
 BDCt Klmira, iiCCnujinn ton Cllllicn ; 1699. -Pey'-'/^a, the fecond, 1702. Vic- 
 that is, The Vuijjitudii of Rcyally, or AL- ""•, Ouh of Xormanjf, the third, of which 
 MIR A %«o ofCafAU. There was an Epi- Schieferdecker corapofed the firft acl, Mat- 
 loguetothis diama, called Tbc Gcniits of thcfon the fecond, and Bronner the third, 
 Europe, fet bv Kevfer. was performed the fame year. Cleopatra, 
 
 (b) This opera was ilyled in German : the fourth, which occalioncd the quarrel 
 J^crc, ODtC Die Ciurrl) 15lut unO .fllOtQ between Matthefon and Handel, 1704. 
 trUngtC llCbC ; NERO, or, Laze obtained !y 
 
 Sloed and Murder, 
 
 All
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. [*y] 
 
 All the Mufic that I have ever feen by Matthefon is fleril of 
 ideas and uninterefting. It has been faid, that he was a great 
 performer on the harpfichord, and that Handel frequently 
 amufed himfelf with playing his pieces ; in doing which, if ever 
 he regarded Matthefon as a formidable rival, his triumph mufl 
 have been very complete in comparing them with his own, or 
 with the Inherent powers which he muft have felt of producing 
 better whenever he pleafed. I am in poflellion of a fet of Twelve 
 LefTons by Matthefon, engraved on copper, by Fletcher, in tall 
 folio of eighteen ftaved paper, London 1714 ; who, in a Preface 
 fpeaks of them as " Pieces which claim precedence to all others 
 " of this nature ; as being compofed by one of the greateft maf- 
 " tcrs of the age, in a tafte altogether pleafing and fublime." 
 They confift: of Oz-ertures^ Preludes, Fugues, Allemandes, Cou- 
 rantcs, Gigucs and Aires ; but, notv/ithftanding the Editor's 
 Eloge, like all the harpfichord mufic I ever faw, anterior to 
 Handel's admirable Suites de Pieces, firft Set, 1720 ; though 
 in good harmony, it imprefles the mind with no better idea of 
 accent, grace, or paflion, than the gingling of triangles, or bells 
 of a pack-horfe ; and is truly fuch as degrades the inftrument to 
 the level of founding brafs and a tinkling cymbal. 
 
 From 1705 to 1708, when Handel fet two other operas, 
 plorindo and Dafne, he furniflied nothing for the flage ; though 
 he had many fcholars, compofed harpfichord-pieces, lingle fongs, 
 and cantatas, innumerable faj. 
 
 During 
 
 (a) I procured at Hamburgh, in 177J, there, previous to his arrival in England, 
 a manufcript collection of cantatas, by the or journey into Italy. One of thefe can- 
 principal compofers of the early part of the tatas has a fpirited accompaniment for a 
 prefent ccntuiy ; among which are two by harpfichord, obligaio. At the end is a fliort 
 Handel, which I never faw elfewhere; air, which feems to contain the germ, or 
 snJ thcfe, it is mod probable, were pro- fubjefl-, of a favourite harpfichord Icflbn, 
 duced in that city, during his rcfidcnce primed in the fccond volume of his /'/ff«<i'* 
 
 C/a.
 
 [*8] SKETCH OF THE 
 
 During his refidence at Hamburgh, Matthefon allows, that 
 Handel improved his own ftyle greatly, by his conftant attendance 
 at the opera ; and lays, that he was even more powerful upon 
 the organ, in extempore fugues and counterpoint, than the famous 
 Kuhnau of Leiplic, who was at this time regarded as a prodigy. 
 
 Handel having acquired by his operas at Hamburgh a fum 
 fufficient to enable him to vifit Italy, fet out for that feat of the 
 Mufes, a journey after which every man of genius fo ardently 
 pants. He ftaid fome time at Florence, where he compofed the 
 opera of Rodrigo. From this city he went to Venice, where, in 
 1709, he produced his ylgrippina, which is faid by his biographer 
 to have been received with acclamation, and to have run thirty nights.- 
 Here he met with Domenico Scarlatti, Gafparini, and Lotti. 
 
 The next place he vifited, was Rome, where he had an oppor- 
 tunity of hearing compofitions and performers of the firfl clafs. 
 Here the elder Scarlatti and Gafparini had brought vocal mufic to 
 great perfedlion, and Corelli, inftrumental. At cardinal Otto- 
 boni's, by whom Handel was greatly carefled and patronized, 
 he had frequently the advantage of hearing the natural and ele- 
 gant Corelli perform his own works. Here our young compofer 
 produced a ferenata : // T^r'ionfo del Tempo fa) ; after which he 
 proceeded to Naples, where he fet Acis and Galatea, in Italian, to 
 mufic totally different from the little Engliih drama, written by 
 Gay, which he fet in 1721, for the duke of Chandos. 
 
 C/<;^'<v;«, p. 5, the iJcntical movement with chafed at Rome, among other manufcrlpt 
 
 which he ended the lati concerto which he compofitions by old mailers, fix cantatas, 
 
 ever played in public. This cintata is the a voce Sola^ del Georgio Federigo Hen- 
 
 inore likely to have been compofed early in del, tirito il Sajhne, which were, probably, 
 
 his youth, as there are fome little liberties, produced in this city during his refidence 
 
 and negligences in the compofition, which there, about the year 1709: by the yellow 
 
 have never appeared in his later produfiions. colour of the ink, they feem to have been 
 
 (a) The original fcore of this work is in long tr;infcrlbcd. Some of them I have never 
 
 his Majeily's coUeiiion. In 1770, 1 pur- feen in any other collec'lion.
 
 LIFEOFHANDEL. 9 
 
 When he returned to Germany, on quitting Italy, at the latter 
 end of 1709, or the beginning of 1710, the firft place at which 
 he ftopt was Hanover ; where he found a munificent patron in the 
 Eledlor, who afterwards, on the death of queen Anne, afcended 
 the Englifh throne, by the name of George the Firft. This 
 prince had in his fervice, as maeftro di capella, the elegant and 
 learned compofer StefFani, whom Handel had met before 
 at Venice, and who now refigned his office of maeftro di capella 
 to the Eledlor, in his favour. This venerable compofer ferved him 
 as a model for the ftyle of chamber duets, as well as facilitated 
 his introdudlion to the fmiles of his patron, the Elector, who fet- 
 tled on him a penfion of 1 500 crowns, upon condition that he 
 would return to his court, when he had completed his travels. 
 Handel, acceding to this propofition, went to DufTeldorp, 
 where he had a flattering reception from the Eledlor Palatine, who, 
 likewife, wiflied to retain him in his fervice. But befides the en- 
 gagement into which he had entered with the ElecStor of Hanover, 
 he was impatient to vifit England, where a paflion for dramatic 
 Mufic had already manifefted itfelf in feveral aukward at- 
 tempts at operas, and to which place he had received invitations 
 from feveral of the nobility, whom he had feen in Italy and Ha- 
 nover. 
 
 It was at the latter end of the year 17 10, that he arrived in 
 England j his reception was as flattering to himfclf as honourable 
 to the nation, at this time no lefs fuccefsful in war, than in the 
 cultivation of the arts of peace. To the wit, poetry, literature, 
 and fcience, which marked this period of our hiftory, Handel 
 added all the blandifliments of a nervous and learned Mufic, which 
 he firft brought hither, planted, and lived to fee grow to a very 
 
 flourilhing ftate. 
 
 Of
 
 10 S K E T C H O F T 11 E 
 
 Of the fuperior talents and abilities, which Handel now 
 polleffed, and of the fuccefs with which he had exercifed both on 
 the Continent, Fame, who in the charadter of avant-coureur, had 
 wafted intelligence to this country, procured him an eafy and fa- 
 vourable reception at court, and in many of the principal fami- 
 lies of the kingdom. Aaron Hill, at this time manager of the 
 opera, availing himfelf of his arrival, hallily Iketched out the 
 plan of a Mufical J3rama, from Taflb's Jeruialem, and gave it to 
 the Italian poet, Roili, to work into an opera, by the name of 
 RiNALDo. This Drama was firil performed in March 171 1, and 
 Handel is faid, in the Preface, to have fet it to Mufic in a fortnight. 
 
 Mr. Addifon, in the Spectator, N° 5,, with his ufual pleafantry, 
 but total infenfibility to fuperior mufical excellence, mentions this 
 circumftance among other frivolous incidents, which he means 
 to ridicule. Had this writer and critic, fo admirable in other 
 refpedts, been pollefled of judgment and feeling in Mufic equal to 
 his learning and tafte in literature, he would have difcovered that to 
 compofe an entire opera in lefs time than a copyift couJd tranfcribc 
 it, and in a more mafterly and original ftyle than had ever before 
 been heard in this, or perhaps, any country, was not a fair fub- 
 )edt for farcafm. All Mufic fcems alike to Addifon, except 
 French Recitative, for which he feems to have a particular predi- 
 ledtion (a). 
 
 The opera of Rinaldo, in which the celebrated Nicolini and 
 Valentini, the firfi: Italian fingers that appeared on our ftage, 
 performed j was the delight of the nation during many years : as 
 it was revived 1712, 1717, and 1731- 
 
 After remaining about a year in this country, and eftablifliing 
 a great reputation on the folid bafis of the moil exalted and indif- 
 
 (a) Spc^aur, N« ag. 
 
 putable
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. n 
 
 pu table merit, both as a compofer and performer, he returned to 
 Hanover, on a promife made to his moft powerful Englifli friends 
 to revifit this kingdom again, as foon as he could obtain per- 
 million of his Eledoral iiighnefs and patron. About the end of 
 the year 171 2, this permiflion was granted for a limited time. 
 And we find his Pajior Fido, and T^hefcus, in tlie lift of Italian 
 operas, brought on the Englifh flage, this and the following year. 
 And in 171 5, Amadige, or Amadis of Gaul. ^In all thefe operas 
 Nicolini, Valentini, Margarita, and Mrs. Anaftafia Robinfon, 
 were the principal fingers. 
 
 Not long after his fecond arrival in London, the peace of 
 Utrecht having been brought to a cojiclufion, Handel was pre- 
 ferred to all others, feemingly without a murmur from native 
 Muficians, to compofe the Hymn of Gratitude and Triumph on 
 the occafion. Envy, though outrageous and noify at the fuccefs 
 of comparative abilities, is ilruck. dumb and blind by excefs of 
 fuperiority. The grand Tl? Dcu?n and Jubilate, which he fet on 
 this occafion, were compofed with fuch force, regularity, and in- 
 ftrumental effects, as the Englifli had never heard before. Purcell's 
 Tc Deum, in defign, and exprefilon of the words, is, perhaps, 
 fuperior to all others ; but in grandeur and richnefs of accompa- 
 niment, nothing but national partiality can deny Handel the 
 preference. The queen lettled on him for life a penfion of Two 
 Hundred pounds per annum. And all who had heard Rinaldo, 
 wifhed him again employed for the opera ; fo that the multiplicity 
 of bufinefs, and the many protedtors and friends he met with in 
 England, a little impaired the memory of our great compofer 
 with refpedt to continental connexions ; and he fecmed to think 
 of nothing lefs than returning to Hanover till after the death of 
 queen Anne, in 1714, when his majefty, George the Firft, 
 
 C 2 arriving
 
 12 SKETCHOFTHE 
 
 arriving in England, faved him the trouble of a German 
 tour. 
 
 Handel, confcious of his deficiency in refpe(5t and gratitude, to 
 a prince who honoured him with fuch flattering marks of appro- 
 bation and bounty, durft not approach the court, till by the in- 
 genuity and friendly interpofition of baron Kilmanfegge, he was 
 reftored to favour in the following manner. The king, foon after 
 his arrival in thefe kingdoms, having been prevailed on to form, 
 a party on the water, the defign was communicated to Handel, 
 who was advifed to compofe fome pieces exprelTly for the occa- 
 fion ; the performance of which he fecretly conduced in a boat, 
 that accompanied the royal barge. Upon hearing thefe com- 
 pofitions, which have been fince fo well known, and fo juftly ce- 
 lebrated under the title of the Water-Mufic, his majefty, equally 
 furprifed and pleafed by their excellence, eagerly enquired who 
 was the author of them ; when the baron acquainted the king 
 that they were the productions of a faithful fervant of his majefty, 
 who, confcious of the caufe of difpleafure which he had given to 
 fo gracious a protedlor, durft not prefume to approach his royal 
 prefence, till he had afliirances that by every poflible demonftra- 
 tion of duty and gratitude in future, he might hope to obtain a 
 pardon. This interceffion having been gracioufly accepted, Han- 
 del was reftored to favour, and his compofitions honoured with 
 the moft flattering marks of royal approbation. And as a ratifi- 
 cation of the delinquent's peace, thus eafily obtained, his majefty 
 was pleafed to add a penfion of Two Hundred pounds a-year to 
 that which had been previoufly conferred on him by queen 
 Anne ; and not many years after, when he was employed 
 to teach the young princefl!es, another penfion of the fame value 
 was added to the former grants, by her majefty queen Caroline. 
 
 From
 
 LIFEOFHANDEL. 13 
 
 From the year 171 5 to 1720, I find, in the records of the 
 Mufical Drama, no new opera that was fet by Handel. The firft 
 three years of this period were chiefly fpent at the earl of Bur- 
 lington's, a nobleman, whofe tafte and judgment in the fine arts 
 were as exquifite as his patronage to their votaries was liberaL 
 And during the other two years, Handel feems to have been 
 employed at Cannons, as maeftro di capella to the duke of 
 Chandos ; who, among other fplendid and princely kinds of mag- 
 nificence, eftabliflied a chapel, in which the cathedral fervice was 
 daily performed by a choir of voices and inftruments, fuperior, at 
 that time, perhaps, in number and excellence,, to that of any fo- 
 vereign prince in Europe. Here Handel produced, befides his 
 anthems, the chief part of his hautbois concertos, fonatas, leflbns, 
 and organ fugues ; which are all fo maflerly, fpirited, and exqui- 
 fite in their feveral kinds, that if he had never compofed an. 
 opera, oratorio, Te Deum, duet, cantata, or any other fpecies of 
 vocal mufic, his name would have been had in reverence by true 
 Muficians, as long as the charadlers in which they are written, 
 fhould continue to be legible. 
 
 We come now to the bufiefl and mofl: glorious period oF 
 Handel's life; who, arrived at that ftage of exigence which 
 Dante calls 
 
 // tnczzo del cammin di nojlra "cita : 
 
 when the human fnune and faculties have acquired their utmofl' 
 flrengtli and vigour; was endowed with great natural powers, highly 
 improved by cultivation ; with a hand which no difficulties could 
 embarrafs ; a genius for compofition unbounded ; at the head of 
 a profeffion which facilitates accefs to the great, and, with extra- 
 ordinary abilities, enfures their patronage ; high in the favour of 
 
 ihc
 
 •14 SKETCHOFTHE 
 
 the fovereign, nobles, and public, of a great and powerful nation, 
 at a period of its greateft happinefs and tranquillity ; when it was 
 not only bleft with leifure and zeal to cultivate the arts of peace, 
 but with power, liberally to reward thofe whofe fuccefsful efforts 
 had carried them beyond the bounds of mediocrity. 
 
 Such were Handel's circumftances and fituation, when a 
 plan was formed, by the Englifli nobility and gentry, for eftablifh- 
 ing a fund for the fupport of Italian operas, of which he was to 
 be the compofer and diredtor ; and, as his Majefty king George the 
 Firft was pleafed to fubfcribe one thoufand pounds towards the 
 execution of this defign, and to let his name appear at the head 
 of the fubfcription, amounting to fifty thoufand pounds, this fo- 
 clety was called the Royal Academy. 
 
 When Handel quitted his employment at Cannons, he was 
 commiffioned by this academy to go to Drefden, in order to en- 
 gage fingers. Here he found Senefino, Duraftanti, Berenlladt, 
 and Bofchi, whom he brought over to England. 
 
 Though the principal intention. In forming the academy, was to 
 appoint Handel the compofer and diredtor of the band; the 
 public was not, as yet, unanimous in fupporting this meafure. 
 Bononcini and Attilio had been invited over by the former mana- 
 gers of the opera ; and as they were compofers of acknowledged 
 merit, there was an unwillingnefs in their admirers and friends to 
 confent to their difmiflion. And it was now that thofe mufical 
 feuds began, of which Swift has perpetuated the memory, by an 
 epigram, which throws contempt upon an art, and upon artifts, 
 v/hofe merit he never felt or underflood, though he could fee the 
 ridicule of their fituation. But the fatlrift who difcovers no dif- 
 ference between a Dryden and a Bell-man, or a Raphael and a 
 Houfe-painter, is full as well qualified to talk about poetry and 
 
 painting.
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. 15 
 
 prnntuig, as he about mufic, who neither fees nor hears the dif- 
 ference between the produdtions of a Handel or a Bononcini, 
 and thofe of the mofl: defpicabk fiddler. 
 
 No art, fcience, or even religious or moral truth, can parry the 
 aifaults of ridicule, when wit and humour guide the thrufl ; 
 though, luckily, the wounds inflifted are flight, and cure them- 
 felves. For neither lovers of art, nor of religion and virtue, can 
 be long diverted from their purfults, by a gibe or bon mot. A 
 great nation, in which there are fo many opulent individuals, 
 wants innocent amufements for their leifure hours, when quitting 
 the chace and rural fports they are aflembled together in the capi- 
 tal ; and in the beft and moft polirtied ages of the world, the cul- 
 tivation and patronage of Mufic have employed the talents and 
 munificence of its moft diftinguhhed inhabitants. 
 
 IVTufical dramas or operas, which during the laft century tra- 
 velled from Italy to France, and from France to England, wera 
 never attempted in the Italian language till the reign of queen 
 Anne, when the firfc eflays were made by performers, partly na- 
 tives, and partly Italians, who feverally ufcd their own dialed: j 
 the abfurdity of which Addifon has ridiculed with great humour 
 and pleafantry in the Spedlator, No. 18 (a). But as the love for 
 operas was then, and has been ever fince, moft powerfully excited 
 in fuch of our nobility and gentry as have vifited Italy in their 
 youth, it is natural that they ftiould at all times wiili to have thefe 
 exhibitions as near the models with which they had been ac- 
 quainted on the continent, as pofiible. And of fuch we may fup- 
 pofe the Royal Academy was compofed : as the duke of New- 
 
 (a) The Germans, according to Ricco- Recitative being pronounced in German, 
 boni, at the beginning of this century, had and the Airs in Italian, 
 epcras performed in the fame raanncr ; the 
 
 caftle^
 
 i6 SKETCH OFT HE 
 
 caftle, was governor ; lord Binglev, deputy-governor ; and the 
 dukes of Portland and Queenfbury, earls of Burlington, Stair, and 
 Widdegrave, lords Chetwynd and Stanhope, James Bruce, efq. 
 colonel Blathwait, Thomas Coke, of Norfolk, efq. Conyers 
 D'Arcy, efq. brigadier-general Dormer, Bn,^an Fairfax, efq. co- 
 lonel O'Hara, George Harrifon, efq. brigadier-general Hunter, 
 William Pulteney, efq. fir John Vanbrugh, niajor-general Wade, 
 and Francis Whitvi^orth, efq. diredtors. 
 
 Thefe great and eminent perfonages could not, however, get 
 the whole management of the operas into their own hands, all at 
 once : oppofitions are no lefs frequent, than furious, in popular 
 governments ; and, on this occafion, political animolities were 
 blended with Mufical fadlion. All the friends of Bononcini and 
 Attilio were not, perhaps, entirely guided by the love of Mufic, 
 and fenfe ot their fuperiority j the love of power, and hatred of 
 the abettors of Handel, for party confiderations, furnilhed fuel 
 to their zeal ; and Handel, ere they gave way, was forced to 
 mount the ilage, and fight his own battle. For all that his friends 
 could obtain of thofe that were in poflelTion of the Theatre in the 
 Haymarket, at his return from Drefden, with auxiliaries, was 
 permilfion to have his opera of Radamijius performed there in 
 1720 (aj. On tliis occalion, the expedlations which the public 
 had formed of the abilities of Handel, from his great reputation, 
 and the fpecimens he had already given, may be eftimated by the 
 crouds which affembled at the Opera-Houfe doors, when tliere 
 was no longer any room for their adjnilTion. And the applaufe 
 of thofe who were fo fortunate as to obtain places, evinced the 
 full gratification of the delight they expe(fled to receive. This 
 
 (a) This opera, under the title of Ze- Matthcfon. .ind performed to Handil's 
 ^ulia, was tranflatcd into German, by Mufic, in Hamburgh. 1721. 
 
 opera.
 
 LIFEOF HANDEL. 17 
 
 opera, however, with all its merit and fuccefs, did not obtain for 
 Handel a vidory lufficiently decifive, to oblige the enemy to 
 quit the field. 
 
 After this, as the lail experiment, it was agreed by the friends 
 of the three feveral rivals, that each of them fliould compofe an 
 aft of the fame opera, with an overture to each adl. The drama 
 fixed upon was Mutius Sccevohi, of which Bononcini fet the firft 
 adt, Attilio the fecond, and Handel the third; and this fiery 
 trial determined the point of precedence between him and his 
 competitors : the aft in Mutius Sccevola, which Handel com- 
 pofed, being pronounced fuperior to both the others, and Bonon- 
 cini's the next in merit. 
 
 It was the ihore honourable to our great Mufician to have van- 
 quiihed fuch a champion as Bononcini, as he was a man of great 
 abilities, and very higli in reputation all over Europe. Few, in- 
 deed, are able, when the difference is doubtful, to difcriminate 
 and fet a jufl value on the nicer fliades of excellence : a grain of 
 partiality or prejudice can then turn the fcale of either fide, when 
 in the hands of the beil: judges ; but how Ihall ignorance dare to 
 determine, what learning and experience can fcarce difcern ? 
 
 The truth is, that Bononcini's peculiar merit in fetting Italian 
 words feems to have been out of the reach of an Englifli audience, 
 and that Italians were alone competent to judge of it ; who fay, 
 that his knowledge in finging and in their language was fuch as 
 rendered his cantilena, or melody, more natural and elegant to 
 vocal performers, and his recitatives more pafiionatc, and expref- 
 five of nicer fenfations and inflexions, to eveiy hearer accuftomed 
 to the tones of Italian fpecch, than thofe of his rival j but in ma- 
 jeffy, grandeur, force, fire, and invention, which are not local 
 
 D . beauties.
 
 i8 SKETCHOFTHE 
 
 beauties, but ftriking and intelligible in all countries, Handel 
 was infinitely his fuperior. 
 
 From this memorable vicftory, in 1721, the Royal Academy 
 feems to have been firmly eftablifhed during the fpace of eight or 
 nine years, under the management of Handel's mofl powerful 
 friends and greateft admirers ; who, in appointing him the prin- 
 cipal compofer, gave him abfolute dominion over the perform- 
 ers (a). 
 
 There were, however, from time to time, feveral operas of Bo- 
 noncini and Attilio exhibited during this period, on the lame 
 ftage, and by the fame performers, as thofe of Handel j per- 
 haps to conciliate parties : the lovers of Mufic are fometimes fro- 
 ward, capricious, and unreafonable, as well as the profelTors. 
 This was never more confpicuous to by-ftanders, than in the vio- 
 lence of party for the two fingers, Cuzzoni and Fauftina, in the 
 year 1727; at which time, though both were excellent perform- 
 ers, in different fh'les, yet fo unwilling was the Engliili public 
 to be pleafed with both, that when the admirers of one of thefe 
 firens began to applaud, thofe of the other were fure to hifs. It 
 feems as impoffible for two fingers of equal merit to tread the 
 fame ftage, a parte egnale, as for two people to ride on the fame 
 horl'e, without one being behind. 
 
 " If the frequenters of Mufical Dramas had not then been 
 *' enemies to their own pleafure, the merit of thefe fingers con- 
 *' lifled of excellencies fo different and diftind:, that they might 
 
 (a) During this profpcrous period, after linJa, Sclplonc, AltffhnJro, RkarJo primty 
 
 Kactamifio., and h'.ur^lo Scci'ola, Handei, Ammcto, Siroc, Tolomco^ Lotario, Paitt- 
 
 produced his operas of Oiiokc, Florldauie, nopt, and Pora, 
 FLivio, Ciulit Cr/arc, Tamtrla/io, Rode- 
 
 have
 
 LIFEOFPIANDEL. 19 
 
 " have applauded each by turns, and, from their feveral perfec- 
 " tions, by turns, have received equal delight. 
 
 " Unluckily for moderate people, who feek pleafure from ta- 
 " lents wherever they can be found, the violence of thefe feuds 
 " has cured all fucceeding managers of the extravagance of en- 
 " g^&i"g t^^° fingers of the fame fex, at a time, of difputable 
 ♦' abilities faj-" 
 
 Dr. Arbuthnot, on occafion of the contefted rights o^ fupremacy 
 between thefe theatrical principals and their adherents, publiflied, 
 1728, a Manifejlo, intitled, " The Devil to pay at St, James's : 
 " or a full and true account of a moft horrid and bloody battle 
 " between Madame Faiijlina and Madame Cuzzoni. Alfo a hot 
 " fkirmifh between Signor Bofchi and Signor Palmerini. More- 
 ♦' over, how Scnefmo has taken fnuff, is going to leave the opera, 
 " and fing pfalms at Hcnlcy\ Oratory f6J." 
 
 A few years after, a quarrel happened between Handel and 
 Senefino, which broke up the Academy, and was not only inju- 
 rious to the fortune of our great Compoler, but the caufe of infi- 
 nite trouble and vexation to him, during the reft of his life. 
 
 Dr. Arbuthnot, who was always a very zealous and a<flive friend 
 to Handel, entered the lifts, as his champion, v/henever an 
 opportunity offered of defending his caufe. And, as ridicule fup- 
 plied him with all kinds of ammunition, and the pen was liis 
 mofl irrefiflible weapon, he had recourfe to thefe in the conten- 
 tion with Senefino, who had almoft all the great barons of tlie 
 realm for his allies. And in this fecond puny war, after mutual 
 complaints of treaties violated, rights infringed, and hoflilities 
 committed, he publiihed another Manifejio, which had for title, 
 
 (a) Journal of a Mufical Tour through {h) Arhuthnot's Mifiellanies, vol. 1. from 
 Germany, &c. vol. ii, p. 189. P- 2'3> to 216. 
 
 D 2 " Har-
 
 20 
 
 SKETCH OF THE 
 
 " Harmony in an Uproar: a Letter to George Frederick 
 " Handel, efq. mafler of the Opera-houfe in the Hay- 
 " market, from Hurlothrumbo John/on, efq. compofer extraor- 
 " dinary to all the theatres in Great Britain, excepting that at 
 " the Haymarket. In which the rights and merits of both 
 *' Operas are properly confidered." 
 
 A court is inftituted in this pamphlet for the trial of Handel, 
 who is ordered to hold up his hand, and to anfwer to the follow- 
 ing feveral high crimes and mifdemeanors committed upon the. 
 wills and underllandings of the people of this country. 
 
 Imprimis, he is charged with having bewitched us for the fpace 
 of twenty years part. 
 
 Secondly, with moft infolently daring to give us good Mufic 
 and found Harmony, when we wanted bad. 
 
 Thirdly, with moft felonioufly and arrogantly affuming to him- 
 felf an uncontrouled power of plcafmg us whether we would or 
 no ; and with often being fo bold as to charm us, when we were 
 pofitively refolved to be out of humour. 
 
 Dr. Pnjhpin and Dr. Blue (Pepufch and Green) accufe him of 
 not being a graduate in either of the univerfities ; and the for- 
 mer of not having read Euclid, or ftudied the Greek modes. 
 Others of having compofed fuch Mufic as not only puzzled our 
 parifti clerks and thre .v out every congregation, but fuch as never 
 man pioduced before. Tlien, as an inftance of his having prac- 
 tifcd forccry in this kingdom on his majefty's liege fubjedts, and 
 of bewitching every fenfe we have, it is alferted that there was 
 not a letter in any one of his public bills but had magic in it ; 
 and that if at any time a fqueak of one of his fiddles, or a tooting 
 of one of his pipes was to be heard, away djfnced the whole town, 
 helter ll:elter, crouding, preffing, and Ihoving ; and happy were 
 
 they
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. [*i9] 
 
 they who could be fqueezed to death. At length the court con- 
 cludes, that " as one Opera is fuch an enormous fource of ex- 
 " pence, luxury, idlenefs, floth and effeminacy, there could be 
 " no way fo proper to redrefs thefe grievances, as the fetting up 
 *' another." 
 
 The only parts of this ironical letter which feem to be ferious 
 are printed in Itahcs, and contain Handel's own defence : who, 
 in anfwer to the crimes with which he was charged by his oppo- 
 nents is made to fay, " that he was no way to blame in the whole 
 " aifair ; but that when Scnefino had declared he would leave 
 *' England, he thought himfelf obliged in honour to proceed with 
 " his contradl, and provide for himfelf elfewhere ; that as for 
 ** Cuzzoni, he had no thought of her, no hopes of her, nor no 
 " want of her, Strada being in all refpedls infinitely fuperior» 
 "" in any excellency required for the llage ; as for fingers in the 
 " under parts, he had provided the befl fet we ever had yet } 
 *' though bafely deferted by Montagnana, after having figned a 
 *' formal contratfl to ferve him the whole of this feafon ; which 
 " he might ftill force him to do were he not more afraid of 
 " Weftminfter-hall than ten thoufand D — rs, or ten thoufand 
 " D — Is. That as he was obliged to carry on operas this win- 
 " ter, he imagined he might be at liberty to proceed in the bufi- 
 " nefs in that manner which would prove mod to the fatisfadlion 
 " of the unprejudiced part of the nobility and gentry, and his 
 " own intereft: and honour." — He afterwards adds, " that it was 
 " impoflible for him to comply with the unreafonable and favage 
 " propofals made to him ; by which he was to give up all con- 
 " tradls, promifes, nay rifque his fortune, to gratify fan tallica! 
 " whims and unjuft piques." And continues to plead his own 
 caufe, by faying, " that if he was miflcd, or had judged wrong 
 
 D 12 "at
 
 [»2o] SKETCH OF THE 
 
 " at any time in raifing the price of his tickets, he was fuffici- 
 " ently puniflied, without carrying refentment on that account 
 " to fuch a length faj. But in whatever Hght the entertain- 
 " ment was coniidered, it certainly better merited fuch an extra- 
 ** vagant price, than any other ever yet exhibited in this na- 
 " tion." 
 
 In another part of this pamphlet, a partizan for Handel, 
 captivated by the vocal powers of Carejlini, whom he had brought 
 over in order to fuperfede Senefmo, accofts Hiirlothrwnbo in the 
 following manner : " So, Sir, I hear you are a great ftickler for 
 " the Opera at Lincoln's-Inn-Fields ; a pretty fet of fingers, truly ! 
 " and for compofers, you out-do the world ! — Don't you think, 
 ** fays he, at this time of life, Senefmo could twang a prayer 
 ** finely through the nofe in petticoats at a conventicle ? Hah ! 
 " fbj — Or, what think you, lays he, of Signora Celejli fnuffling 
 " a hymn there in concert ; or, Madame Bertolli, with her un- 
 " meaning voice, witii as little force in it as a pair of Smith's 
 " bello'.vs with twenty holes in the fides : Your bafe, indeed fc), 
 
 (a) EefiJci the offence given to the fub- firft man's part in an opera compofed by 
 
 fcribers of the Royal Academy, by refuf- Lotti, for the court of the king of Poland, 
 
 ing to compofe for, or even employ Sen.-- at Drefden, where he was engaged by 
 
 fuio, the great favourite of the nation, Handel for the Royal Academy in En<^- 
 
 Handel dilobligcd them extremely, not land. Strange and fuddeu viciffitudes Tn 
 
 only by raifing the price of admiffion to a human aftiiirs have often excited furprife and 
 
 Guinea, but by refuting to let them occupy exclamation, but in none, I believe, more 
 
 their paiticular boxes in the Haymarket frequently than in fuch as concern Mufic. 
 
 theatre, when he performed theie his ora- Who could have imagined that it would ever 
 
 torio of £/,7'(-r, in the Uiiiimer of 1732. become nccoff.iry for Handel himfelf, or 
 
 (h) Quadrio has placed Scnefino in the his friends, to depreciate the talents and 
 
 lill of lingers who began to diftinguilh ai-nVcd'^Kw; Senesino, whofe voice, aftion, 
 
 themfelvfs between the year itHjoandijco; ,;,fte, and abilities, had hitherto been the 
 
 but in ex.amining a collcdion of more than props of his fame and fortune ! But hif- 
 
 fifty volumes of Italian operas, or mufical tory (hews that many a foveteign has been 
 
 dramas, his name appears in no Diamatis greatly iixommodcd by the dcfertion and 
 
 Per/oii-r, or even Mufical traft, thnt I have refentment of a difcarded general. 
 fccn, till the year 1719, when he lung the (i^ Montagnana- 
 
 " makes
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. [*2i] 
 
 ' makes a humming noife, ami could roar to fome purpofe, if 
 
 ' he had fongs proper for him : as for your Sigiiora Fagotto (a)y 
 
 ' flie, indeed, may, with her mafter, be fent home to fchool 
 
 ' again ; and by the time flie is fourfcore, flie'll prove a vaft 
 
 * addition to a bonfire ; or make a fine Duenna in a Spanilli 
 
 * opera. 
 
 ** Your compofers too have behaved notably truly ; your Por- 
 
 ' P^ifi (^)'> ^y^ ^^' '^W ''^'^'^ ^'^'^ rumble about as he pleafes, 
 
 ' and prelude to a florm of his own raifing ; but you fhould let 
 
 ' him know, that a bad imitation always wants the air and fpirit 
 
 ' of an original, and that there is a wide difference betwixt full 
 
 ' harmony, and making a noife. — I know your expedtations are 
 
 ' very high from the performance of the kirg of Arragon fcj ; 
 
 ' but that T'rolly Colly compofer, a ftupid c ant at a- th rummer y 
 
 ' mufl make a mighty poor figure in an opera ; though he was 
 
 * fo nice laft winter, that he would not allow that Handel 
 ' could compofe, or Senefino fing : what art he has ufed, to pro- 
 ' duce him now as the firft voice in Europe, I cannot imagine; 
 
 * but you muft not depend upon his majefty too far ; for to my 
 ' knowledge, he has been engaged by a formal deputation from 
 
 * the general allembly of North Britain, to new-fet their Scotch 
 ' Pfalms, and to be clerk to the high-kirk in Edinburgh, with 
 ' a filary of one hundred pounds Scots, per annum." 
 
 This Letter, dated February 12, 1733, was publidied in a 
 Shilling pamphlet, and occupies twenty-four pages in the fecond 
 volume of Arbuthnot's Mifcellanies. Some of the irony and hu- 
 
 [a] Scgatii^ the firft woman in the opera {b) Porpora. 
 
 cftabliflicd by the nobility in Lincohi's-lnn- {c) Arrigoni, the Lutenill:. 
 Fields, till the fecond arrival of Cuzxoni. 
 
 mour
 
 [*22] SKETCH OF THE 
 
 mour is well pointed, and much of the mufical politics of the 
 day may be gathered from its perufal. As here, we fee who fided 
 with the nobility, when they fet up an opera againft Handel iii 
 Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, and engaged Porpora and Arrigoni to com- 
 pofe, and placed Senefino and Segatti, till the arrival of Cuzzoni, 
 at the head of the fingers. It appears here, likewife, that Mon- 
 tagnana, the celebrated bafe-finger, Celefte, and Bertolli, two 
 of Handel's female performers, as well as Arrigoni, the lu- 
 tenift, with Rolli {Rowley Powley) the Italian opera poet, had 
 deferted from his flandard; and that Dr. Pepufch, Dr. Green, 
 and Holcombe (Mr. Honeycomb'), were on the fide of the oppo- 
 nents ; while Careftini, Strada, the Negri family, Duraftanti and 
 Scalzi, were at the head of his own troop. 
 
 It is now too late to determine who was the aggreflbr in this 
 long and ruinous war ; perhaps Handel exercifed his power too 
 roughly, and Senefino was too impatient of controul (a). Per* 
 haps too, the nobility carried their refentment too far, in fetting 
 up another opera to the ruin of a man of fuch uncommon worth 
 and abilities ; and, perhaps, if Handel's temper had at all re- 
 fembled his finger, in flexibility, a reconciliation might have been 
 efFe<Sed on no very mortifying or difhonourable terms. It is 
 painful to dwell on this part of his life, which was one continued 
 tiffue of lolfes and misfortunes. He produced thirty operas 
 between the year 1721 and 1740; yet, after the diflblution of 
 the Academy, in 1729, none were attended with the fuccefs 
 that was due to their intrinlic and fuperior merit, tliough 
 
 (a) It is related by Quantz, in the Me- broke up the troop, and was the occafion 
 
 moirs of his own Life, that Senefino had a of his coming to England. Germ. Tour, 
 
 ijuarrel with Heinechen, the king of Po- vol. ii. p. J 76. 
 land's mjellro di capella, in 17 19, which 
 
 fome
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. [23*] 
 
 fome of the beft were pofterior to that period. Negledl and 
 oppofition confpired to rob him at once of heahh, fame, and 
 fortune ! 
 
 Indeed the breach with the Academy and enmity to Senefino, 
 may with truth be laid to have had foaie effedt on his later Drama- 
 tic compofitions. Senefino had fo noble a voice and manner of fing- 
 ing, was fo admirable an ador, and in fuch high favour with the 
 public, that befides the real force and energy of his performance, 
 there was an additional weight and importance given to whatever 
 he fung, by tlie elevated fituation in which he flood with the au- 
 dience. I have been acquainted with feveral mafters, and perfons 
 of judgment and probity, who perfectly remembering his perform- 
 ance and its effedls on themfelves and the public, aflured me, that 
 none of the great fmgers, who have fmce vifited this country, 
 ever gave fuch exquifite pleafure and heart-felt fatisfidbion as Se- 
 nefino j who, without high notes or rapid execution, by the ma- 
 jefty and dignity o5 his perfon, geftures, voice, and expreflion, 
 captivated more, though he furprifed lefs, than Farinelli, Caffa- 
 relli, Conti detto Gizziello, Careftini, or any of their immediate 
 fucceffors. It is impoflible for a compofer to fet a fong to mufic 
 without thinking of the talents and abilities of the finger who is 
 to perform it, and cafling the air in his particular caliber. 
 
 The fingers engaged and employed by Handel, after the 
 fchifm of Senefino, brought over a new ftyle of finging, and were 
 polIeiTcd of vocal feats of adivity to which he was never partial ; 
 it has, however been, I think, unjuflly faid, that the operas he 
 compofcd after the quarrel " have fo little to recommend them, 
 " that few would take them for the work of the fame author." 
 Can that fevere fentence be reconciled to judgment, truth, and 
 
 can-
 
 [*24] SKETCH OF THE 
 
 candour, in fpeaking of - Liothm-iusi Ariadne, Alclna, Berenice, 
 Ariodante, Xerxes, and Farainond? The voice part of his fongs 
 was generally proportioned to the abilities of his fingers, and it mufl 
 be owned, that, with a few exceptions, thofe of his late operas, 
 and oratorios, were not pollelfed of great powers either of voice, 
 tafte, exprefiion, or execution (a). Yet fo unbounded were his 
 orcheflra refources, that he never failed making judges of Mufic 
 ample amends for deficiencies of voice or talents in a linger, by 
 the richnefs and ingenuity of his accompaniments. And it may, 
 perhaps, be faid, that his beft vocal thoughts, or melodies, feem 
 to have been infpired by the troop for which he compofed, in 
 1727, at the head of which were Senefino, Bofchi, Cuzzoni, 
 and Fauflina, all poffefled of fuch different kinds of excellence, 
 as might have fupported, and fung into favour, the worft Mufic 
 that ever was compofed. There are airs in Siroe, which have 
 much merit of a different kind from that which all candid 
 judges readily allow him : for Non -vi piacquc ingiujU Dei, fung 
 by Fauftina, and Dcggio ?norire /telle, by Senefino, in that opera, 
 are fongs with quiet accompaniments in the ffyle of the moll 
 capital modern Airs, in which the finger and the poet are 
 
 (a) Carrjllm, Conti /Jdto Giz^icHo, and <' tie fong vaat I give you, I vill not pay 
 
 Caffei-ello, were all great fingers, in a new " you ein diver." 
 
 ftylc of execution, which Handel was un- His government of fingers wa<; certainly 
 
 willing to flatter, fenli prati, which was fomewhat defpotic : for, upon Cuzzoni info- 
 
 conftanily encored during the whole run of lently refufing to fing his admirable air, 
 
 Mdiia, was, at firll, fcnt back to Handel Falfa Imagine, in Otho, he told her that he 
 
 by Carellini, as unfit for him to fing ; up- always knew flic was a very Devil; but that 
 
 on which he went, in a great rage, to his he (liould now let kcr know, in her turn, 
 
 houfe, and in a way which few compofers, that he was Beelzebub, the Prime of the 
 
 except Handel, ever ventured to accoft a Devils. And then, taking her up by the 
 
 firjl-jinger, cries out: " You toe! don't I waift, fvvore, if flie did not immediately obey 
 
 " know better as your feluf, vaat is peft his orders, he would throw her out of the 
 
 " for you to fing ? If you vill not fing all window. 
 
 equally
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. 21 
 
 equally refpedted. Thefe were compofed in 1728, about the 
 time that Vinci and Hafle had begun to thin and fimpliiy ac- 
 companiment, as well as to polilh melody. In the firft of thefe 
 Airs the voice-part is beautiful and a canevas for a great linger ; 
 in the fecond, the efFedls by modulation and broken fentences of 
 melody are truly pathetic and theatrical : the firft violin admira- 
 bly filling up the chafms in the principal melody, while the fe- 
 cond violin, tenor, and bafe, are murmuring in the fubdued ac- 
 companiment of iterated notes in modern fongs. By thefe two 
 Airs it appears that Handel, who had always more folidity and 
 contrivance than his cotemporaries, penetrated very far into thofe 
 regions of tafte and refinement at which his fucceflbrs only ar- 
 rived, by a flow progrefs, half a century after. 
 
 We ftiall no\v quit his dramatic tranfadtions, and confine 
 this narration to fuch incidents as gave rife to the compofition 
 and public performance of his Oratorios, which being in our 
 own language, have chiefly endeared him to the nation. 
 
 Sacred Dramas, or Oratorios, are of great antiquity in Italy, 
 if that title be allowed to the legendary tales, myfteries, and mo- 
 ralities, in which hymns, plalms, fongs, and chorufes, were in- 
 cidentally introduced ; but the firft regular facred Drama that was 
 wholly fung, and in which the Dialogue was carried on in Reci- 
 tative, was entitled Aiiima e Corpo ; it was fet to mufic by Emilio 
 del Cavalieri, and firft performed at Rome, in Februaiy, 1 600, the 
 fame year as fecular mufical Dramas, or Operas, had their begin- 
 ning at Florence. The Sacred Dramas, which, during the laft 
 century, were performed in the churches and convents of Italy, 
 and generally in adlion, are innumerable ; but the title of Ora- 
 torio was firft given to this fpecies of My/lery in Mafic , by 
 
 *D Fran-
 
 22 SKETCHOFTHE 
 
 Francefco Balducci, about 1645, after which time it became the 
 general term for fuch producftions (a). Indeed it appears from 
 the Drmnmaturgia of Italy, that more Dramme Sacre, or Rap- 
 prefentazioni Mujicali, on religious fubjefts, were performed at 
 Palermo, and, even Naples, during the latter end of the laft 
 century, and beginning of this, than fecular. At the church 
 of S. Girolamo della Carka, and La Chiefa Nuova, at Rome, 
 Oratorios are flill conftantly performed on Sundays, from All- 
 Saints day till Palm-Sunday, and on all feftivals ; and the 
 confervatorios at Venice are ftill conftant in the ufe of thefe 
 Dramas. 
 
 EJlher, compofed for the duke of Chandos, in 1720, was the 
 firft Oratorio which Handel fet to mufic. And eleven years 
 after its performance at Cannons, a copy of the fcore having been 
 obtained, it was reprefented, in a6tion, by the Children of his 
 Majefty's Chapel, at the houfe of Mr. Bei-nard Gates, mafter of 
 the boys, in James-ftreet, Weftminfter, on Wednesday, February 
 23, 173 1 fbj. The Chorus, confifting of performers from the 
 Chapel-Royal and Weftminfber-Abbey, was placed after the man- 
 ner of the ancients, between the ftage and orcheftra ; and the in- 
 ftrumental parts were chiefly performed by Gentlemen who were 
 
 {a) Quadrio, Storla J'ogua Porjia, torn, brated tragedies of JE/yZ-rr and y^/Z>a//V, written 
 
 V. p. 495. The word Oratorio had its ori- for mufic, and performed at the convent of 
 
 gin from the early intiodiiftion of a irorc St. Cyr, founded by madamc de Maintenon. 
 
 artificial kind of mufic than canto fcrmo, or Nothing, however, but the Chorufes of 
 
 the mafs in a conftant chorus of four parts, thefe facred Dramas was ever fung in France, 
 
 at the Oratory of San Filippo Neri, at nor was the mufic of thefe Chorufes fet by 
 
 Roine, who died 159;. LuUi, as inadvertently aflcrted in the for- 
 
 (*; Dr. Randal of Cambridge, Mr. Beard, mer Life of Handel. Indeed, Lulll, im- 
 
 and INIr. B.irrow, llill living, were among luckily, died two years before the fiifl of 
 
 the children who performed on this occa- tiiefe tragedies was reprefented ; that is, in 
 
 fion. • '6S7, and f/'/ifr was not performed at St. 
 
 This Oratorio, and AthaVa, fecm both Cyr, till i6'9. 
 to have been taken from Racine's two cele- 
 
 mem-
 
 LIFEOFHANDEL. 23 
 
 members of the Philarmonic Society. After this, it was per- 
 formed by the fame fingers at the Crown and Anchor, which is 
 laid to have firft fuggefted to Handel the idea of bringing Ora- 
 torios on the flage. And in 1732, EJl/jcr was performed at the 
 Haymarket, Ten Nights. In March, 1733, Deborah was firft 
 given to the pubHc ; and in April KJlher was again exhibited at 
 the lame theatre. It was during thefe early performances of 
 Oratorios, that Handel firft gratified the public by the per- 
 formance of Concertos on the organ, a fpecies of Mu- 
 fic wholly of his own invention (a), in which he ufually in- 
 troduced an extempore fugue, a diapafon-piece, or an adagio, 
 manifefting not only the wonderful fertility and readinefs of 
 his invention, but the moft perfedt accuracy and neatnefs of exe- 
 cution (b). 
 
 It was in the fummer of 1733, that he went to the uni- 
 verfity of Oxford, on occafion of a public adt, taking with 
 him Careftini, Strada, and his opera band : at this folemnity 
 he had the Oratorio of Athalia performed in the public theatre, 
 where he opened the organ in fuch a manner as aftonillied 
 every hearer. The late Mr. Michael Chriftian Fefting, and Dr. 
 Arne, who were prefent, both alTured me, that neither them- 
 felves, nor any one elfe of their acquaintance, had ever before 
 heard fuch extempore, or fuch premeditated playing, on that or 
 any other inftrument. 
 
 In the Lent of 1734, he performed Ejiher, Deborah, and 
 Athalia, at Covent-Garden ; and in 1735, EJlher, Ads and Ga- 
 latea, and Alexander s Feajl, for tlie firft time. In 1738, IJ'rael 
 
 (a) Raineaii's Livre de Pieces ilc Clavecin called the Minuet in the Oratorio of EJihcr, 
 
 tn Concern, did not appe:ir till 1741. from the ciicLimllance of its having been 
 
 (h) The favourite movcinent, at the end firft heard in the concerto which he played 
 
 of his fccond organ-concerto, was long beuvccn the parts of that Oratorio. 
 
 in
 
 24 SKETCHOFTHE 
 
 in Egypt, and 1739, Allegro ed il Feiiferofo. During thefe laft 
 two years the Opera-houfe was fhut, and Handel's affairs were 
 at this time fo deranged, that he was under conftant apprehen- 
 fions of being arrefted by Del Po, the hufband of Strada. This 
 ftimulated his friends to perfuade him to have a benefit ; and, in 
 following their advice, he received fuch teflimonies of public fa- 
 vour at the Opera-houfe, in the Haymarket, March 28, 1738, 
 as proved extremely lucrative : for, befides every ufual part of the 
 houfe being uncommonly crouded, when the curtain drew up, 
 five hundred perfons of rank and fafliion were difcovered on the 
 ftage, which was formed into an amphitheatre (a). 
 
 In 1740, the Oratorio of Saul was performed, for the firft time, 
 at the theatre in Lincoln-Inn-Fields ; and from this period, 
 Handel may be faid to have devoted his labours folely to the 
 fervice of the church j as, except his grand Concertos for Violins, 
 and the Fire-work Mujic, for the Peace of Aix la Chapelle, 1748 ;. 
 I remember no other compofitions than Oratorios, that were ei- 
 either performed or publilhed by him fbj. 
 
 During the firft years of his retreat from the Opera ftage, the 
 profits arifing from the performance of Oratorios were not fuffi- 
 cient to indemnify his loffes ; and it would remain a perpetual 
 
 (a) This performance was called an lifli words to the niufic of a fcrenata, or 
 
 Oratorio; but in examining the printed morality, // 7r/«)7//o .iV/ Ttct^ij, (the [riumph 
 
 book of the words, with which I have been of Time and Truth) which he had fct to Ita- 
 
 favoured by Mr. Belcher, one of Han- lian words, at Rome, 1709. Of thefe, the 
 
 DEl's few furvlving friends, it appears that Mrjfiah, Sam/on, and JuJas Macchab.-ius, 
 
 this exhibition was mifcellaneovts ; confift- were fiirc to fill the houfe whenever they 
 
 ing of a mixture of facred and prophane, were performed; but though'^ the reft are 
 
 of Englifli and Italian Airs and Recitatives, hazardous, and fluftuating in favour, yet 
 
 without tlie le.ift connexion either in the there is no one of them which an cxquifite 
 
 words or mufic. and darling finger, fuch as IWrs. Sherridan, 
 
 (h) From 1740, when he totally quit- or Mrs. Bates, could not render important 
 
 ted the Opera -ftage, to 175 I, he produced and attradivc. 
 iifceen original Oratotios, and adapted Eng- 
 
 ftigma
 
 L I F E O F H A N D E L. z^ 
 
 ftlgma on the tafle of the nation, if it fliould be recorded, that 
 his Messiah, that truly noble and fublime work, was not only 
 ill-attended, but ill-received, on its firft performance in 1741, 
 were its mifcarriage not to be wholly afcribed to the refentment 
 of the many great perfonages whom he had offended, in refufing 
 to compofe for Senefino, by whom he thought himfelf affronted ; 
 or even for the Opera, unlefs that fmger were difmilled ; which 
 inflexibility being conftrued into infolencc, was the caufc of 
 powerful oppofitions that were at once oppreflive and mortifying. 
 
 Handel had been fo unfortunate in all his attempts to carry 
 on Operas at the three feveral theatres of the Haymarket, Lin- 
 coln's-Inn-Fields, and Covent-Garden, in oppofition to his for- 
 mer protedlors, the members of the Royal Academy, that he was 
 reduced to the neceflity of drawing out of the funds ten thoufand 
 pounds, which he had lodged there in his more profperous days j 
 and ftill Strada, Montagnana, and other fingers employed in his 
 lafl Operas were unpaid, and obliged to quit this country with 
 promiflbry notes inflead of cafli. 
 
 Handel, however, who was a man of flridl probity, and ac- 
 cuftomed to pay his performers not only honeflly, but generoufly, 
 difcharged thefe debts very honourably, as foon as he was able. 
 
 It was after thefe repeated mifcarriages, and a very fevere ill- 
 nefs, fuppofed to have been brought on by the joint effedls of 
 anxiety, mortification, diftrefs, and difappointment, that he went 
 to Ireland, in order to try whether his Oratorios would be out of 
 the reach of prejudice and enmity in that kingdom. Pope, on 
 this occafion perfonifying the Italian Opera, put into her mputh 
 the following well-known lines, which flie addrelTes to the god- 
 defs of Dulneib. 
 
 E Strong
 
 26 
 
 SKETCH OF THE 
 
 " Strong in new- arms, lo ! Giant Handel ftancls, 
 *' Like bokl Briareus, with his hundred hands ; 
 " To ftir, to roufc, to fliake the foul he comes, 
 *' And Jove's own thunders follow Mars's drums. 
 " Arreft him, emprels ; or you fleep no more — 
 " She heard ; — and drove him to the Hibernian fliore f^J.'^ 
 
 On his arrival at Dublin, with equal judgment and humanity, 
 he began by performing the MefTiah, for the benefit of the city 
 prifon. This aft of generofity and benevolence met with uni- 
 verfal approbation, as well as his Mufic ; which, after fpending 
 fome time in the dilcipline of his troops, was admirably perform- 
 ed, with Dubourg for leader, and the late Mrs. Cibber, to fing, 
 " He icas defpijed and rejeSled of Me?iJ' This air, the firft, per- 
 haps, in our language, has been often fung by Italian fingers of 
 the greatefl: abilities, but never, I believe, in a manner fo truly 
 touching to an Englifliman, as by Mrs. Cibber, for whom it was 
 originally compofed ; and whofe voice, though a mere thread,. 
 
 (a) When Handel went through 
 Chefter, in his way to Ireland, this year, 
 1741, I was at the Public-School in that 
 city, and very well remember feeing him 
 fmoke a pipe, over a dilli of coffee, at the 
 Exchange-Coffee-houfe ; for being extreme- 
 ly curious to fee fo extraordinary a inan, I 
 watched him narrowly as long as he remain- 
 ed in Chefter; which, on account of the 
 wind being unfavourable for his embark- 
 ing at Parkgatc, was feveral days. Dur- 
 ing this time, he applied to Mr. Baker, 
 the Organift, my firft mufic-mafter, to 
 know whether there were any choirmcn in 
 the cathedral who could fng at fu;ht; as he 
 wilhetl to prove fome books that had been 
 haftily tranfcribed, by trying the chorufcs 
 which he intended to perform in Ireland. 
 Mr. Baker mentioned fome of the moft 
 likely fingers then in Chellcr, and, among 
 the red, a primer of the name of Janfon, 
 
 who had a good bafe voice, and was one of 
 the heft muficians in the choir. At this 
 time Harry Alcock, a good player, was the 
 firft violin at Chellcr, which was then 
 a very mufical place ; for befides public 
 performances, JMr. Prebendary Prcfcott had 
 a weekly concert, at which he was able to 
 mufter eighteen or twenty performers, gen- 
 tlemen, and profeffors. A time was fixed 
 for this private vehearfal at the Golden Fal- 
 con, where Handel was quartered; but, 
 alas 1 on trial of the chorus in the Melfiah, 
 " And mlh his Jlriprs i<:e arc haled" — 
 Poor Janfon, after repeated attempts, failed fo 
 egrcgioully, that H.-indel let loofe his great 
 bear upon him ; and after fwcaring in four 
 or five languages, cried out in broken Eng- 
 liflv: " You nicauntrcl! tit not you dcU me 
 " dat you could fing at foitc :" — " Yes, 
 " fir, fays the printer, and fo I can; but 
 " not at>7?/^A/." 
 
 and
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. ij 
 
 tind knowledge of Mufic, inconlidcrable; yet, by a natural pa- 
 thos, and perfeft conception of the words, fhe often penetrated 
 the heart, when others, with infinitely greater voice and {kill, 
 could only reach the ear faj. 
 
 Handel remained eight or nine months in Ireland, where he 
 extended his fame, and began to repair his fortune. At his re- 
 turn to London, in the beginning of 1742, as he had relinquiflied 
 all thoughts of oppofing the prefent managers of the Opera, for- 
 mer enmities began to fubfide ; and, when he recommenced his 
 Oratorios at Covent-Garden, the Lent following, he found a ge- 
 neral difpofition in the public to countenance and fupport him. 
 Sam/on was the firft he performed this year, which was not only 
 much applauded by crouded houfes in the capital, but was loon 
 difleminated, in fingle fongs, throughout the kingdom ; and, in- 
 deed, it has ever been in the highefl favour of all his Oratorios, 
 except the Messiah, which this feafon, to the honour of the pub- 
 lic at large, and difgrace of cabal and fadtion, was received with 
 univerfal admiration and applaufe. And from that time to the 
 prefent, this great work has been heard in all parts of the king- 
 dom with increafing reverence and delight ; it has fed the hungry, 
 clothed the naked, foftered the orphan, and enriched fucceeding 
 managers of Oratorios, more than any fingle mufical produ<flion 
 in this or any country. 
 
 This Sacred Oratorio, as it was at firft called, on account of the 
 words being wholly compofed of genuine texts of Scripture, ap- 
 
 ('(TjOncnight,\vhilcH,\:JDELwasinDLib- ate this lone; clofo, Handei., to the p;reat 
 
 I'm, Duboiirg having a folo part in a fong, delight of tlie audience, and augmentation 
 
 and a clofe to make, rt^ //i;7aw/, he wandered of applaufe, ciied out loud enough to be 
 
 about in different keys a great while, and heard in the moft remote parts of the thea- 
 
 fccmed indeed a little bewildered, and un- trc : " You arc welcome home, Mr. Du. 
 
 certain of his original key . . . but, at length, '' bourg !" 
 coming W the fliRkc, which was to tcniiin- 
 
 E 2 pearing
 
 28 SKETCHOFTHE 
 
 pearing to ftand in fuch high eftimation with the pubhc, Han- 
 del, adtuated by motives of the pureft benevolence and huma- 
 nity, formed the laudable refolution of performing it annually for 
 the benefit of the Foundling Hofpital, which refolution was con- 
 ftantly put in practice, to the end of his life, under his own di- 
 redtion ; and, long after, under that of Mr. Smith, and Mr. Stan- 
 ley. In confequence of thefe performances, the benefactions to 
 the charity from the year 1749 to 1759, by eleven performances 
 under Handel's own direcStion, amounted to - ;C'^935 ° "^ 
 From 1760 to 1768, by eight performances under 
 
 the conduct of Mr. John Chrill;ian Smith - 1332 o Q 
 From 1769 to 1777, nine performances under that 
 
 that of Mr. Stanley ., » - 2032. o o 
 
 £.\o,2()g o o 
 
 The organ in the chapel of this hofpital was likewife a prefent 
 from Handel ; and he bequeathed, as a legacy, to this charity, 
 a fair copy of the original fcore of the Messiah. 
 
 From the time of his quitting Ireland, with little oppolition, 
 and a few thin houfes, in confequence of great aflemblies of the 
 nobility and gentry, manifeftly and cruelly colleded together on his 
 nights of performance, with hoftile intentions, by fome implacable 
 remains of his mofl powerful adverfaries, he continued his Ora- 
 torios till within a week of his death fa J. 
 
 But though the Oratorio of the Messiah increafed in reputa- 
 tion every year, after his return from Ireland, and the crouds that 
 
 (aj The laft feafon of Handbi.^s per- theatre's office, fays, that the money he 
 
 fonal attendance and of his life was remark- vifcd to take to his can i.gc of a niglit, thougia 
 
 ably fuccefsful. One of my friends, who was ia gold and filvcr, was as likely to weigh 
 
 o-enerally at the performance of each Ora- him down and throw him into a fever,, as 
 
 torio that year, and who ufcd to vifit hi<n the copper-money of the painter Coreggio, 
 
 after It was over, in the treafurer of the if he had had as far to carry lU 
 
 flocked
 
 L I F E O F H A N D E L. 29 
 
 flocked to the theatre were more confiderable every time it was 
 performed ; yet, to fome of his other Oratorios, the houfes were 
 fo thin, as not nearly to defray his expences ; whicli, as he always 
 employed a very numerous band, and paid his performers liberally, 
 fo deranged his affairs, that in the year 1745, after two perform- 
 ances of Herculesy January 5th and 1 2th, before the Lent feafon, 
 lie flopped payment. He, however, refumed the performance of 
 his Oratorios of Samfon, Saul, Jofeph, Beljhazzar, and the 
 Mejfiah, in March ; but I perfedlly remember, that none were 
 well attended, except SamfcHy and the Messiah (a). 
 
 His late majefly king George the Second, was a fleady_ patron, 
 of Handel during thefe times, and constantly attended his 
 Oratorios, when they were abandoned by the reft of his court (b). 
 
 Handel, late in life, like the great poets. Homer, and Mil- 
 ton, was afHidled with blindncfs j which, however it might dif- 
 pirit and embarrafs him at other times, had no effedt on his 
 nerves or intelledls, in public : as he continued to play concertos 
 and voluntaries between the parts of his Oratorios to the lafl, 
 with the fame vigour of thought and touch, for which he was 
 ever fo juflly renowned. To fee him, however, led to the organ, 
 
 (a) In 1749, 7'/6c(>i/Dr<j was fo very unfor- drawn up, they have lamented that the 
 luuattly abandoned, that he was glad if any houfc was fo empty, by faying, " Nevre 
 profeflbrs, who did not perform, would ac- " moind ; de moofic vil found de pettcr."' 
 cept of tickets or orders for admiffian. Two (h) About this time a ban mot of lord 
 gentlemen of that defcription, now living, Chellerficld's was handed about by a noble- 
 having applied to Handel, after the dii- man, ftill living, who going one night to 
 grace of Theodora, for an order to hear the the Oratorio at Covcnt-Gardcn, met his 
 Messiah, he cried out, " Oh your far- lordfliip coming out of the theatre. 
 •' vanr, Mien-herren-i you are tamnaple u what! my lord, are you difmiflcd ? Is 
 " tainty ! you would not eo to Teodor a — «i there no Oratorio to-night ?" " Yes, fays 
 *' derwas room enough to tancc dcic, when << his lordfhip, they arc now jierforming ; 
 " dat was perform." •« but I thought it bcft to retire, left 
 
 Sometimes, however, I have heard him, «« I fliould dillurb the king in his pri- 
 
 as (Jeafanily as philofophicaliy, confole hi* «« vaiies." 
 fiicnds, when, previous to the cyrtain being 
 
 after
 
 3c* S K E T C II O F T H E 
 
 after this calamity, at upwards of feventy years of age, and then 
 condud:ed towards the audience to make his accuftomed obeifance, 
 was a fight fo truly afflidling and deplorable to perfons of fenii- 
 bility, as greatly dimini(hed their pleafure, in hearing him per- 
 form. 
 
 During the Oratorio feafon, I have been told, that he pracflifed 
 almofl: incelfantly ; and, indeed, that muft have been the cafe, or 
 his memory uncommonly retentive ; for, after his blindnefs, he 
 played feveral of his old organ-concertos, which muft have been 
 previoufly imprelfed on his memory by pradlice. At laft, how- 
 ever, he rather chofe to truft to his inventive powers, than thofe 
 of reminifcence : for, giving the band only the fkeleton, or ritor- 
 nels of each movement, he played all the iblo parts extempore, 
 while the other inftruments left him, ad libitum ; waiting for the 
 fignal of a fhake, before they played fuch fragments of fymphony 
 as they found in their books. 
 
 Indeed, he not only continued to perform in public after he 
 was afflidled with blindnefs, but to compofe in private j for I have 
 been alTured, that the Duet and Chorus in Judas Macchabceus, of 
 ■** Sion now his head JJjall raife. Tune your harps to Jhigs of 
 " praife," were didtated to Mr. Smith, by Handel, after the 
 total privation of fight. This compofition, fo late in life, and 
 ixnder fuch deprefling circumftances, confirms an opinion of Dr. 
 Johnfon, " that it feldom happens to men of powerful intelledls 
 " and original genius, to be robbed of mental vigour, by agej it 
 ** is only the feeble-minded andjool-born part of the creation, who 
 " fall into that fpecies of imbecility, which gives occafion to fay 
 *' that they zrtfuperafjnuated: for thefe, when they retire late in 
 " life from the world on which they have lived by retailing the 
 " lenfe of -others, are inftantly reduced to indigence of mind." 
 
 Dry-
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. 31 
 
 Drydcn, Newton, Dr. Johnfon himfelf, and our great Mufician, 
 are admirable illuftrations of this dodlrine. Indeed, Handel 
 not only exhibited great intelledlual ability in the compofition of 
 this Duet and Chorus, but manifefled his power of invention in 
 extemporaneous flights of fancy to be as rich and rapid, a week 
 before his deceafe, as they had been for many years. He was al- 
 ways much difturbed and agitated by the fimilar circumftances of 
 Samfof2, whenever the atfeding air in that Oratorio of " Total 
 Eclipfc, no Sun, no Moon,'' Sec. was performed. 
 
 The laft Oratorio at which he attended, and performed, was on 
 the 6th of April, and he expired on Friday the 13th, 1759, and 
 not on Saturday the i ^th, as was at firft erroneoufly engraved on his 
 Monument, and recorded in his Life ; I have indilputable authority 
 for the contraiy : as Dr. Warren, who attended Handel in his laft 
 ficknefs, not only remembers his dying before midnight, on the 1 3th, 
 but, that he was fenfible of his approaching dillolution ; and having 
 been always imprcfled with a profound reverence for the doftrines 
 and duties of the Chriftian religion, that he had moft ferioufly and 
 devoutly wiflied, for feveral days before his death, that he might 
 breathe his laft on Good-Friday, " in hopes, he faid, of meeting his 
 " Good God, his fweet Lord and Saviour, on the day of his refur- 
 '• redtion," meaning the third day, or the Eafter Sunday following. 
 The figure of Handel was large, and he was fomewhat cor- 
 pulent, and unwieldy in his motions ; but his countenance, 
 Avhich I remember as perfectly as that of any man I (aw but yef- 
 terday, was full of fire and dignity ; and fuch as imprefled ideas of 
 fuperiority and genius. He was impetuous, rough, and peremp- 
 tory in his manners and converfation, but totally devoid of ill- 
 nature or malevolence J indeed, there was an original humour and 
 pleafantiy in his mofl lively fallies of anger or impatience, which, 
 
 with
 
 32 
 
 SKETCH OF THE 
 
 with his broken Englifli, were extremely rifible. Hio natural pro- 
 penfity to wit and humour, and happy manner of relating com- 
 mon occurrences, in an uncommon way, enabled him to throw 
 perlbns and things into veiy ridiculous attitudes. Had he been 
 as great a mailer of the Englifli language as Swift, his bons mots 
 would have been as frequent, and fomewhat of the fame kind. 
 
 Handel, with many virtues, was addidled to no vice that 
 was injurious to fociety. Nature, indeed, required a great fup- 
 ply of fuftenance to fupport fo huge a mafs, and he was rather 
 epicurean in the choice of it ; but this feems to have been the 
 only appetite he allowed himfelf to grziiiy faj. 
 
 (a) The late Mr. Brown, leader of his 
 majelly'sband, ufed to tell me feveral fto- 
 ries of Handel's love of good cheer, li- 
 quid and folid, as well as of liis impatience. 
 Of the former he gave an inllance, which 
 was accidentally difcovered at his own houfe 
 in Brook-ftreet, where Brown, in the Ora- 
 torio feafon, among other principal per- 
 formers, was at dinner. During the re- 
 paft, Hand EI. often cried out — " Oh — I 
 " have de taught ;" when the company, un- 
 willing that, out of civility to them, the 
 public fliould be robbed of any thing fo va- 
 luable as his mulical ideas, begged he would 
 retire and write them down ; with which re- 
 queft, however, he fo frequently complied, 
 that, at lafl, one of the rooft fufpicious had 
 the ill-bred curiofity to peep through thekey- 
 hole into the adjoining room ; where he per- 
 ceived that ticfe taught s, were only bellowed on 
 a frefti hamper of Burgundy, which, as was af- 
 terwards difcovered, he had received in a pre- 
 fent from his friend, the late lord Radnor, 
 while his company was regaled with more 
 generous vi\Afpiritcd port. 
 
 Another anecdote which I had from 
 Brown, was the following : When the late 
 reverend Mr. Fcitou found that his firll organ 
 
 When 
 
 conceitos were well received, he opened a 
 fubfcription for a fecond fet, and begged of 
 Brown to folicit Mr. Handel's permiffiou 
 to infert his name in the lill. Brown, who 
 had been in great favour with Handel the 
 winter before, when he led his Oratorios, 
 remembering how civilly he had been attend- 
 ed by him to the door, and how carefully- 
 cautioned, after being heated by a crouded 
 room and hard labour, at the rehearfals 
 in Brook-ftreet, not to ftir without a 
 chair, had no doubt of his fuc'cefs : but, up- 
 on mentioning to him Feiton's rcqueft, as 
 delicately as polfible, one morning when he 
 was (having, by telling him that he was a 
 clergyman, who being about to publiflifomc 
 Concertos by fubfcription, was extremely 
 ambitious of the honour of his name and 
 acceptance of a book, merely to grace his 
 lift, without involving him in any kind of 
 expence ; Hanoi l, putting the barber's 
 hand afide, got up in a fury, and, with his 
 face ftill in a lather, cries out with great ve- 
 hemence : " Tamn your feluf, and go to der 
 " ttiffcl — a barfon make Concerto ! why 
 «' he no make farmon r" &c. In (h-jrr. 
 Brown feeing him in fuch a rage, with ra- 
 zors in his reach, got out of the room as 
 
 fail
 
 L I F E O F H A N D E L. 33 
 
 When Pope found that his friends, lord Burlington and Dr. 
 Arbuthnot, thought fo highly of Handel, he not only lafhed 
 his enemies in the Dunciad, but widied to have his Eurydicc fct 
 to Mufic by him. Mr. Belchicr, a common friend, undertook to 
 negotiate the bufinefs : but Handel having heard that Pope had 
 made his Ode more lyrical, -that is, fitter for Mufic, by dividing it 
 into airs and recitatives, for Dr. Green, who had already fet it ; and 
 whom, as a partizan for Bononcini, and confederate with his enemies, 
 he had long difliked, fays, " It is de very ding vat n\y pellows-plower 
 " has fet already for ein tocktor's tecree at Cambridge faj." 
 
 When Gluckcame firft into England, in 1745, he was neither 
 fo great a compofer, nor fo high in reputation, as he afterwards 
 mounted; and I remember when Mrs. Gibber, in my hearing, 
 alked Handel what fort of a compofer he was j his anfwer, 
 prefaced by an oath — was, " he knows no more of contrapunto, 
 *' as mcin cook. Waltz." 
 
 But though he was fo rough in his language, and in the habit 
 of fwearing, a vice then much more in fafliion than at prefent, 
 
 fed as he could ; left he fhoiild have ufcd cd to become his bclloivs-blcnver, when he 
 
 them in a more barbarous way than would went to St. I'liul's to play on that ors^an, 
 
 be fafe. Indeed, he had a thorough con- for the excrcifc it aifordcd him, in the ufeof 
 
 tempt for all our conipofers at this time, the pedals. Handel, after the three 
 
 from Dr. Green down to Harry Burgefs ; o'tlock prayers, ufed frequently to get liini- 
 
 aud performers on the organ too : for, after fclf and young Green locked up in the 
 
 being long an inhabitant of this coun- church, together; and, in funiiner.oftenftript 
 
 try, he ufed to fay, " When I came hither into his fliirt, and played till eight or nine 
 
 " firft, 1 found, among the Engliflj, many o'clock at night. Dr. Giten, previous to 
 
 " good players, and no compofcrs ; but his admiftion into St. Paul's, as a chorillcr, 
 
 " now, they arc all compofcrs, and no was taught to fing by the late Rlr. Charles 
 
 •' players." King ; he was afterwards bound apprentice 
 
 (a) Dr. Green took his degree at that to Brind, the organift of that cathedral, and 
 
 uuiverfity in 1-30. Indeed, onHANDfi.'s was, at the time alluded to by Handel, 
 
 fiilt arrival in England, from Green's great cither ftill an apprentice, or, at Icall, a very 
 
 admiration of this inaftcr's manner of play- voung man, and deputy to the org:inil>, 
 
 ing, he had fomciimes literally condcfccnd- whom he afterwards fuccccded. 
 
 F he
 
 34 SKETCH OFTHE 
 
 he was truly pious, during the lafl: years of his life, and conflantly 
 attended public prayers, twice a day, winter and fummer, both in 
 London and Tunbridge. 
 
 At the coronation of his late majefty, George the Second, in 
 1727, Handel had words fent to him, by the bifhops, for the 
 anthems ; at which he murmured, and took offence, as he thought 
 it implied his ignorance of the Holy Scriptures : "I have read 
 " my Bible very well, and fhall chufe for myfelf." And, in- 
 deed, his feleftion of the words, " My heart is inditing of a good 
 ** matter," was very judicious, and infpired him with fome of the 
 finell thoughts that are to be found in all his works. This anthem 
 was fung at the coronation, while the peers were doing homage. 
 
 He knew the value of time too well to fpend it in frivolous 
 purfuits, or with futile companions, however high in rank. Fond 
 of his art, and diligent in its cultivation, and the exercife of it, as 
 a profeffion, he fpent fo fludious and fedentary a life, as feldom 
 allowed him to mix in fociety, or partake of public amufements. 
 Indeed, after my firfl arrival in London, 1744, he feldom was 
 abfent from the benefit for Decayed Muficians and their Families j 
 and I have fometimes feen him at the Playhoufes, the Opera, and 
 at St. Martin's church, when the late Mr. Kelway played the or- 
 gan. But thofe who were more intimately acquainted with him 
 than myfelf, fay, that in his latter years, except when he went to 
 pay his duty to the royal family at St. James's, or Leicefler-Houfe, 
 he feldom vifited the great, or was vifible, but at church, and the 
 performance of his own Oratorios. 
 
 Befidcs feeing Handel, myfelf, at his own houfe, in Brook-flreet, 
 and at Carlton-Houfe, where he had reliearfals of his Oratorios, 
 by meeting him at Mrs. Gibber's, and, at Frafi's, who was then my 
 fcholar, I acquired confiderable knowledge of his private charad:er, 
 
 and
 
 LIFEOFHANDEL. 35 
 
 and turn for humour. He was very fond of Mrs. Cibber, whofe 
 voice and manners had foftened his feverity for her want of mufical 
 knowledge. At her houfe, of a Sunday evening, he ufed to meet 
 Quin, who, in fpite of native roughnefs, was very fond of Mufic. 
 Yet the firll time Mrs. Cibber prevailed on Handel to lit down 
 to the harpfichord, while he was prefent, on which occafion I remem- 
 ber the great Mufician played the overture in SiroCy and delighted us 
 all with the marvellous neatnefs with which he played the jig, at the 
 end of it. — Quin, after Handel was gone, being afked by Mrs. 
 Cibber, whether he did not think Mr. Handel had a charming 
 hand ? replied — " a hand, madam ! you miflake, it's a foot,"^— 
 ** Poh ! poh ! fays flie, has he not a fine finger ?" " Taes, by G — 
 madam !"— Indeed, his hand was then fo fat, that the knuckles, 
 which ufually appear convex, were like thofe of a child, dinted 
 or dimpled in, ib as to be rendered concave ; however, his touch 
 was fo fmooth, and the tone of the inftrument fo much cherifh- 
 ed, that his fingers feemed to grow to the keys. They were Co 
 curved and compadl, when he played, that no motion, and fcarcely 
 the fingers themfelves, could be difcovered. 
 
 At Frafi's, I remember, in the year 1748, he brought, in his 
 pocket, the duet of 'Judas Macchabctus, " From thefe dread 
 *• Scenes," in which rtie had not fung when that Oratorio was 
 firft performed, in 1746. At the time he fat down to the harpfi- 
 chord, to give her and me the time of it, while he fung her 
 part, I hummed, at fight, the fccond, over his flioulder; in 
 which he encouraged me, by defiring that I would fing out-— 
 but, unfortunately, fomething went wrong, and Handel, with 
 his ufual impetuofity, grew violent : a circumflance very terrific to 
 a young mufician.— At length, however, recovering from my 
 fright, I ventured to fay, that I fancied there was a miftake in the 
 writing; which, upon examining, Handel difcovered to be the 
 
 F 2 cafe;
 
 36 SKETCHOFTHE 
 
 cal'e : and then, inftautly, with the greatefl good humour and 
 humiHty, laid, " I pec your barton — I am a very odd tog : — 
 " maifliter Schmitt is to plame." 
 
 When Frail told hiiii, that Ihe lliould ftudy hard, and was go- 
 ing to learn Thorough-Bale, in order to accompany herfelf: 
 Handel, who well knew how little this plealing linger was 
 addidled to application and diligence, fays, " Oh — vaat may we 
 " not expedl !" 
 
 Handel wore an enormous white wig, and, when things went 
 well at the Oratorio, it had a certain nod, or vibration, which, 
 manifelled his pleafure and fatisfadlion. Without it, nice ob- 
 fer\'ers were certain tlaat he was out of humour. 
 
 At the clofe of an air, the voice with which he ufed to cry out,. 
 Chorus! was extremely formidable indeed ; and, at the rehear- 
 fals of his Oratorios, at Carleton-Houfe, if tlie prince and prin- 
 cefs of Wales were not exad in coming into the Mufic-Room,. he. 
 ufed to be very violent ; yet, fuch was the reverence with which, 
 his Royal Highnefs treated him, that, admitting Handel to 
 have had caufe of complaint, he has been heard to fay, " Indeed,. 
 " it is cruel to have kept thefe poor people, meaning the per- 
 " formers, fo long from their fcholars, and other concerns." But 
 if the maids of honour, or any other female attendants, talked^ 
 during the performance, I fear that our modern Timotheus, not 
 only fwore, but called names ; yet, at fuch times, the princefs 
 of Wales, with her accuftomed mildnefs and benignity, ufed to 
 fay, " Hufh ! hulh ! Handel's in a paffion." 
 
 Handel was in the habit of talking to himfelf, {o loud, thai 
 it was eafy for perfons not very near him, to hear the fubjedt of 
 his foliloquies. He had, by much perfuafion, received under his 
 roof and protedlion, a boy, who had been reprefented, not only as 
 having an uncom.mon difpolition for mufic, but for fobriety and 
 
 diligence S:
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. 
 
 37 
 
 diligence : this boy, however, turned out ill, and ran away, no 
 one, for a confiderable time, knew whither. During this period, 
 Handel walking in the Park, as he thought, alone, was heard 
 to commune with himfelf in the following manner. — " Der tei- 
 " fel ! de fater vas delheeved ; — de mutter vas deflieeved j — but 
 " I vas not dcfheevedi — he is ein t^ — d fhcauntrel— and coot for 
 " nutting." 
 
 Handel's general look was fomewhat heavy and fourj but 
 when he did fmile, it was his lire the fun, hurfting out of a 
 black cloud. There was a fudden flafh of intelligence, wit, and 
 good humour,, beaming in his countenance, which I hardly ever 
 law in any other. 
 
 It has been faid of him, that, out of his profeHion, he was 
 ignorant and dull ; but though I do not admit the facft, yet, if 
 the charge were as true as it is fevere, it mull be allowed, in ex- 
 tenuation, that to poflefs a difficult art in the perfedl manner he 
 did, and to be polTelTed by it, feems a natural confequence ; and 
 all that the public had a right to expedl, as he pretended to no- 
 thing more. Accomplilhments can only amufe our private friends, 
 and ourfelves, in leifure hours ; but fo occupied and abforbed was 
 Handel, by the lludy and exercife of his profeffion, that he had 
 little time to bcftow, either on private amufements, or the culti- 
 vation of friendfliip. Indeed, the credit and reverence arifing 
 from thefe, had Handel poflelTed them, vvould have been tran- 
 fient, and confined to his own age and acquaintance ; whereas 
 the fame acquired by filent and clofe application to his profef- 
 fional bufmefs, 
 
 Nee yovis ira, nee ignes. 
 
 Nee poterit ferrum, nee edax^ abolere -vetujlas^ 
 
 And
 
 38 S K E T C H, &c. 
 
 And It Is probable, that his name, like that of many of his bre- 
 thren, will long furvive his works. The moft learned man can 
 give us no information concerning either the private life or com- 
 politions of Orpheus, Amphion, Linus, Olympus, Terpander, 
 or Timotheus, yet every fchool-boy can tell us, that they were 
 great Mujicians, the delight of their feveral ages, and, many years 
 after, of poflerity. 
 
 Though totally free from the fordid vices of meannefs and ava- 
 rice, and pofTefled of their oppofite virtues, charity and genero- 
 lity, in fpite of temporary adverfity, powerful enemies, and fre- 
 quent maladies of body, which fometimes extended to intelledl, 
 Handel died worth upwards of Twenty Thoufand Pounds; 
 which, except One Thoufand to the Fund for decayed Muficians 
 and their Families, he chiefly bequeathed to his relations on the 
 continent. 
 
 His funeral was not public, like that of Rameaii, in France j 
 of Jomelli, in Italy ; or of our Dryden, and Garrick, in England ; 
 .yet, when he was buried In Weflminfter- Abbey, April the 20th, 
 1759, the dean. Dr. Pearce, bifliop of Rochefter, affifted by the 
 choir, performed the funeral folemnity. More general and na^ 
 tional teflimonies of regard were left to the prefent period, when 
 all enmities, jealoufies, and operations of envy were fubfidedj 
 and when time, examination, and reflexion, had given new charms 
 and importance to his works ^ And this pleafing tafli has been 
 performed in a way fo ample, magnificent, and honourable, that 
 it will be difficult to find, either in ancient or modern hiftory, a 
 more liberal and fplendid example of gratitude to a deceafed artift, 
 in any other country.
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 CHARACTER of HANDEL as a Composer. 
 
 THAT Handel was fuperior in the ftrength and boldnefs 
 of his ftyle, the richnefs of his harmony, and complica- 
 tion of parts, to every conipofer who has been moil admired for 
 fuch £xcellencies, cannot be difputed. And, while fugue, contri- 
 •uance, and z full /core, were more generally reverenced than at 
 prefent, he remained wholly unrivalled. 
 
 I know it has been laid that Handel was not the original and 
 immediate inventor of feveral fpccies of Mufic, for which his name 
 has been celebrated j but, with refpedt to originality, it is a 
 term to which proper limits fliould be fet, before it is applied to 
 the productions of any artifl. Every invention is clumfy in its 
 beginnings and Shakfpeare was not the firft writer of Plays, or 
 Corelli the firft compofer of violin Solos, Sonatas, and Concertos, 
 though thofe which he produced arc the befl of his time ; nor 
 was Milton the inventor of Epic Poetry. The fcale, harmony, 
 and cadence of Mufic, being fettled, it is impoflible for any com- 
 pofer to invent a genus of compofition that is wholly and rigor oujly 
 neiv, any more than for a poet to form a language, idiom, and 
 phrafeology, for himfclf. All that the greateft and boldefl mufical 
 inventor can do, is to avail himfclf of the beft effufions, combi- 
 nations, and effeds, of his predeceflbrs ; to arrange and apply them 
 in a new manner ; and to add, from his own fource, whatever he 
 can draw, that is grand, graceful, gay, pathetic, or, in any other 
 way, plealing. Tliis Handel did, in a moft ample and fuperior 
 manner ; being poffefTed, in his middle age and full vigour, of 
 every refinement and perfection of his time: uniting the depth 
 and elaborate contrivance of his own country, witli Italian ele- 
 
 G gancc
 
 40 CHARACTER of HANDEL as a COMPOSER. 
 
 gance and facility j as lie feems, while he refided fouth of the 
 Alps, to have liilened attentively in the church,, theatre, and 
 chamber, to the mofl exquilite compolitions and performers, of 
 every kind, that were then exifting. 
 
 And though we had Cantatas by Cariflimi, Alefllmdro 
 Scarlatti, Gafparini, and Marcello j Duets by Steffani and Clari; 
 Vocal Choruses, without inflrumental accompaniments, by 
 Palefti-ina, and our own Tallis, Bird, and Purcell ; and, M'ith ac- 
 companiments, by Cariffimi, as well as Paolo Colonna; with 
 VioLiK Sonatas and Concertos by Corelli and Geminiani j 
 yet it may with the utmoft truth be allerted, that Handel added 
 confiderable beauties to whatever ftyle or fpecies of compofition 
 he adopted, which, in a larger work, it would not be difficult to 
 demonftrate, by examples. At prefent, I iliall only venture to 
 give it as part of my mulical profejjion defoi, that his air or melody 
 is greatly fuperior to any that can be found in the otherwife 
 charming Cantatas which Carifilmi fecnis to have invented ; that 
 he is more natural in his voice-parts, and has given more move- 
 ment to his bafes than Alef. Scarlatti ; that he has more force and 
 originality than Gafparini or Marccllo ; that his chamber duets are, 
 at leaft, equal to thofe of StefFani and Clari, who were remark- 
 able for no other fpecies of compofition ; and though the late 
 Dr. Boyce ufed to fay that Handel hud great obligations to Cb- 
 lonna for his Choruses with injlrumcntal accompaniments, it feems 
 indifputable that fuch chorufes were infinitely more obliged to 
 Handel than he to Colon na, or, indeed, than they were to all 
 the Com.pofers that have ever exifted. It is my belief, likewife, 
 that the bed of his Italian Opera Songs furpafs, in variety of flyle 
 and ingenuity of accompaniment, thofe of all preceding and co- 
 temporary Compofcrs througltout Europe; that he has more^z-t".
 
 CHARACTER of HANDEL as a COMPOSER. 41 
 
 in his compofitions for violins, than Corelli, and more rhythm than 
 Geminiani ; that in his full, mafterly, and excellent organ-fugues ^ 
 upon tlie mofl natural and pleafi ng fubjedts, he has furpafled 
 Frefcobaldi, and even Sebaflian Bach, and others of his countr)'^-- 
 men, the mofl renowned for abilities in this difficult and elaborate 
 fpccies of compofition j and, laftly, that all the judicious and un- 
 prejudiced Mulicians of every country, upon hearing or peruling 
 his noble, majellic, and frequently fublime Full Anthems, and 
 Oratorio Choruses, muft allow, with readinefs and rapture, 
 that they are utterly unacquainted with any thing equal to them, 
 among the works of the greateft mafters that have exifted fmcc 
 the invention of counterpoint. 
 
 2 CHRO-
 
 CHRONOLOGICAL LIST 
 
 O P 
 
 HANDEL'S WORKS. 
 
 Original Manuscripts in the PofTeffion of his MAJESTY: 
 Ainountiiig to Eighty-two Volumes. 
 
 OPERAS. PoRo - ^731 
 
 RoDRiGo, performed at Orlando 7 ^^^^ 
 
 Florence 1709 Sosarme S 
 
 Agrippina - Venice 1709 ^^^anna 7 ^^^^ 
 
 Radamisto - London 1720 ~ ^ 
 
 Muzio ScEvoLA 1721 Ariodante 1734 
 
 Ottone - 1722 Alcina - 1735 
 
 GiuLio Cesare, Arminio ■^ 
 
 Floridante f 1723 Atalanta I 
 
 T- J Giustino J 
 
 Flavio •' 
 
 ^ Berenice 7 
 
 Tamerlano 1724 i 1737 
 
 T, ,^„ Faramondo j 
 
 RODELINDA ^7-5 „ 
 
 - Serse 17-J8 
 
 LESSANDRO/ ,„-/ _ ^^ 
 
 f V-" Imeneo 7 
 
 :iPIONE 3 I I^.Q 
 
 Deidamia 3 V^^ 
 
 — 1736 
 
 A 
 
 Sc 
 
 Ricardo primo 1727 
 
 ToLOMEO ) g ORATORIOS. 
 
 SiROE 3 Esther, compofed 1720, 
 
 Lot ARID - London 1729 publickly performed in 
 Partenope - — — -I730 London 1732 
 
 De-
 
 LIST OF HANDEL'S WORKS. 43 
 
 Deborah 7 Te Deums and Jubi- 
 
 Athalia Oxford) '^^ late, 3 vols. 
 
 Acis and Galatea, at Opera Songs, 2 vols. 
 
 Cannons, 172 1, publick- Laudate. 
 
 ly performed in London 1735 Collection of Songs 
 
 Alexander's Feast — 1735 and Choruses. 
 
 St. Cecilia's Ode 1736 Motetti e Duetti. 
 
 Israel in Egypt 1738 IlTrionfodel7 Rome 1709 
 
 L'Allegro ED IL Pen- Tempo - jLondoni737 
 
 sERoso - - — — 1739 Acige e Gala- 
 Saul - - — — 1740 TEA - Napoli 1709 
 
 Messiah 1741 Oratorio Italiano. 
 
 Samson - — — — 1742 Cantate. 
 
 SeMELE - _ CONCERTI. 
 
 BeLSHAZZAR ( 1743 CoNCERTI GroSSI. 
 
 Susanna J Tranfcript of vi Sona- 
 
 Hercules 1744 tas for two Hautbois 
 
 Occasional Oratorio and a Bafe - - 1694 
 
 1745 
 
 JudaTmac'cha-] 1746 ^^°^ ^'^ H^IS MAJESTY'S 
 
 SAlmira, an Opera, per-n 
 I J Ay formed at Hamburgh M705 
 Nero - - _ _ J 
 
 B^us - j Colledlion 
 
 Joshua - -» Almira, an Opera, per- 
 Alexander Ba- 
 
 LUS 
 
 Solomon 1749 Florindo ■) ^__ 
 
 Theodora - London 1750 Dafne J 
 
 Jephtha 17^1 RiNALDo - Londoni7ii 
 
 — _ Teseo - 7 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS WORKS. Pastor fido i ^^^^ 
 
 Anthems, 8 vols. Amadige 171^ 
 
 Cantatas, 4 vols. Ammeto ^l^l 
 
 Ales-
 
 44 LIST OF HANDEL'S WORKS. 
 
 Alessandro Severo, and a Bafe, two fets. 
 
 Pasticcio — — 1737 Harpsichord Lessons, 
 
 Parnasso in Festa Two Books; the firft 
 
 ■ I . 1740 appeared in - 1720 
 
 Water-Music 1716 Fugues for the Organ. 
 
 Fire-work Music—— 1748 Organ Concertos, 
 Triumph of Time and Three Sets. 
 
 Truth - — 1751 Cantatas, compofed at 
 
 Choice of Hercules Hamburgh, between 1703 
 
 1745 and 1709 
 
 Sonatas for two VioHns Ditto at Rome, 1709 and 1710 
 
 The late Mr. Walfli, of Catharine-ftreet, in the Strand, pur- 
 chafed of Handel, for pubhcation, tranfcripts of the Manu- 
 fcript fcores of almofl all the works he had compofed in Eng- 
 land ; and Mr. Wright, of the fame place, fucceffor to Mr. 
 Walfh, is flill in poffeflion of thefe Manufcripts, many of which 
 have never yet been publiflied. Little more than the favourite 
 fongs of his Italian Operas, and thofe incorredtly, and in differ- 
 ent forms, have, as yet, been printed. Of his Oratorios, "befides 
 the favourite Airs in all of them, Mr. Walfli's fucceffors have 
 publiflied complete and uniform Scores of the Messiah, Ju- 
 das Macchabjeus, Samson, Jephtha, Israel in Egypt, 
 Joshua, Saul, Esther, Choice of Hercules, L'Alle- 
 GRo ED iL Penseroso, Dryden's Ode, Alexander'.s 
 Feast, Acis and Galatea, Belshazzar, Susanna, 
 The Occasional Oratorio, and Deborah. 
 
 Befides thefe, and his four Coronation Anthems, Fu- 
 neral Anthems, Grand Te Deum, Jubilate, and 
 Dettingen Te Deum, complete Scores of Handel's ten 
 Anthems, for voices and inftruments, compofed chiefly for the 
 
 duke
 
 LIST OF H A N D E L'S WORKS. 45 
 
 duke of Chandos, at Cannons, have been publiflied by Mr. 
 Wright, in three volumes. The fame pubHflicr is ftill in pof- 
 feflion of many of his inedited Works : as Italian Duets, Can- 
 tatas, Songs, Anthems, Sonatas, fome for violins, and fome for 
 German flutes and a bale, with feveral other mifcellaneous pro- 
 dudlions. 
 
 In the coUedion of the earl of Aylesford, formed by the late 
 Mr. Jennings ; and in that of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, are 
 preferved in MS. many valuable works of our author, as : 
 
 A Concerto for French Horns and Side Drum, with the 
 March in Judas Macchab^us. . 
 
 Ditto for Trumpets and Horns. 
 
 Three Concertos in Alexander's Feaft. 
 
 Oratorio dclla PaJJione. 
 
 Ditto Delia Refurrczione. 
 
 Te Deum, compofed on the Arrival of Queen Caroline. 
 
 Ditto in Bb for the Duke of Chandos. . 
 
 Ditto in A, major 3''.- 
 
 Dances in yiriadne, Ariodante, and Pajior Fido. 
 
 Several Harpfichord LefTons, not printed, fome of them for 
 the Princefs Louifa. 
 
 Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, belides the. printed Operas, 
 Oratorios, and Te Deums, of HANDEL,isin pofleffionof the 
 fbllcwing Manufcript Scores : Te Deum in A, and the Anthem, 
 Let God ari/'e, both tranfpofed and altered, for the King's Chapel. 
 
 I icill jnagnify thee, compiled and altered, from feveral Anthems, 
 for the Sons of the Clergy, at St. Paul's. 
 
 uis pants the hart, for five voices ; with feveral alterations and 
 additions, by Handel himfelf, when it was introduced in the 
 Oratorio of Esther. 
 
 The
 
 46 LIST OF H A N D E L'S WORKS. 
 
 lHje king fiaJl rejoice. Performed at the Chapel-Royal, on 
 .the viftoiy obtained at Dettingen. 
 
 Sing unto God. Performed at the nuptials of their late Royal 
 Highneffes, the prince and princefs of Wales, 1736. 
 
 Bleffl'd are they : partly compofed, and partly compiled, for the 
 Foundling Hofpital. 
 
 Let God arife, ") Adapted to voices, without inftruments. 
 
 As pants the hart. J for the Chapel Royal. 
 
 Ode, or Serenata, compofed for the birth-day of queen 
 Anne. 
 
 And in the Colledion of the late Barnard Granville, of Cal- 
 ■wich, in Staffordfliire, Efq. among 38 MS. folio volumes of 
 Handel's works in Score, confifting of fixteen Operas, 
 eleven Oratorios, 4 vols, of Anthems, i of Cantatas, 
 others of Te Deums, Concertos, and Mifcellaneous Pieces., 
 there are Scores of the Operas of Rinaldo, Teseo, Ama- 
 dige, and Ammeto, with 2 vols, of Duets, and one of Single 
 Songs in Eight Parts. 
 
 His Majesty, and the Diredors of the Concert of An- 
 cient Music, as well as many other admirers of the produc- 
 tions of Handel, having expreffed a wifli that a uniform and 
 complete edition of all his various works, vocal and inflrumental, 
 might be engraved, in fcore ; I fhall give a place here to the fol- 
 lowing Propofals, which were publilhed lalt year, and which 
 every profeffor, as well as judge and lover of Mufic, mufl fm- 
 cerely wifh may be carried into execution, not only for the ad- 
 vancement of the art, but for the honour of this great Mufician, 
 and of our Country. 
 
 June
 
 June 2 2, 1783. 
 
 H A N D E L'S MUSIC. 
 
 PROPOSALS 
 
 For Printing by Subscription, 
 
 By R. B I R C H A L L, 
 
 (From the late Mr. Randall's Catherine-ftrcet) 
 N^. 129, New Bond-Street. 
 
 COMPLETE SCORES of all the Compofitions of G. F. HANDEL, not 
 hitherto perfeded ; Confifting of Italian Operas, Oratorios; a 
 Number of Anthems, Te Deums, Cantatas and Trios (for Voices,) with 
 other Miscellaneous Works ; alfo his Instrumental Music, the whole 
 of which is computed to make about Eighty Folio Volumes, containing one with 
 another, near One Hundred and Fifty Pages each. 
 
 CONDITIONS. 
 
 I. THE whole to be correctly engraved, and printed on Imperial Paper, to fiiit fuch 
 Oratorios and other Works, as arc already printed complete. 
 
 II. An Elegant Engraving of the Author, to be given to the Subfcribers (only) in the 
 courfc of the Work. 
 
 III. The Subfcription Price to be One Gainea a Volume, and, to non Subfcribers, One 
 Guinea and a Half ; the Subfcription iloncy to be paid on the Delivery of each 
 Volume. 
 
 IV. The Subfcribers Names to be printed. 
 
 V. As foon as a fuflicient Number is fubfcribcd for, it is propofed to print a Volume 
 every Month, till the whole is completed. 
 
 VI. That, as many Difappointments have happened to Ptibliflicrs of fuch Works, from 
 Subfcribers changing; the Places of tbeir Abode, &.C. and, as it would be imprudent, 
 in the prcfent Publ (licrs, to engage in this \vci;;Iuy Undertaking on an Uncertainty ; 
 it is humbly hoped, that fuch Noblemen, and Gentlemen, as uiflj to encourage ir, 
 will authorize their Bankers, or Agents in London, to be anfwcrable for the Subfcrip- 
 tion Money, and to pay the fame, as above Ilipulated, as well as to receive the Books. 
 
 .SvBSCRiPTioNs received by BIRCHALL, at bis Mufic-Sliop, No. 129, NEW 
 BOND-STREET, LONDON. 
 
 H
 
 ADDEND 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 PREFACE OF THE COMMEMORATION ACCOUNT. 
 
 Page xi. 
 
 SINCE the Preface was printed, in which mention is made 
 of the principal Mufical Performances of uncommon mag- 
 nitude in other parts of Europe, anterior to the late Commemo- 
 ration, I have been informed, that foon after my tour to Vienna, 
 in 1772, a great Mufical Inftitution had been eftabliOied in that 
 city for tlie Support of the Widows of deceafed Muficians, fome- 
 what refemblina: our Mufical Fund. As this eftablifliment has 
 lately been mentioned in an anonymous book of Letters on the 
 German Nation, written in the language of that country (a), 
 and is faid to have been produdlive of very extraordinary Mufical 
 Exhibitions, both with refpedt to the number of performers and 
 accuracy of execution ; in order to obtain as authentic an account 
 of them as poflible, I did myfelf the lionour of waiting upon 
 his Excellency Count Kageneck, the Imperial Envoy extraordinary 
 and Minifler plenipotentiaiy at our court, by whom, after a full 
 explanation of the fubjedl of my enquiries, I was defired to write 
 down my queflions, with a promife that they fhould be accurately 
 anfwered by the Count's fecretary, M. Schild, who is not only a 
 native of Vienna, but a good Compofer, and practical Mufician. 
 
 At the time I prefented this gentleman with my queries, in 
 writing, I had likewife the advantage of converfing with him on 
 the fubjedl of Mulical Eftablilhments at ^''ienna ; and was foon 
 after favoured with ample anfwers to my queflions ; of which, 
 the following is the fubflance (h). 
 
 (<?) i^ticfi.' flllC:^ nciTcilDcn Jf.aajOfcn C^) The queflions were written in French, 
 ii'jcr 2Dclltfi"t5lanO iir. ScriU'll •^lUDCC jU >nd aalucrcd iu that language. 
 Faris. i vd'.;. 8vo. 1/3;. 
 
 That
 
 ADDENDA TO THE PREFACE. 49 
 
 " That the Performances for the Benefit of Muficians Widows 
 *' at Vienna have been eftablilhed about twelve years. 
 
 " That they confift of a kind of Co>icert Spirltuel, or Oratorioy 
 " executed in the great national theatre twice a year : in Adven*^ 
 " and Lent, by about three hundred and feventy vocal and inftru- 
 " mental performers ; and if there is an overflow of company, 
 " which fometimes happens, the performance at each of thefe fea- 
 " fons is repeated. The compofitions chofen on thefe occaiions are 
 " not always the fame ; but Oratorios by HalTe, Gluck, Haydn, 
 " Ditters, Starzer, Salieri, and others ; and fometimes by an- 
 " cient German maflers : as Handel, Bach, Graun, and Rolle. 
 
 " And that the fum raifed at thefe performances annually 
 " amounts to about >C5°'^- ^^^^ time." 
 
 On St. Cecilia s-Day, there is likewife a grand Mufical Per- 
 formance at St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Metropolitan Church, 
 at which, befides the performers on the Choir ellablifliment, all 
 the moft eminent foreigners, as well as natives in Vienna at the 
 time, are ambitious to affifl. The great Mafs, or Choral Mufic, 
 is ufually of the compolition of the prefent Maeftro di Capella, 
 Hoffmann, or of Reuter, Caldara, or Fuchs. This perform- 
 ance, as well as that of the Vefpers, on the eve of St. Cecilia, 
 is lefs remarkable for the number of hands and voices, which 
 amount only to about a hundred, than for the excellence of 
 the compofition and talents of the feveral Muficians who exert 
 themfelves on the occafion ; and who, between the different parts 
 of the fervice, perform Concertos, with folo parts, to difplay 
 their powers on their feveral inflruments (a J. 
 
 {a) Further particulars of iliefe Mtifical Uimc of //,■ General Hijlory of Miifu\ by 
 EOabliflimciits will be given in the hill vo- the author of this aecounr. 
 
 H 2 AD-
 
 50 
 
 ADDENDA TO 
 
 ADDENDA to LIFE of HANDEL. 
 
 (Page lo, after the 3d Period.) 
 
 IN the year 171 8, when there feem to have been no Operas in 
 England, Nicohni having quitted this country, was engaged 
 at Naples, where Handel's Rinaldo was brought on the ftage, 
 under the direction of the celebrated Leo, then a young man. 
 
 P. 16, after Note (a). 
 
 Matthefon, in his book called the Triumphal Arch, mentions 
 a circumftance concerning Handel, which is but little known 
 in England. He fays, that " in 1717, he was at Hanover with 
 " his Royal and Electoral Highnefs, afterwards king George the 
 " Second, to whom he had been jufl appointed maeftro di ca- 
 " pella." And as no Operas or other compoiitions appear in 
 the lift of his works, between the Opera oi Amadige, 171 5, and 
 Radamijlo, 1720, his attendance at the court of Hanover will 
 help to fill up that chafm. Matthefon, who feems to have kept 
 an exadt record of the chief mufical tranfadlions of his time, par- 
 ticularly thofe which concern his intercourfe with Handel, tells 
 us, that he received letters from him that were written at Hano- 
 ver, in 1717, concerning his dedicating to him, and other great 
 mafters, a work of his ov/n, called the Orcheftra, Part II. and 
 in 17 1 9, other letters from London, on the fame fubjed:. 
 
 Matthefon, in his C"f)rcn ^pf^rtc, p. 96, fpeaks likewife of an 
 Opera, fet by Handel called Oria?ta, and performed at Ham- 
 burgh, 1717 ; and of jKditb, an Oratorio, 1732, of which no- 
 thing
 
 L I F E O F PI A N D E L. 51 
 
 thing is known in England. He likewife mentions, in the fame 
 work, a Compofitionyor PaJJion-Wcek, of which the words were 
 written by Brockes of Hamburgh. He foys it was compofed by 
 Handel in England, 17 19, and fent to that city, by port, in a 
 very fmall fcore ; but gives it no other name than a Pafjione. 
 
 Tradition has preferved fo many anecdotes concerning the per- 
 formance of Handel at Hamburgh, that many mufical people 
 there, who came into the world too late to hear him, think they 
 have lived in vain, and his works have at all times been in the 
 highefl favour in that city, where he began his career ; for, befides 
 the Operas already mentioned, which he compofed exprefsly for 
 the theatre in Hamburgh, at the beginning of this century, before 
 he vifited Italy, his Rinaldo was performed there in 171 5 ; Or tana, 
 ijij ; Agrippinay 171 8 j Zaiobia, 1721; Mutius Scctvola, and 
 Floridantes, 1723 j Tamerlajio, Giulio Cefare, zndi Ottone, ij2^ ; 
 Ricardo Primo, 1729; Ammcto, 1730 ; CleoJIda, or Poro, and 
 "Judith, an Oratorio, 1732 ; and, laftly, Rodelinda, 1734, were all 
 fent to Hamburgh from other places, and performed there in the 
 abfence of the compofer.. 
 
 Though fome of his later Operas were performed on that ftage, 
 in Italian, yet the four firfl were fet and fung in the German lan- 
 guage ; and others, after being performed in Italian, in London, were 
 tranflated, altered, and totally changed for the Hamburgh ftage, ac- 
 cording to circumllances. Upon the whole, it appears, tliat 
 nineteen or twenty of his Dramatic works had been performed there 
 before the year 1740, when the 'Triumpbal Arch was publilhed. 
 While Matthefcn was colled;ing materials for this work, he 
 applied to Handel himfclf for an account of his Life and pro- 
 dudions, which he promifcd to furniih ; but, fays Matthefon, 
 " I am forry to fay that it remains ftill to be done.'.' 
 
 In
 
 52 ADDENDA TO 
 
 In ITZJ, Le Secretaire des Commandemens de fa Majefte Bri- 
 tanniqiie, as Matthefon fometimes ftyles himlelf, dedicated to 
 Handel what he calls the well-founding Jingcr-langiiage i^'xt 
 tDoUIiUngcnbc fin0CC:fpracf)c) by which he means a book of 1 2 
 fugues for the organ, on two and three fubjeifis ; and received from 
 him the following letter. 
 
 Motif eur, a Londres, ce 29 de fuillet, 1735. 
 
 IL y a quelque terns, que fai re^ue une de vos obligeantes lettres -, 
 mais a prefent je "uiens de recevoir voire dernier e, avec voire ouvrage. 
 
 fe vous en remercie, Monfeur, et je vous afure qui fai touie 
 reftimc pour voire meriie : je fouhaiierois feukment, que mes cir- 
 cpnftances m'etoient plus favorables, pour vous donner des mar- 
 ques de mon inclination pour vous fervir. U ouvrage eft digne de l' at- 
 tention des connoijfeurs, & quant a moi, je vous rend jiftice. 
 
 Au refe, pour rcvmnafer quelque epoque, il 7n eft impofjible, 
 ptiifqu une cotitinuelle application aufervice de cette cour & noblefj'e 
 7ne detourne de toute autre affaire. 
 
 fefuis avec une conf deration ire's parfaite, &c. 
 
 SIR, -London, July 29, 1735. 
 
 IT is a confiderable time fince I received your firfl obliging letter; 
 and now I am favoured with a fecond, accompanied by your work. 
 
 I thank you for it. Sir ; and affure you that I have a fincere 
 cfteem for your merit : I only wifli that I was in more favourable 
 circumfances for manifefting my inclination to ferve you. The 
 work is well worthy the attention of the curious ; and for my 
 •own part, I am always ready to do you juflice. 
 
 As for drawing up memoirs concerning myfelf, I find it utterly 
 impoflible, on account of my being continually occupied in the 
 fervice of the court and nobility, which puts it out of my power 
 to think of any thing elfe. I am with perfedl regard, Gfr. 
 
 " Since
 
 LIFEOFHANDEL. ^^ 
 
 " Since which time, fays Matthefon, till 1739, when the 
 " court and firll nobility, and, indeed, the whole nation, were 
 " more attentive to a ruinous war, than to places of public enter- 
 " tainment, this could be no excufe. I therefore repeated my 
 " requeft, inforced by all the arguments I could devife, but ftill 
 " to no purpofe." 
 
 In fpeaking of Mandela's works at this time (1740), 
 Matthefon fays, " he compofed from his own knowledge and re- 
 *' fources ;" and fpeaks of feveral Anthems and choral compofi- 
 tions, particularly of his Grand TV Deum, not knowing that it 
 was already printed. " His 8 Pieces de Clavecin, fays he, were 
 ** engraved on copper in 1720, and fince that, a fecond fet, 
 " which are very fine; but to acquire the pofleffion of thefe and 
 " his other great works, I have been prevented by their high 
 " price. However, I feem, continues he, to have had fome 
 " claims upon a man to whom, in his feeble beginnings, I ma- 
 " nifefted much kindnefs, and afterwards fliewed him great refpedl 
 " in the eulogiums I beflowed on him in my writings, as well as 
 " '\x\ dedicating my works to him, at no inconfiderable expence. 
 " And if he had thought me unworthy of fuch confidence, the 
 " mufical public, at leaft, who adored him, merited fuch a mark 
 " of refpedl. We were early companions at the Opera, in our 
 " ftudies and performance, at the table, and in our rambles. 
 •' We took fwcet counfel together, and walked in the hoiife of God 
 " as friends." 
 
 Matthefon feems to have been very imperfedly acquainted with 
 the mufical tranfadions of England at this time, as well as of the 
 fituation of poor Handel's affairs; who, oppofed, perfecuted, 
 impoveriflied, and, by extreme agitation and anxiety, injured botli 
 in health and intelleits, was fo far from being able to patronize 
 
 hii
 
 54 ADDENDATO 
 
 his old acquaintance and competitor, that he flood in great need 
 of patronage liimfclf ; and indeed, he was, perhaps, flill lefs able 
 to undertake a retrofpedt fcrutiny and examination of his own life 
 and circumflances ; for, being naturally proud, and neither igno- 
 i-ant of his own powers, nor infenfible to dignity of charad^er, 
 this was by no means a favourable time for felf-examination. It 
 is chiefly in moments of profperity, happinefs, or vanity, that 
 men can have much pleafure in thinking or talking about them- 
 felves ; and as Handel was unfortunate, unhappy, and " too 
 *"' proud to be vain," a requeft that he would become his own 
 biographer was not likely to be granted. 
 
 Matthefon, on the contrary, was fo far from having a repugnance 
 to fuch a humiliating employment, that he not only furnifhed 
 all the articles concerning himfelf that were printed in Walther, 
 Marpurg, and other cotemporary mufical writers, but v/as con- 
 tinually blazoning his abilities and importance in his own works. 
 The truth is, that his authority for the praife he beftows on 
 others is never fufpeifled, as it is given unwillingly ; fo that he 
 flill continues to be cited by his countrymen as an author of 
 knowledge and veracity. And his tranflation and critical remarks 
 on the Life of Handel are flill referred to, as claffical. 
 
 However, Matthefon, though he found himfelf the dupe of 
 unreafonable expedlation, concludes his account of him in his 
 Triumphal Arch, by telling his countrymen that Handel had 
 been offered a Dodlor's degree in Mulic at the univerfity of Ox- 
 ford, which he had declined j but that a marble flatue had been 
 eredled to him in Vauxhall Gardens, an honour feldom conferred 
 on living artifls in modern times ; and concludes by faying, that 
 " no one can praife our famous Handel more than I myfelf 
 ■*' have done, in my mufical writings ; particularly in my Mufica 
 
 *' Critico;
 
 LIFE OF HANDEL. 
 
 5S 
 
 " Critic a, 1722; Mufical Patriot, 1728; Kernel of Mchdious 
 " Science, 1737; and PerfeSl Chapel-Majler, 1739." Indeed, 
 tliere are no mufical writers in the German language whofe works 
 have come to my hands, that do not mention Handel with 
 
 great reverence. 
 
 JValtber, in his Mufical Lexicon, 1732, flyles him " a very 
 " celebrated maeftro di capella, then in England;" and gives a 
 lift of his Operas which had been performed at Hamburgh. 
 
 ^antz, the late celebrated mailer to the king of PrufTia on 
 the German flute, in his own Life, written by himfelf, fpeaking 
 of the ftate of Mufic in England when he was there, 1727, fays, 
 that the greateft performer then on the harpfichord and organ in 
 London, was Handel ; on the violin, Geminiani ; on the 
 hautbois. Martini; and on the flute, Weideman. Handel's or- 
 cheftra at the Opera, he fays, was uncommonly powerful ; and 
 the bafes in his compofitions were fuperior to the trebles in thofe 
 of Bononcini. 
 
 Scheiben, mh\s Critical Mufician, publiflied at Leipfig, 1745, 
 fays, that though Kuhnau and Keifer were veiy great muflcians, 
 they were obliged to give way to Handel and Telemann. Han- 
 del, though he often worked upon his own materials, yet dif- 
 dained not to ufe the thoughts of others ; particularly thofe of Rein- 
 hard Keifer. And in all his works he difcovered great intelli- 
 gence in his art, and the utmoft purity of harmony, and fimpli- 
 city of melody. 
 
 Marpurg, in his Treatife on the Art of Fugue, 1756, calls 
 him a claflical Compofer, no lefs renowned for his Church- 
 Mufic, full of admirable fugues, than for his theatrical produc- 
 tions, beautiful overtures, organ fugues, harpfichord Icflbns, and 
 a moft fublime manner of playing the organ. This author, in his 
 
 I Critical
 
 56 ADDENDA T O, G?f. 
 
 Critical Letters on Mufic, Berlin, 1 760, fpeaks of the fugue in 
 the fecond Overture oi Admetus, as a compofition that he can never 
 hear without emotion. Indeed, Ha ndel has manifefted wonderful 
 abilities in that fugue, by inverting a very curious and difficult fub- 
 jedt, in all the anfwers. 
 
 HtllcVy of Leipfic, in his Weekly Mujical Journal, ijdj, where 
 he gives a lift of Handel's Operas performed in England, 
 fpeaks of his genius and abilities with feeling and intelligence -, 
 and an idea may be formed of the veneration in which he is ftill 
 held at Hamburgh, by the following particulars. 
 
 M. Schiiback, fyndic of Hamburgh, a refpecflable magiftrate 
 and able mulician, has employed, according to his own account, 
 all his leifure hours, during almoft forty years, in the ftudy and 
 imitation of his great countryman, Handel (a). And this 
 ingenious Amateur has compofed, and publiflied an Oratorio, called 
 The Difciples at Emmaiis, profeifedly in the ftyle of Handel ^/^y. 
 
 (a) In 1779, I was honoured with a let- tic chapcUe, In another letter M. Schii- 
 
 ter from M. Schubaek, in which is inferted back tells me, that in 1777, Handel's Te 
 
 the following eloge of our favourite com. Dcum, Mejjiah, and /^tlexamler'i Feajl, were 
 
 pofer : F'vus trouzercz. a ce que j'cfpere, que performed at Hamburgh, under his direc- 
 
 jcfuis imitateiiy, foible a la verite, mats zeli tion, for the benefit of the poor. 
 peurtant, du fameux Handel. Ce grand (h) This Oratorio may be had, iu fcore, 
 
 homme me faroit toujour! fe premier compoji- with German or Englifll words, of iWr. 
 
 teur qui fut jamais, et il y a pres dc ^o atis Napier, at his Mufic-flup, in the Strand, 
 
 que je tache de fiiivre fcs traces ; cc que je N^ 474- It w;is wholly compofed for tenor 
 
 fcaurois prowjcr par une quantite d'oif-jrages, and bafe voices, on account of an irrccon- 
 
 tritp grandcs, je le co>i/cJJi, pour un hommc qui cile.ible quarrel, tor precedence, which 
 
 itant employe aux /ervices de Cetat, ti'a qua happened among the female fingers at Ham- 
 
 derohcr quclqiiesl.'Cuies,pourfat!sfaireal'e>i'vic burgh, 1778. 
 dont il cji chalcuille di primer fur les ma'tres
 
 COMMEMORATION 
 
 f 
 
 HANDEL. 
 
 B
 
 -1 ■ r- V 
 
 T 
 
 V -4.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 How this great idea was generated, cherillied, and ma- 
 tured, will, probably, be a matter of curiofity to the pub- 
 lic, as well as the manner in which it was executed. And hav- 
 ing had the honour of attending many of the meetings of the 
 Diredtors and Condudlor, while the neceffary arrangements were 
 tmder confideration, as well as opportunities of converfing with 
 them, fmce, I fliall flate the principal fad:s as accurately as pof- 
 fible, from fuch authentic information as thefe favourable cir- 
 cumftances have furniflied. 
 
 In a converfation between lord vifcount Fitzwilliam, fir Wat- 
 kin Williams Wynn, and Joah Bates, efquire, commifiioner of 
 the Vidtualling-Office, the beginning of laft year, 1783, at the 
 houfe of the latter, after remarking that the number of eminent 
 mufical performers of all kinds, both vocal and inftrumental, 
 with which London abounded, was far greater than in any other 
 city of Europe, it was lamented that there was no public pe- 
 riodical occafion for colledting and confolidating them into one 
 Land ; by which means a performance might be exhibited on fo 
 grand and magnificent a fcale as no other part of the world could 
 equal. The birth and death of Handel naturally occurred to 
 ithree.fuch enthufiaftic admirers of that great mafler, and it was 
 
 B 2 imme-
 
 4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 immediately recolleded, that the next (now the prefent) year, 
 would be a proper time for the introduction of fuch a cuftom : as 
 it formed a complete ceiitury fmce his birth, and an exadl quarter 
 of a century iince his deceafe. 
 
 The plan was foon after communicated to the governors of the 
 Mufical Fund, who approved it, and promifed their afliftance. 
 It was next fubmitted to the diredors of the concert of Ancient 
 Mufic, who, with an alacrity which does honour to their zeal 
 for the memory of the great artifl Handel, voluntarily under- 
 took the trouble of managing and direding the celebrity. At 
 length, the defign coming to the knowledge of the king, it was 
 honoured with his Majefly's fandion and patronage. Weftminfter- 
 Abbey, where the bones of the great mufician were depoiited, 
 was thought the propereft place for the performance ; and appli- 
 cation having been made to the bifliop of Rochefter for the ufe of 
 it, his lordfhip, finding that the fcheme was honoured with the 
 patronage of his majefty, readily confented ; only requefting, as 
 the performance would interfere with the annual benefit for the 
 VVeflminfler Infirmary, that part of the profits might be appro- 
 priated to that charity, as an indemnification for the lofs it would 
 fuflain. To this the projedlors of the plan acceded ; and it was 
 afterwards fettled, that the profits of the firft day's performance 
 fhould be equally divided between the Mufical Fund and the 
 Weftminfter Infirmary; and thofe of the fubfequent days hcfolely 
 applied to the ufe of that fund which Handel himfelf fo long 
 helped to fuftain, and to which he not only bequeathed a thoufand 
 pounds, but which almoft every Mufician in the capital annually 
 contributes his money, his performance, or both, to fupport. 
 
 Application was next made to Mr. James Wyatt, the archited, 
 to furnifli plans for the necefiary decorations of the abbey ; draw- 
 ings
 
 INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 ings of which having been fhewn to his Majefty, were approved. 
 The general idea was to produce the effedl of ^ royal mufical cha- 
 pel, with the orcheftra terminating one end, and the accommo- 
 dations for the Royal Family, the other. 
 
 The arrangement of the performance of each day was next fet- 
 tied, and I have authority to fay, that it was at his majefty's in- 
 ftigation that the celebrity was extended to three days inftead of 
 two, which he thought would not be fufficient for the difplay of 
 Handel's powers, or fulfilling the charitable purpofes to which 
 it was intended to devote the profits. It was originally intended 
 to have celebrated this grand Mufical Feftival on the 20th, 2 2d, 
 and 23d of April; and the 20th being the day of the funeral of 
 Handel, part of the Mufic was, in fome meafure, fo feledled 
 as to apply to that incident. But, in confequence of the fudden 
 diflblution of parliament, it was thought proper to defer the fef- 
 tival to the 26th, 27th, and 29th of May, which feems to have 
 been for its advantage : as many perfons of tender conftitutions, 
 who ventured to go to Weftminfter- Abbey in warm weather, 
 would not have had the courage to go thither in cold. 
 
 Impreffed with a reverence for the memory of Handel, no 
 fooner was the projedt known, but moft of the practical Muli- 
 cians in the lungdcm eagerly manifefted their zeal for the enter- 
 prife ; and many of the moft eminent profeflbrs, waving all claims 
 to precedence in the band, ofi^ered to perform in any fubordinate 
 ftation, in which their talents could be moft ufeful. 
 
 By the latter end of February the plan and necefiary arrange- 
 ments were fo far digefted and advanced, that the Directors ven- 
 tured to infert in, all the Newfpapers, the following advertife- 
 ment. 
 
 " Under
 
 6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 " Under the Patronage of His MAJESTY. 
 In Commemoration of HANDI'X, who was buried in Weftminfter- 
 
 Abbcy, on the 21ft of April, 1759. 
 
 On WEDNESDAY the 21ft of April next, will be performed in 
 
 Wcftminfter-Abbey, under the management of the 
 
 Earl of Exeter 
 Earl of Sandwich 
 Vifcount Dudley Ward 
 Vifcount Fitzwilliam 
 
 Lord Paget 
 
 Right Hon. H. Morrice 
 Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart. 
 Sir Richard Jebb, Bart. 
 Direftors of the Concert of Ancient Mufic ; 
 
 Some of the mod approved pieces of Sacred Mufic, of that great 
 Compofer. — The doors will be opened at Nine o'Clock, and the per- 
 formance will begin precilcly at Twelve. 
 
 And on the Evening of the fame day, will be performed, at the 
 Pantheon, a Grand Mifcellaneous CONCERT of Vocal and Inftru- 
 mental Mufic ; confifting entirely of pieces felefted from the works 
 of Handel. — The doors will be opened at Six o'Clock, and the Con- 
 cert will begin exaftly at Eight. 
 
 And on Saturday Morning, April 24th, will be performed, in Weft- 
 minfter Abbey, the Sacred Oratorio of the MESSIAH. 
 
 Such is the reverence for this illurtrious Mafter, that moft of the 
 performers in London, and a great many from different parts of the 
 -kino-dom, have generoufly offered their afliftance ; and the Orcheftra 
 \\'\\\ confift of at leaft Four Hundred Performers, a more numerous 
 Uand than was ever known to be colle<fled in any country, or on any 
 .occafion whatever. The profits arifing from the performances, will be 
 applied to charitable purpofes. 
 
 The Diredors of the Concert of Antient Mufic have opened books 
 to receive the names of fuch perfons as are defirous of encouraging this 
 undertaking, and will deliver out the Tickets for the feveral perform- 
 ances, at ONE GUINEA each. Books will likewife be opened, and 
 Tickets delivered at Mr. Lee's, No. 44, Wigmore-fl;reet ; Birchell's 
 Mufic-fhop, No. 129, New Bond-ftreet ; Longman and Broderip's, in 
 the Haymarket and Cheapfide ; Bremner's, near the new Church in 
 the Strand ; and at Wright's and Co. Cathcrlnc-ftreet, Strand. 
 
 No perfon will be admitted without a ticket ; and it is hoped, that 
 thofe who mean to fubfcribe, will do it as early as they conveniently 
 caHj that proper feats may be provided for them."
 
 INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 In order to render the band as powerful and complete as pof- 
 fible, it was determined to employ every fpecies of inflrument 
 that was capable of producing grand effedlis in a great orcheflra, 
 and fpacious building. Among thefe, tlie SACBUT, or DOUBLE 
 TRUMPET, was fought ; but fo many years had elapfed fmce it 
 had been ufed in this kingdom, that, neither the inflrument, nor 
 a performer upon it, could eafily be found. It was, however, 
 difcovered, after much ufelefs enquir)% not only here, but by let- 
 ter, on the continent, that in his Majefty's military band there 
 were fix muficians who played the three feveral fpecies of facbut ; 
 tenor, bafe, and double bafe (a). The names of thefe perform- 
 ers will be found in the general lift of the band. 
 
 The DOUBLE BASSOON, which was fo confpicuous in the 
 Orcheftra and powerful in its efFecS:, is likewife a tube of fixteen 
 feet. It was made with the approbation of Mr. Handel, by 
 Stainfby, the Flute-maker, for the coronation "of his late m.ajefty, 
 George the Second. The late ingenious Mr. Lampe, author of 
 the juftly admired Mufic of the Dragcn of Want ley, was the per- 
 fon intended to perform on it ; but, for want of a proper reed, 
 or for fome other caufe, at prefent unknown, no ufe was made 
 of it, at that time ; nor, indeed, though it has been often at- 
 tempted, was it ever introduced into any band in England, till 
 now, by the ingenuity and perfeverance of Mr. Aflily, of the 
 Guards. 
 
 THE DOUBLE-BASE KETTLE DRUMS were made 
 from models of Mr. Afbridge, of Drury-lane orcheftra, in 
 
 ta) The moft common facbut, which which a note can be acquired a fourth lower 
 
 the Italians call tromhont, and the Germans than the ufual loweft found on tlie trumpet, 
 
 Pofaiine, is an oiftave below the common and all the tones and femitones of the coin- 
 
 trumpct ; its length eight feet, when folded) mon fcale, 
 atid fixteen» ftrait. There is a manual, by 
 
 copper.
 
 8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 copper. It being impoflible to procure plates of brafs, large 
 enough. .The Tower-drums, which by permiffion of his grace 
 the duke of Richmond, were brought to the Abbey on this oc- 
 cafion, are thofe which belong to the Ordnance ftores, and were 
 taken by the duke of Marlborough at the battle of Malplaquet, 
 in 1709. Thefe are hemifpherical, or a circle divided ; but thofe 
 of Mr. Afbridge are more cylindrical, being much longer, as well 
 as more capacious, than the common kettle-dioim ; by which he ac- 
 counts for the fuperiority of their tone to that of all other drums. 
 Thefe three fpecies of kettle-drums, v;hich may be calkd tenor, 
 bafe, and double-bafe, were an ocSave below each other. 
 
 The excellent ORGAN, eredted at the weft end of the Abbey, 
 for the commemoration performances only, is the workmanfliip 
 of the ingenious Mr. Samuel Green, of Iflington. It was fabri- 
 cated for the cathedral 01 Canterbury, but before its departure for 
 the place of its deftination, it was permitted to be opened in the 
 capital on this memorable occafion. The keys of communication, 
 with the harpfichord, at which Mr. Bates, the conductor, was 
 fcated, extended nineteen feet from the body of the organ, and 
 twenty feet feven inches below the perpendicular of the fet of keys 
 by which it is ufually played. Similar keys were firft con- 
 trived in this country for Handel himfelf, at his Oratorios ; but 
 to convey them to fo great a diftance from the inftrument, with- 
 out rendering the touch impradlicably heavy, required uncommon 
 ingenuity and mechanical refources. 
 
 In celebrating the difpofition, difcipline, and effects, of this 
 moft numerous and excellent band, the merit of the admirable 
 archited: who furniflied the elegant defigns for the Orcheftra and 
 Galleries, muft not be forgotten; as, when filled, they confti- 
 tuted one of the grandeft and moft magnificent fpedlacles which 
 
 imagi-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 9 
 
 imagination can delineate. I am acquainted with few buildings, that 
 have been conflrudled from plans of Mr.Wyatt, in which he exercifed 
 his genius in Gothc; but all the preparations for receiving their Ma- 
 jefties, and the firft perfonages in the kingdom, at the eaft end ; 
 upwards of Five Hundred Muficians at the well ; and the pub- 
 lic in general, to the number of between three and four thou- 
 fand perfons, in the area and galleries, fo wonderfully correfpond- 
 ed with the ftyle of architedlure of this venerable and beautiful 
 ftrufture, that there was nothing vifible, either for ufe or orna- 
 ment, which did not harmonize with the principal tone of the 
 building, and which may not, metaphorically, have been faid to be 
 in perfe£i tune with it. But, beiides the wonderful manner in 
 which this conflrudiion exhibited the band to the fpedlators, the 
 Orcheftra was fo judicioufly contrived, that almoft every performer, 
 both vocal and inftrumental, was in full view of the condudlor and 
 leader ; which accounts, in fome meafure, for the uncommon 
 eafe with which the performers confefs they executed their parts. 
 
 The whole preparations for thefe grand performances were 
 comprifed within the weftern part of the building, or broad aifle ; 
 and fome excellent judges declared, that, apart from their beauty, 
 they never had feen fo wonderful a piece of carpentry, as the 
 Orcheftra and Galleries, after Mr. Wyatt's models. Indeed, the 
 goodnefs of the workmanfhip was demonftrated by the whole four 
 'days of commemoration in the Abbey being exempted from every 
 fpecies of accident, notwithftanding the great crouds, and con- 
 flid:s for places, which each performance produced. 
 
 At the eaft end of the aifle, juft before the back of the choir- 
 organ, fome of the pipes of which were vifible below, a throne 
 was erefted in a beautiful Gothic ftyle, correfponding with that 
 of the Abbey, and a center box, richly decorated and furniflicd 
 
 C with
 
 JO 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 with crimfon fatin, fringed with gold, for the reception of their 
 Majefties and the Royal Family ; on the right hand of which 
 was a box for the Bifliops, and, on the left, one for the Dean and 
 Chapter of Weilminfter ; immediately below thefe two boxes 
 were two others, one, on the right, for the families and friends of 
 the Direftors, and the other for thofe of the prebendaries of Wefl- 
 minfter. Immediately below the King's-box was placed one for 
 the Diredlors thcmfelves j who were all diftinguilhed by white 
 wands tipped with gold, and gold medals, ftruck on the occalion, 
 appending from white ribbands. Thefe their Majefties likewife 
 condefcended to wear, at each performance. Behind, and on each 
 fide of the throne, there were feats for their Majefty's fuite, 
 maids of honour, grooms of the bedchamber, pages, &c. 
 
 The Orcheftra was built at the oppcfite extremity, afcending 
 regularly from the height of feven feet from the floor, to upwards 
 of forty, from the bafe of the pillars ; and extending from the 
 centre to the top of the fide aille. 
 
 The intermediate fpace below was filled up with level benches, 
 and appropriated to the early fubfcribers. The fide aifles were 
 formed into long galleries, ranging with the Orcheftra, and af- 
 cending, fo as to contain twelve rows on each fide : the fronts 
 of which projeAed before the pillars, and were ornamented with 
 feftoons of crimfon morine. 
 
 At the top of the Orcheftra was placed the occafional organ^ 
 in a Gothic frame, mounting to, and mingling with, the faints 
 and martyrs reprefented in the painted glafs on the weft window. 
 On each fide of the organ, clofe to the window, were placed the 
 kettle-drums, defcribed above. The choral bands were princi- 
 pally placed in view of Mr. Bates, on fteps, feemingly afcending 
 into the clouds, in each of the fide aviles, as their termination 
 
 was
 
 INTRODUCTION. n 
 
 was invifible to the audience. The principal fingers were ranged 
 in the front of the Orcheftra, as at Oratorios, accompanied by 
 the choirs of St. Paul, the Abbey, Windfor, and the Chapel- 
 Royal. 
 
 The defign of appointing SubdireSlors, was to diminifli, as much 
 as poflible, the trouble of the noblemen and gentlemen who had 
 projedled the undertaking, as well as that of the Condudtor : and 
 this was effedted with great diligence and zeal, not only in fuper- 
 in tending the bufinefs at the doors of admillion, and conducing 
 the company to their feats, which fell to the fhare of Dr. Cook, 
 Dr. Ayrton, and meffieurs Jones, Aylward, and Parfons, all 
 profeflbrs of the firft clafs ; but in arranging the performers, 
 and conveying fignals to the feveral parts of that wide-ex- 
 tended Orcheftra : departments which fell to the lot of Dr. 
 Arnold and Mr. Dupuis, organifts and compofers to his Ma- 
 jefty, and Mr. Redmond Simpfon, eminent and refpccftable 
 profeffors, of great experience, who may be faid to have a6ted as 
 Adjutant -Generals on the occafion ; Dr. Arnold and Mr. Depuis 
 having been placed, on different fides of the Orcheftra, over the 
 vocal choir, and Mr. Simpfon in the centre, over the fubordinate 
 inftrumental performers. In feledting thefe delegates among the 
 members of the Mufical Society, greiit care was taken not to en- 
 feeble the Orcheftra, by employing fuch performers as were likely 
 to augment its force ; but fuch as had either ceafed to play in 
 public, or whofe inftruments being the organ and harplichord, of 
 which only one was wanted, accepted of parts which were not 
 the lefs ufeful for being Jilently performed. 
 
 Of the care and intelligence with which preparations were made 
 for thefe performances, fome judgment may be formed from the 
 fmgle circumftance of the Mufic-books that were provided for 
 
 C 2 each
 
 12 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 each day : as two hundred and feventy-four were requifite for 
 the firft performance, in the Abbey; a hundred and thirty- 
 eight for the Pantheon ; and two hundred and fixty-feven for the 
 Meffiah ; amounting, in all, to feven hundred and feventy-nine ; 
 not one of which was miffing, or millaid, nor was an inftrument 
 wanting during the whole commemoration : as the porters had llridl 
 orders to convey all the inftruments into the orcheftra, at the Ab- 
 bey, by feven o'clock in the morning of each day, to prevent the 
 company from being incommoded by the admilfion of fuch as 
 were unwieldy. 
 
 Few circumflances will, perhaps, more aftonifh veteran Mu- 
 
 ficians, than to be informed, that there was but one general Re~ 
 
 hearfal for each day's performance : an indifputable proof of the 
 
 high ftate of cultivation to which practical Mufic is at prefent 
 
 arrived in this country ; for, if good performers had not been 
 
 found, ready made, a do%en rehearfals would not have been fuffi- 
 
 cient to make them fo. Indeed, Mr. Bates, in examining the 
 
 lift of performers, and enquiring into their feveral merits, fug- 
 
 gefted the idea of what he called a drillmg Rehcarfal, at Totten- 
 
 ham-ftreet Concert-Room, a week before the performance -, m 
 
 order to hear fuch volunteers, particularly chorus-fingers, as were 
 
 but little known to himfelf, or of whofe abilities his affiftant was 
 
 unable to fpeak with certainty (a). At this rehearfal, though it 
 
 confifted of a hundred and twenty performers, not more than two. 
 
 of that number were defired to attend no more. 
 
 At the general rehearfal in the Abbey, mentioned above, more 
 than five himdred perfons found means to obtain admiffion, in^ 
 
 (a) This was Mr. John Aflily, of the advancement of the plan, and diminiflied 
 
 Guards, whofe uawearicd zeal and diligence the anxiety of Mr. Bates, as well as the 
 
 were conflantly employed with fuch intdli- weight with which he had voluntarily load- 
 
 gence and fuecefs, as greatly facilitated the ed his ihoulders. 
 
 fpite
 
 INTRODUCTION. 13 
 
 Ipite of every endeavour to fliut out all but the performers ; for 
 fear of interruption, and, perhaps, of failure in the firll: attempts 
 at incorporating and confolidating fuch a numerous band : con- 
 fiding, not only of all the regulars, both native and foreign, 
 which the capital could furnifh, but all the irregulars, that is, 
 dileita77tl, and provincial Muficians of charad:er, who could be 
 muftered, many of whom had never heard or feen each other be- 
 fore. This intrufion, which was very much to the dillatisfadlion 
 of the Managers and Condu(fl:or, fuggefted the idea of turning the 
 eagernefs of the public to fome profitable account for the charity, 
 by fixing the price of admiifion to Half a Guinea for each perfon. 
 But, befides the profits derived from fubfequent rehearfals, 
 the confequences of the firft were not without their ufe : for the 
 pleafure and aftonifhment of the audience, at the fmall miftakes, 
 and great effedts of this firft experiment, which many had con- 
 demned by anticipation, were foon communicated to the lovers of 
 Mufic, throughout the town, to the great increafe of fubfcribers 
 and folicitors for tickets. For though the friends of the Direc- 
 tors were early in fubfcribing, perhaps, from perfonal refpedl, as 
 much as expe<ftation of a higher mufical repaft than ufual ; yet, 
 the public, in general, did not manifeft great eagernefs in fecuring 
 tickets, till after this rehearfal, Friday, May 2 1 , which was re- 
 ported to have aftoniflied even the performers themfelves, by its 
 corre<flnefs and effedls. But fo interefting did the undertaking 
 become, by this favourable rumour, that from the great demand 
 of tickets, it was found neceffary to clofe the fubfcription ; 
 which was done fo rigoroufly, that the author of this account 
 was unable, on Monday, to obtain of the Managers tickets of any 
 kind, on any terms, for fome of his friends, who had negledled 
 to give in their names fooner. 
 
 Many
 
 14 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Many families, as well as individuals, were, however, attracted 
 to the capital by this celebrity ; and I never remember it fo full, 
 not only fo late in the year, but at any time in my life, except at 
 the coronation of his prefent Majefty. Many of the performers 
 came, unfpliciteJ, from the remoteft parts of the kingdom, at 
 their own expence ; fome of them, however, were afterwards 
 reimburfed, and had a fmall gratuity in confideration of the time 
 they were kept from their families, by the two unexpeded addi- 
 tional performances. 
 
 Foreigners, particularly the French, inuft be much afloniflied 
 at fo numerous a band moving in fuch exadt meafure, without the 
 affiftance of a Coryphaeus to beat the time, either with a roll of 
 paper, or a noily baton, or truncheon. Roufl'eau fays, that " the 
 " more time is beaten, the lefs it is kept ;" and, it is certain, that 
 when the meafure is broken, the fury of the mufical-general, or 
 diredlor, increafmg with the difobedience and confufion of his 
 troops, he becomes more violent, and his ftrokes and gefticulations 
 more ridiculous, in proportion to their diforder. 
 
 The celebrated Lulli, whofe favour in France, during the laft 
 century, was equal to tliat of Handed in England, during the 
 prefent, may be.faid to have beat himfelf to death, by intemperate 
 pafilon in marking the meafure to an ill-difciplined band ; for in 
 regulating, with his cane, the time of a Te Deiim, which he had 
 compofed for the recovery of his royal patron, Louis XIV, from 
 a dangerous fickncfs, in 1686, he wounded his foot by accident- 
 ally llriking on that inftead of the floor, in fo violent a manner, 
 that, 'from the contufion occafioned by the blow, a mortification 
 enfued, which coft him his life, at the age of fifty-four ! 
 
 As this Commemoration is not only the firfi: inftance of a 
 band of fuch magnitude being affembled together, but of any 
 
 band.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 15 
 
 band, at all numerous, performing in a fimilar fituation, with- 
 out the afliftance of a Manii-duSlor, to regulate the meafure, the 
 performances in Weftminfter-Abbcy may be fafely pronounced, 
 no lefs remarkable for the multiplicity of voices and inflruments 
 employed, than for accuracy and precifion. When all the wheels 
 of that huge machine, the Orcheftra, were in motion, the effecfl 
 refembled clock-work in every thing, but want of feeling and ex- 
 preflion. 
 
 And, as the power of gravity and attrad:ion in bodies is propor- 
 tioned to theij" mafs and denfity, fo it feems as if the magnitude of 
 this band had commanded and impelled adhefion and obedience, 
 beyond that of any other of inferior force. The pulfations in every 
 limb, and ramifications of veins and arteries in an animal, could 
 not be more reciprocal, ifochronous, and under the regulation of 
 the heart, than the members of this body of Muficians under that 
 of the Conductor and Leader. The totality of found feemed to 
 proceed from one voice, and one inltrument ; and its powers pro- 
 duced, not only new and exquifite fehfations in judges and lovers 
 of the art, but were felt by thofe who never received pleafure 
 from Mufic before. 
 
 Thefe effedts, which will be long remembered by the prefent 
 public, perhaps to the difadvantage of all other choral perform- 
 ances, run the rifk of being doubted by all but thofe who heard 
 them, and the prefent defcription of being pronounced fabulous, 
 if it Ihould furvive the prefent generation. 
 
 Under
 
 Under the PATRONAGE of 
 
 HIS MAJESTY. 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Earl of E X E T E R, 
 
 Earl of S A N D W I C H, 
 
 Earl of U X B R I D G E, 
 
 Sir WATKIN WILLIAMS WYNN, Bart, 
 
 Sir RICHARD J EBB, Bart. 
 
 CONDUCTOR. 
 
 JOAH BATES, Efquire.
 
 ASSI'STANT DIRECTORS. 
 
 Dr. Benjamin Cooke, 
 Dr. Samuel Arnold, 
 Dr. Edmund Ayrton, 
 Mr. Redmond Simpfon, 
 
 Mr. Thomas Saunders Dupuis, 
 , Mr. John Jones, 
 I Mr. I'hcodore Aylward, 
 I Mr. William Parfons. 
 
 ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR, 
 Mr. John Alhley.. 
 
 INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS. 
 
 ORGAN. 
 J O A II BATES, Efqulre. 
 
 First Violins. 
 
 Mr. Fox 
 
 Mr. Wakefield 
 
 PRINCIPALS. 
 
 Mr. Frudd, Nottingham 
 
 Mr. Watfon ^.^ 
 
 Mr. Hay 
 Mr. Cramer 
 
 
 Mr. Gillingliam 
 Mr. Gwilliam 
 
 
 
 Second Violins. 
 
 
 
 Mr. Hellendael 
 Mr. Hi me 
 Mr Hindmarfli 
 Mr. Howard 
 Mr. Henry 
 
 
 Rev. Mr. Attwo 
 Mr. Agus 
 Mr. Barret 
 
 od 
 
 PRINCIPALS. 
 
 Mr. Borghi 
 Mr. Soderini 
 
 Mr. Barron- 
 
 Mafter Afliley 
 
 Mr. Baflet 
 
 
 Mr. Hobbs 
 
 Mr. Ciiurchill 
 
 Mr. Bidiop 
 
 
 Mr. Huxtable 
 
 Mr. Coles 
 
 Mr. Blakc 
 
 
 Mr. Johnftone 
 
 Mr. Compton 
 
 Mr. Boultflower 
 
 
 Mr. Lanzoni 
 
 Mr. Crofs 
 
 Mr. Brooks 
 
 
 Mr. J. Mahon, Oxford 
 
 Mr. Evans 
 
 Mr. Cibanes 
 
 
 Mr. Oliver 
 
 Mr. Farlow 
 
 IMr. Cliabran 
 
 
 Mr. Parkinfon 
 
 Mr. Fell 
 
 Mr. Cole 
 
 
 Mr. Salpietro 
 
 Mr. Foulis 
 
 Mr. Condcl 
 
 
 Mr. Hubert Shaw 
 
 Mr. French 
 
 ]Mr. Coyle 
 
 
 Mr. Anthony Shaw 
 
 Mr. Gallot 
 
 Mr. Coyle, jun. 
 
 Oreaiiift, 
 
 Mr. G. Shutz 
 
 Mr. Gehot 
 
 Ludlow, Shropfliire 
 
 Mr. Thomas Smith 
 
 Mr. Guilbach 
 
 Mr. Crouch 
 
 
 Mr. Thackary, York 
 
 Mr. Guilbach, jun. 
 
 Mr. Dance 
 
 
 Mr. Thurllan 
 
 Mr. Ilacknian 
 
 INIr. Denby, Dcrb7 
 
 Mr. Tibet 
 
 Mr. Hig^ins 
 
 Mr. Fifm 
 
 
 Mr. Wood 
 
 Mr. Hodfoa 
 
 
 
 D 
 
 Mr.
 
 i8 INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMEPvS. 
 
 Mr. Howlds 
 Wr Jackfon 
 Mr. iiuhbald 
 Mr. Linton 
 Mr Long 
 Mr. Miller 
 Mr. Nicholfon 
 Mr. Norbon 
 Mr. J. Park.nfon 
 Mr. Peck 
 Mr. Pinto 
 INIr. Rawlins 
 I\Ir. Reinegale 
 Mr. T. Shaw 
 Mr. J. Smith 
 Mr. Robert Smith 
 !Wr. Smithergale 
 Mr. Stanard 
 Mr. Stayner 
 Mr Valeniine, jun. 
 Mr. Vidini 
 Mr. Wagner 
 Mr. D. Walker 
 Mr. Ware, jun. 
 Mr. Warren 
 Mr. Watley 
 Mr. Williams 
 Mr. Woodcock _ 
 
 Tenors, 
 principals. 
 Mr. Napier 
 Mr. Carnevale 
 Mr. Hackwood 
 Mr. Shields 
 
 Mr. Sharp, St. Ncott's 
 
 Huntingdonfliirc 
 Mr. D. Shaw 
 Mr. Simpfon 
 Mr. Turner 
 
 Mr. Valentine, Leiccfler 
 Mr. Vial 
 Mr. Villenieu 
 Mr. Warren, fen. 
 Mr. Wilcock ^^ 
 
 Hautbois. 
 Principals. 
 Mr. Vincent 
 Mr. Fifcher 
 Mr. Eiffert 
 Mr. Parke 
 
 Mr. Benfer 
 Mr. Buckinger 
 Rev. Mr. Flye 
 Mr. Gibbons 
 Mr. Jackfon 
 Mr. G. Jones 
 Mr. W. Mahon 
 Mr. MenTing 
 Mr. Miller 
 Mr. Pick 
 Mr. J. Richards 
 Mr. Rock 
 
 Mr. Sharp, jun. Grant- 
 ham, Lincolnfliire 
 
 Mr. Brandi 
 
 Mr. Cantelo 
 
 Mr. Fofter 
 
 Mr. Kneller 
 
 Mr. Munro 
 
 Mr. Parke, jun. 
 
 Mr. Partri 
 
 Mr. F. Sharp, Grantham, 
 
 Lincolnfliire 
 Mr. Suck ,, 
 
 2d Hautbois. 
 
 Mr. Arnult 
 Mr. Coles 
 Mr. Cornifh 
 Mr. Dickenfon 
 Mr. Gray 
 Mr. Heinitz 
 Mr. Karift 
 Mr. Lcffler, jun. 
 Mr. Lowe 
 Mr. Maniffire 
 Mr. Pope 
 Mr. Rice 
 Mr. Teed ., 
 
 Mr. Florio 
 Mr. Huttley 
 Mr. Papendick 
 Mr. Potter 6 
 
 Flutes. 
 
 Mr. Buckley 
 Mr. Decamp 
 
 Violoncellos. 
 
 PRINCIPALS. 
 
 Mr. CrofdiU 
 Mr. Ccrvetto 
 Mr. Paxton 
 Mr. Mara 
 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 Mr. 
 
 Adams 
 
 Barron, jun. 
 
 Beilby 
 
 Bradford 
 
 Denny 
 
 Guiitach 
 
 Hill 
 
 Mafon 
 
 Mawby 
 
 PhiUips 
 
 Roberts 
 
 Scola 
 
 William Sharp 
 
 John Shields, 
 
 Sikes 
 
 J. Smith 
 
 Zeidler »# 
 
 Bassoons. 
 
 principals. 
 
 Mr. Baumgarten 
 Mr. Hogg 
 Mr. Lion 
 Mr. Parkinfon 
 
 Mr. Bodwin 
 Mr. Browning 
 Mr. Denman 
 Mr. Evans 
 Mr. Gough 
 Mr. Holmes 
 Mr. Hubbard 
 Mr. Jenkinfon 
 Mr. King 
 Mr. Kneller 
 
 Mr.
 
 INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS. 19 
 
 Mr. Leffler 
 
 Mr. Lings 
 Mr. Mallet 
 Mr. Oft)orn 
 Mr. Peacocks 
 Mr. Pondsford 
 Mr. Schubert 
 Mr. R. Shaw 
 Mr. Ralph Shaw 
 Rlr. Windfor 
 Mr. J. Windfor 
 Mr. Zink ^6 
 
 Double Bassoon. 
 
 Mr. AQiley » 
 
 ■ Double Basses. 
 
 PRI.MCIP ALS. 
 
 ISIr. Gariboldi 
 Mr. Richard Sharp 
 ISIr. Neibour 
 Mr. Pafquali 
 
 Mr. Barret 
 Mr. Drefsler 
 Mr Granthony 
 Mr. B. Hill 
 Mr. J. Hill 
 
 Mr. King 
 Mr. Kirton 
 Mr. Philpot 
 Mr. J. Sharp 
 Mr. Smart 
 Mr. Thompfon 
 
 Trumpets. 
 
 principals. 
 
 Mr. Sarjant 
 Mr. Jenkins 
 Mr. Vinicomb 
 Mr. Fitzgerald 
 
 Mr. At wood 
 Mr. Cantelo 
 Mr. Fl.ick 
 Mr. W. Jones 
 Mr. Marlcy 
 Mr. Nicola 
 Mr. Porney 
 Mr. Tomplbn ,» 
 
 Tromboni, or Sac- 
 
 BUTS. 
 
 INIr. Karft 
 Mr. Kneller 
 Mr. Moellcr 
 Mr. Neibour 
 
 Mr. Pick 
 
 Mr. Zink. * 
 
 Thefc performers played 
 on other inftruments, 
 when tlic facbuts wt;re 
 not wanted. 
 
 Horns, 
 Mr. Englifli 
 Mr. Gray 
 Mr. Kaye 
 Mr. Leander 
 Mr. Lely 
 Mr. Lord 
 Mr. M'Pherfon 
 Mr. Miller 
 Mr. Moeller 
 Mr. Ockle 
 Mr. Payola 
 Mr. Pieltin ,x 
 
 Kettle-Drums. 
 Mr. Burnet 
 Mr. Houghton 
 Mr. Nelfon j 
 
 Double Kettle- 
 
 D r u R^. 
 Mr. Aflibridge , 
 
 VOCAL PERFORMERS, 
 
 Trebles, 
 principals. 
 Madame Mara 
 Mifs Harwood 
 Mifs Cantelo 
 Mifs Abrams 
 Mifs T. Abrams 
 Signer Pacchierotti, at the 
 
 Pantheon only 
 Signor Bartolini 
 
 Three Mailer Alhleys 
 Mifs Burnet 
 
 Mafter Bellamy 
 Mrs. Burnet 
 Ten Chapel Boys 
 Mailer Uorion 
 Mifs Hud Ion 
 Two Mailer Knyvctts 
 Mafter Latter 
 INLifter Loader 
 Mrs. Love 
 Mafter Lowther 
 INIaftcr Mathews 
 Mifs Middleton 
 Mifs Parke 
 
 D 2 
 
 Ten St. Paul's Boys 
 
 Mafter Piper 
 
 M.ifter Taylor 
 
 Light Weftminfter Boys 
 
 Six Windfor Boys. 
 
 Counter Tenors. 
 
 PRINCIPALS. 
 
 Rev. Mr. Clerk 
 Mr. Dyne 
 Mr. Knyvett 
 
 Mr.
 
 2D 
 
 VOCAL PERFORMERS. 
 
 B.iron Dillon 
 
 Mr. W. Ayrton, York- 
 
 fliire 
 Mr. 15arrow 
 Mr. Battiftall 
 INIr. Bowen 
 Mr. Buihby 
 llev. Mr, Champnefs 
 Rev. Mr. Comiris, Exeter 
 Mr. Dowding 
 Mr. Fawcett 
 INIr. P'riend 
 ]Mr. Gore, Windfor 
 Mr. Green 
 Mr. Guichard 
 Mr. Geo. Harris 
 Mr. Hardy, Windfor 
 INlr. Harwood, Lancafliire 
 Mr. Hindle 
 Mr. Horsfali 
 Mr. Leach 
 Mr. Lewis 
 Mr. Livefque 
 Mr. Ivitt LouhvortlijCam- 
 
 bridgefhire 
 Mr. INIachin 
 Mr. Moulds 
 Mr. Offield 
 Mr. Parker 
 Mr. Pemberton 
 Mr. Percy 
 l\Ir. Rcinholdfon 
 Mr. Roberts 
 
 ]Mr. Rofe 
 
 Mr. Salmon, Worcefter 
 
 Mr. Slater 
 
 Mr. Smith 
 
 r^Ir. Starkey, C^ford 
 
 Mr. Steel 
 
 Mr. Stevcnfon, Hunting- 
 don 
 
 Mr. Swaine 
 
 Mr. Swan 
 
 M.. Taylor 
 
 Mr. Vincent 
 
 Mr. Walton, Litchfield 
 
 Rev. Mr. O. Wight 
 
 Mr. Wilfon ^ , 
 
 T h. N O E S. 
 PRINCIPALS. 
 
 Mr. Harrifon 
 
 Mr. Norris, Oxford 
 
 Mr. Corfe, Salilbury 
 
 Mr. Abington 
 
 Mr. Arrowfmith 
 
 Mr. Attcrbury, Tedding- 
 
 ton, Middlcfex. 
 Mr. Aylmer 
 Mr. Ayrton, jun. 
 Mr. Bacon 
 Mr. Tho. Baker 
 Mr. Bethal 
 Mr. Billington 
 Mr. Bloomer 
 Mr. Booth 
 Mr. Bond 
 Mr. Bryan 
 Mr. Burlington 
 Mr. Bulby 
 
 Mr. Cheefe, Manchefler 
 Mr. Chriftian 
 Mr. Ed. Clarke 
 Mr. William Clarke 
 Mr. Comins, Penzance, 
 
 Cornwall 
 Mr. Matthew Cooke 
 •Mr. Robert Cooke 
 Mr. Dale 
 Mr. Darvile 
 Mr. Darvile, jun. 
 
 Mr. Deeble 
 
 Mr. Degnura 
 
 Mr. Dorion 
 
 Mr. Evance 
 
 Mr. Evance, jun. 
 
 Mr. Field 
 
 Mr. Florio, jun. 
 
 Mr. Foulfton 
 
 Mr. Giilatt 
 
 Mr. Gilfon 
 
 Mr. Guife, Windfor 
 
 Mr. Heather 
 
 Mr. Hewitt 
 
 Mr. Hill, Salifbury 
 
 Mr. Hobler 
 
 Mr. Holcroft 
 
 Mr. Hudfon 
 Mr. Jackfon 
 Mr. Immyns 
 Mr. King, Stilton, Hunt- 
 
 ingdonfhire 
 Mr. Keith 
 Mr. Latter 
 Mr. Lloyd 
 Mr. Luther 
 Mr. Malmes 
 Mr. Minchine 
 Mr. Noble, Peierborough 
 Mr. J. Ogden, near Man- 
 
 cbeftcr 
 Mr. Olive 
 Mr. Piercy 
 Mr. Pitt, Worcefter 
 Mr. Plumer 
 
 Mr. Probyn, Birmingham 
 Mr. WiUiana Rocke 
 Mr. Randal 
 Mr. Reeve 
 Mr. Remy 
 Mr. M Roch 
 Mr. J. Roch 
 Mr. Sexton, Windfor 
 Mr. Squire 
 Mr. Stafford Smith 
 Mr. Stanton 
 Mr. Stevens 
 Mr. Taylor 
 Mr. Tett 
 Mr. J. Tett 
 Mr. Turtle 
 Mr. Vincent, jun. 
 Mr. Webb, jun. 
 Mr. White 
 Mr. Whitehead 
 Mr. Williams 
 Mr. Wilfon 
 Mr. Woodhead g^ 
 
 Basses. 
 
 PRINCIPALS. 
 
 Mr. Bellamy 
 
 Mr. Champnefs 
 
 Mr. Reiiihold 
 
 Signor Tafca 
 
 Mr. Mathews, Oxford 
 
 Mr.
 
 VOCAL PERFORMERS. 
 
 21 
 
 
 Mr. Groombridgc 
 Mr. Hargrave 
 
 
 Mr. Real 
 
 
 Mr. Robinfon, Windfor 
 
 Mr. William Baker 
 
 Mr. Harris, Birmingham 
 
 Mr. Robfon, Huntingdon- 
 
 Mt. Balmforth 
 
 Mr. Ricliard Harris 
 
 fhire 
 
 Mr. Boyce 
 
 Mr. J. Harrifon, 
 
 Derby- 
 
 Mr. Roebuck 
 
 Mr. Brcwftcr 
 
 Hi ire 
 
 
 Mr. Rogers 
 
 INIr. Briggs 
 
 Mr. F. Hatfield 
 
 
 Mr. Henry Rofe 
 
 ^Ir. Buckingham 
 
 Mr. Henfliaw 
 
 
 Mr. Flutter, Windfor 
 
 Mr. Burton 
 
 Mr. Holden, Birmingham 
 
 Mr. Sales, jun. Windfor 
 
 Mr. Calcot 
 
 Picv. r*Ir. Horner 
 
 
 Mr. Salter 
 
 Mr. Clay 
 
 Mr. Howard 
 
 
 Mr. Sands 
 
 ]Mr. Crawley 
 
 Mr. Joyce 
 
 
 Mr. Saunders 
 
 Mr. Crippeu 
 
 Mr. Langdon, Peterbo- 
 
 Mr. Slater, jun. 
 
 Mr. Coke 
 
 rough 
 
 
 Mr. Smart 
 
 Mr. Culver 
 
 Mr. Linton 
 
 
 Mr. Smith, Richmond 
 
 Mr. Danby 
 
 Mr. Lockhart 
 
 
 Mr. John Swan 
 
 Mr. Danby, jun. 
 
 Mr. Ludworth 
 
 
 Mr. Tofe{)h Swan 
 
 Mr. Darley 
 
 Mr. Lynott 
 
 
 Mr. Taylor 
 
 Mr. Duncomb 
 
 Rev. Dr. Morgan 
 
 
 Mr. Benj. Thomas 
 
 Mr. Fifher 
 
 Mr. Miller 
 
 
 Mr. John Thomas 
 
 Rev. Mr. Gibbons 
 
 Mr. Milton 
 
 
 Mr. Tombs, Wincheftcr 
 
 Mr. W. Granville 
 
 Mr. Olive 
 
 
 Mr. Tomfon 
 
 Mr. Greatorex, fen. Bur- 
 
 Mr. Ofmand 
 
 
 Mr. Townfend 
 
 ton upon Trent 
 
 Mr. Ovcrend, Ifleworth 
 
 Mr. Waite 
 
 Mr. Greatorex, jun. New- 
 
 Mr. Pemberton 
 
 
 Mr. Watts 
 
 caaie 
 
 Mr. Price 
 
 
 Mr. Webb 
 
 Mr. James Green 
 
 Mr. Purcell 
 
 
 Mr. Wheatley, Greenwich 
 
 Mr. Thomas Green, Bir- 
 
 Mr. Rainbott, 
 
 
 Mr. Wheatly, jun. 
 
 mingham 
 
 Mr. Rawfon, Nott 
 
 ingham 
 
 Rev. Mr. Willet e^. 
 
 COM-
 
 MAV XXVI MDCCLXXXr .
 
 COMMEMORATION 
 
 O F 
 
 HANDEL. 
 
 FIRST PERFORMANCE, 
 
 WESTMINSTER-ABBEY, 
 
 Wednesday, May 26, 1784.
 
 [ To /ace P. 24. ] 
 
 LIST of the Compofitions feleded from the Works of 
 
 HANDEL, 
 
 For the firfl: Commemoration Performance. 
 
 The CORONATION ANTHEM. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Overture — Esther. 
 The Dettingen Te Deum. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 Overture, with the Dead March in Saul. 
 
 Part of the Funeral Anthem. 
 
 When the ear heard him. 
 
 He delivered the poor that cried. 
 
 His body is buried in Peace. 
 
 Gloria Patri, from the Jubilate. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 Anthem— 0//;;^ wtto the Lord. 
 
 Chorus— TTif Lord JImi II reign, from Israel in Egypt,
 
 
 ^^>^tr 
 
 '.' \ 
 
 vS; 
 
 c9^^^ ^"S^cj^ 
 
 f i^'(' y .' >y f %e-'^i^o^/ ' 
 
 ^c/\tt i/e^/'i^^ 
 
 fP/./'iJt' ,%'/^^r^'~-^ 
 
 \^/'//Ut^'/i^to- 
 
 ^A'f,jA "W/c/ 
 
 ^- 
 
 \j'~/'/(-/Sy' 
 
 .^ 
 
 t-^ 
 
 '(M. 
 
 
 X 
 
 
 
 't 
 
 ks 
 
 
 \ ■ 
 
 Ki 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 !^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 > 
 
 ^- 
 
 I (^.^M^, 
 
 
 N>- 
 
 I 
 
 5^ 
 
 ^^//>g 
 
 .^1 
 
 
 \ 
 
 ."V 
 
 ^i^^} 
 
 % 
 
 
 \_ 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 1. 
 
 s • 
 
 r^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 V 
 
 o 
 
 (^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 M 
 
 f^^^y/c^/j^ ^o>u^, 
 
 '^lo 
 
 %' 
 
 §s 
 
 \\ 
 
 «v/<^^^ e/<><^^/<-: 
 
 (>^^f1J 
 
 .^....../^^ 
 
 «>^/.>/^^^^^^ 
 
 rJ 
 
 
 !•.'.■> 
 
 J^^ . 
 
 
 ^^^^^^r^^^t) 6f / 
 

 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 f 
 
 ,*
 
 A R T I. 
 
 EARLY in the morning, the weather being very favourablfe, 
 perfons of all ranks quitted their carriages with impatience 
 and apprehenfion, left they lliould not obtain feats, and prefented 
 themfelves at the feveral doors of Weftminfter Abbey, which 
 were advertifed to be opened at Nine o'clock ; but the door- 
 keepers not having taken their ports, and the Orcheftra not 
 being wholly finifhed, or, perhaps, the reft of the Abbey quite 
 ready for the reception of the audience, till near Ten o'clock ; 
 fuch a croud of ladies and gentlemen were aflembled together as 
 became very formidable and terrific to each other, particularly the 
 female part of the expedlants ; for fome of thefe being in full 
 drefs, and every inftant more and more incommoded and alarmed, 
 by the violence of thofe who prefTed forward, in order to get near 
 the door, fcreamed ; others fainted ; and all were difmuyed and 
 apprehenlive of fatal confequences : as many of the moft violent, 
 among the gentlemen, threatened to break open the doors j a mea- 
 fure, which if adopted, would, probably, have coft many of the 
 moft feeble and hclplefs their lives ; as they muft, infallibly, have 
 been thrown down, and trampled on, by the robuft and impatient 
 part of the croud. 
 
 It was a confidcrable time after a fmall door at the weft end 
 was opened, before this prefs abated : as tickets could not be 
 
 E examined
 
 26 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 examined, and cheques given in return, fail enough, to diminiflx 
 the candidates for admilTion, or their impatience. 
 
 However, except difhevelled hair, and torn garments, no real 
 mifchief feems to have happened. In lefs than an hour after the 
 doors were opened, the whole area and galleries of the Abbey 
 feemed too full for the admiflion of more company ; and a conli- 
 derable time before the performance began, the doors were all 
 fliut to every one but their Majefties, and their fuite, who ar- 
 rived foon after Twelve ; and on entering the box, prepared for 
 their reception, pleafure and aftonifliment, at the fight of the 
 company and difpofition of the Orcheflra and Performers, were 
 painted fo ftrongly in their countenances, as to be vifible to all 
 their delighted fubjefts prefent. Eagernefs and expeftation for 
 the premier coup d'archet were now wound up to the highefl pitch 
 of impatience ; when a filence, the moil profound and folemn, was 
 gently interrupted by the proccflional fymphony of the 
 
 CORONATION ANTHEM, 
 
 Compofed in 1727. 
 
 " Zadoc the priejl, and Nathan the prophet, anointed Solomon 
 " king: and all the people rejoiced •, andfaid, God fave the king : 
 " long live the king: may the king live for ever. Hallelujah. 
 ** Amen.'' i Kings i. 38. 
 
 And from the time that the firft found of this celebrated, and 
 well-known compofiition, was heard, to the final clofe, every 
 hearer feemed afraid of breathing, left it fliould obftru(5l the 
 ftream of harmony in its paiTage to the ear. 
 
 From the progrefs which practical Mufic has made in this 
 countr}', fince Handel's time, it might, perhaps, be fafely pro- 
 nounced.
 
 FIRST PERFORMANCE. 27 
 
 nounced, that this Anthem was never fo well performed, under 
 his own diredtion. As I heard it myfelf at the Coronation of his 
 prefent Majefty, when a numerous band was aflembled under the 
 diredlion of the late Dodtor Boyce, I can, at kail, venture to fay 
 that, in recolledlion, the performance then will bear no compa- 
 rifon with that now, in the fame place, in honour of the com- 
 pofer (a). 
 
 OVERTURE IN ESTHER, 
 Compofed in 1720. 
 
 The firft movement of this grave and majeftic Overture has al- 
 ways aftonilhed me, by the fimplicity of its modulation j which, 
 though almoft rigoroufly confined to the diatonic intervals, and 
 harmony of the key, is never monotonous in its effedls. And 
 the firfl bar of the melody, though fo often repeated by the two 
 violins, is fo grateful and pleafing, as to be always welcome to 
 the ear. 
 
 All the movements of this admirable Overture firft appeared in 
 Handel's 'Trios, as did many of thofe he introduced afterwards 
 in his Organ Concertos ; and he might with more truth have 
 faid of thofe Trios : Condo et compono, qiice inox dep7-omere poffiniy 
 than Geminiani, of his laft, and worft fet of Concertos. 
 
 (a) There was, doubtlcfs, the gieateft tvvcen Jiothltig and fomething being greater, 
 
 propriety in fainting their Majeftics, at their than between any two degrees of excellence, 
 
 entrance, vi\\.\\ ^■\':. Coronat'ton Anil.eni ; and Indeed, the moll fiulden and y«r^r/^7;^ ef- 
 
 yet, I could not help wiiliing, that this per- ied of this fliii)cndoiis band, was, perhaps, 
 
 fonnancc, fo different from all others, had produced by fimultaneous tuning : as all the 
 
 opened with fomc piece in which every voice Ihinged-inllruments performed this talk, a 
 
 and every inftrument might have been heard double corde, and thefe ftrings being all open, 
 
 nt the fime inftant ; as fuch an cffedl might their force was more than eijual to that of 
 
 then have been produced, as can never be two ilopt-llrings, upon two dift'crcnt inllru- 
 
 obtaincd by gradation : the diftcicnce be- mcnts. 
 
 £ 2 The
 
 28 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 The fecond movement, which has ahvays been juftly admired 
 for the gravity and contrail between the trebles, which frequently 
 repeat a fragment of canto fermo, and the bafe, had a moft ftriking 
 effe(£l given to it, by the force and energy of this band. And the 
 fugue, which is compofed upon a moil marked and happy fub- 
 jedt, though feldom in more than three parts, as the tenor con- 
 flantly plays an odlave above the bafe, feemed more rich in har- 
 mony, and ingenious in contrivance, to-day, than ufual. There 
 never was, perhaps, an inflrumental fugue on a more agreeable 
 fubjedlj treated in a more maflerly manner; or more pleafing in 
 its eifedbs, than this ; which differs in feveral circumflances from 
 almoft all other fugues : firft, in the given fubjedl being accom- 
 panied by an airy moving bafe ; fecondly, by the reverfion of the 
 fubjedl, when firfl anfwered by the fecond violin ; and thirdly, 
 by the epifodes, or folo parts, for the hautbois (a). This over- 
 ture, almofl ever fmce it was compofed, has been fo conflantly 
 played at Saint Paul's, at the Feail of the Sons of the Clergy, 
 that it now feems in a peculiar manner dedicated to the fcrvice of 
 the Church. 
 
 THE DETTINGEN TE DEUM 
 
 Compofed in 1743. 
 
 This fplendid production has been fo frequently performed at 
 Saint Paul's and elfewhere, that nothing could be added to its ce- 
 lebrity by my feeble praife. I fliall only obferve, that as it was 
 compofed for a military triumph, the fourteen trumpets, two pair 
 
 ^a; Thefe folo partswcrc played by twelve bois in the flow movement, was performed, 
 
 hautbois, in unifun ; whicli united in fuch a by Mr. Tho. Vincent, alone, wiio fo long 
 
 manner, as to have the etlei^t cf a fingle in- enjoyed the favour of the town upon that 
 
 flrument. The Ihort folo part for the haut- int^rument. 
 
 of
 
 FIRST PERFORMANCE. 29 
 
 of common kettle-drums^ two pair of double dr-«ms from the 
 Tower, and a pair of double-bale drums, made exprefsly for this 
 Commemoration, were introduced with great propriety ; indeed, 
 thefe lall: drums, except the deilrucflion, had all the efFed: of the 
 mofl: powerful artillery. 
 
 There is fome reafon to fufpedl that Handel, in fettlng his 
 grand Te Deum for the peace of Utrecht, as well as this, con- 
 fined the meaning of the word cry to a forrowful fenfe : as both 
 the moveinents to the words 
 
 " To thee all angels cry aloud" 
 
 are not only in a minor-key, but flow, and plaintive. It contrafts 
 well, however, with the preceding and fubfequent movements. 
 Indeed, the latter glows with all the fire and vehemence of Han- 
 del's genius for polyphonic combinations and contrivances. 
 
 The grave and folemn praife of the Apofiles, Prophets, and 
 Martyrs, meafured by the conftant majeftic motion of the bafe, , 
 is well fymbolized.. 
 
 " Thou fit tejl at the right hand of God," &c. 
 is exprefled in a ftrain that is remarkably pleafing, and which, in 
 fpite of forty years, fi:ill retains all the bloom and freflinefs of 
 novelty : and 
 
 ** We therefore pray thee help thy fervants, whom thou haft re~ 
 *' deemed with thy precious blood," 
 
 is admirable, in fugue, inodulation, and counterpoint, a Capella ; 
 as is the next movement, to the three verfes : 
 
 " Make them to be numbered—^ 
 " O Lordfave thy people' — and 
 " Govern them and lift them up for ever," ' 
 with the additional merit of a happy verbal exprefilon. 
 
 " Dav
 
 30 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 " Day by day ive tnagfiify thee," 
 is grand and well accented, though fome of the trumpet paflages 
 are a little vicHis. The ai't of fugue, both in that, and the next 
 
 verfe : 
 
 " Attd we worjliip thy name ever world without end," 
 
 is treated with Handel's ufual clearnefs and felicity. 
 
 As he was fure of a great and varied band, when he compofed 
 this Te Deum, he has made as judicious a ufe of the feveral in- 
 ftruments of his Orcheflra, as a painter could do of the colours 
 on his palette : now exhibiting them in their full luflre, fingly ; 
 then augmenting or diminifhing their force, by light and fliade, 
 and often by combination with others, making them fubfervient 
 to different purpofes of expreflion and efi'edl. 
 
 ** Vouchfafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without Jin," 
 
 is fet to an exquifite ftrain, in which the modulation is no lefs 
 furprifing, learned, and curious, than pathetic and pleafing faj. 
 The lafl movement : 
 
 Q Lord, in thee have I trujied — &c." 
 
 is what the Italians would allow to be ben tirato. Indeed, it is 
 an excellent difplay of Handel's refources in difcovering and 
 availing himfelf of the moil latent advantages which every fimple 
 as well as artificial fubjedl affords him. The fymphony of this 
 Chorus, which is chiefly conflrudted upon a groiind-bafe, begin- 
 ning by two trumpets, that are afterwards joined by the other 
 inftruments, is ftately and intereiling, though in the meafure of a 
 
 (a) The fcore of this movement, as cond violin and tenor parts of tlie lafl line, 
 printed n-.any years fince, by Vv'allh, is ex- bars four and fire, 
 treaicly incorrcdl ; particularly in ihc fc- 
 
 common
 
 FIRST PERFORMANCE. 
 
 3^ 
 
 common minuet. The long folo part, after the fymphony, for a 
 contralto voice, with foft and fparing accompaniments, renders 
 the fubfequent fudden burft of all the voices and inftruments the 
 more ftriking. And the latter part, in fugue, with an alternate 
 ufe of the ground-bafe, feems to wind up this magnificent pro- 
 dudlion by 
 
 " Untwiftin^ all the chains that tie 
 " The hidden foul of harmony." 
 
 *E PAR T
 
 32 
 
 r 
 
 COxMMExMORATIQN OF HANDEL. 
 
 PART ir. 
 
 OVERTURE IN SAUL. 
 
 Compofed in 1740. 
 
 "■HE firft movement of this admirable compofition, fo dif- 
 ferent from the common ftyle of Overture, which Lulli 
 had eflabUlhed, and to v.'hich all the compofers in Europe, for 
 more than fifty years, implicitly conformed, is extremely pleafmg; 
 and when it was iirll heard, muft have furprifed, by the grace 
 and novelty of its conduct and palTages. 
 
 Though the reft of this Overture was fuperfeded, in favour of 
 the Dead March, yet it is but juftice to the author to fay, that 
 the fecond movement, with folo parts for the principal hautbois 
 and violin, is fo chant ant, as perpetually to remind the hearer of 
 a vocal duet, richly accompanied. The fugue, indeed, with folo 
 parts for the organ, was, perhaps, veiy judicioully omitted ; as 
 the paffages have been long in fuch favour with the imitators of 
 Handel, as to l^e rendered trite and vulgar. The Minuet will, 
 however, always preferve its grace and dignity ; being one of the 
 few final movements of an Overture, which neither age, nor fa- 
 fhion, can deform. 
 
 THE DEAD MARCH IN SAUL. 
 
 This moft happy and affedling movement, which has retained 
 its favour near half a century, and which is lb fimple, folemn, 
 and forroA ful, that it can never be heard, even upon a fingle in- 
 
 llrunient.
 
 FIRST PERFORMANCE. 33 
 
 ftrument, without exciting melancholy fenfations, received here 
 all the dignity and grandeur which it could pofTibly derive from 
 the various tones of the moft powerful, as well as beft difciplined, 
 band, that was ever affembled. 
 
 Part of the Anthem which was performed in 
 Westminster Abbey at the Funeral of her sa- 
 CERD Majesty Queen Caroline, 1737. 
 
 " When the ear beard her, then it blejjed her • and when the eye 
 faiv her, it gave witnefs of her." Job xxix. 1 1 . 
 
 This elegant, mild, and forrowing ftrain, after all the riot- 
 ous cla-rgor of jubilation in the T'e Deum, and powerful per- 
 cuflion of drums, and tuneful blafts of trumpets and facbuts, 
 in the Dead March, was foothing and comforting to the ear. 
 Contraft is the great fource of our mufical pleafure ; for however 
 delighted we may be with quick, Jlow, loud, ovfoft, for a certain 
 time, variety is fo neceffary to ftimukte attention, that the per- 
 formance which is in want of the one, is never fure of the other. 
 Tliis charming movement is ftill fo new, that it would do honour 
 to the tafte, as Vv'ell as knowledge in harmony, of any compofer 
 now living. Handel had a verfatile genius ; and, if he had con- 
 tinued to write for the Opera, inftead of the Church, there was 
 no elegance or refinement which Hafle, Vinci, Pergolefi, and 
 their fucceflbrs, ever attained, that was out of his reach. 
 
 " She delivered the poor that cried, the fatherlefs, and him that 
 " had none to help hitn. — Job xxix. 12. Kindncfs, meeknefs, and 
 " comfort were in her tongue ; Ecclef. xxxvi. 23. If there was 
 " any virtue, and if there was any praife, JJje thought on thofe 
 
 things." Phil. iv. 8. 
 
 The
 
 34 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 The trebles finging alone, and only accompanied in unifon, by 
 treble inftrunients, at the words — " kindnefs, tneeknefs, and 
 " comfort -were in her tongue," had an admirable efFedl, in point 
 of contrail, with the full harmony of the reft of this charming 
 Chorus. Indeed, this Ncenia contains all the requifites of good 
 Mufic, in plain counterpoint : as good harmony, melody, rhythm, 
 accent, and expreflion (^^/y*. The beauties of this flrain are of 
 every age and country ; no change of faflaion can efface them, or 
 prevent their being felt by perfons of fenfibility. 
 
 " Their bodies are buried in peace \' Ecclef. xliv. 14. 
 
 This admirable fragment of folemn and forrowful harmony, in 
 the Church flyle, almoft wholly without inflruments, is. an ex- 
 cellent introdudlion to the lefs plaintive drain which follows : 
 
 " But their name liveth evermore;" Ibid. 
 
 which is one of the moft fmgular and agreeable Chorufes I know, 
 and was performed with an accuracy, power, and fpirit, which 
 neither that, nor, perhaps, any Mufic of the kind ever received be- 
 fore fbj. Each of the three movements from the Funeral Anthem, 
 fcemed to excite fuch lively fenfations of grief, as reminded all 
 
 (n) There are likewife fome natural and peatcJ, never more than t-ivo nota were 
 
 pleafing imitations in the latter part of the allowed to it. 
 
 movement, which, lio'.vevcr, neither dc- (h) In this, and the preceding movement, 
 flroy the accent, nor render the words un- Handel has made a hajipy ufe of a modu- 
 intelligiblc, the crimes ufually laid to the lation which was very frequent in the fix- 
 charge of Canons, F{igucs, and Imitations, teenih century : the giving a common 
 But Handel, who felt, and fo well ex- chord to the flat feventh of a major key, 
 preflTcd the general fcntimoits of the words he juft hefore a clofe. The laws of liaifon, or 
 let to Mufic in our language, was never cer- relation, which have been fince eflabl-flicd, 
 tain of their f>ronunciaiion : the word r/eli- have baniflied this modiilition from fecular 
 i,netf, which is generally, by clifion, made Mufic ; but in that of the Church, when 
 a irifyllabic, h;ul never, I believe, been con- f,,aringly ufed, it is not only allowable, but 
 traced to a iiijjyllable, before; but in this pioiludivc of fine efleds. 
 Chorus, though the word is very often re- 
 
 prefent
 
 FIRST PERFORMANCE. 35 
 
 prefent of the ravages which death had made among their parti- 
 cular families and friends, and moved many even to tears. 
 
 GLORIA PATRI. From the Jubilate, 171 3.. 
 " Glory be to the Father" &c. 
 
 This Chorus, from the "Jubilate, which Handel fet at the 
 fame time as the grand Tt' Deum, for the peace at Utrecht, and the 
 only yiibilate he ever compofed, being in his grandeft and mod 
 magnificent ilyle, received every poflible advantage in the per- 
 formance, from a correcfl and powerful band, and the moft mute 
 and eager attention iji the audience. 
 
 F 2 PA R T
 
 36 COiMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 ART III. 
 
 ANTHEM. Compofed about the Year 171 9. 
 
 Air and Chorus. 
 
 •* fing unto the Lord a new fong ; O Jing unto the Lord all 
 the •whole earth." Pf. xcvi. i. 
 
 MADAME Mara's voice and manner of finging in this plain 
 and folemn air, fo admirably accompanied on the haut- 
 bois by Fiflier, had a fudden effedl on myfelf, which I never be- 
 fore experienced, even from her performance of more pathetic 
 Mufic. I have long admired her voice, and abilities in various 
 ftyles of finging ; but never imagined tendernefs the peculiar cha- 
 raiteriflic of her performance : however, here, though Ihe had 
 but a few fimples notes to deliver, they made me fliiver, and I 
 found it extremely difficult to avoid burfling into tears on hearing 
 them. Indeed, llie had not only the power of conveying to the 
 remoteft corner of this immenfe building, the fofteft and moft 
 artificial inflexions of her fweet and brilliant voice, but articu- 
 lated every fyllable of the words with fuch neatnefs, precifion, 
 and purity, that it was rendered as audible, and intelligible, as it 
 could poflibly have been, inafmall theatre, by meer declamation. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 *' Declare his honour unto the Heathen, and his wonders imto all 
 " people — For the Lord is great, and cannot worthily be praifed." 
 Pf. xcvi. 3, 4. 
 
 This
 
 FIRST PERFORMANCE. 37 
 
 This Chorus is in a truly grand ftyle, and produced great 
 cfFedls though there are only three vocal parts. The fubject is 
 reverfed, at the latter end, in a moft ingenious manner. 
 
 " He is more to be feared than all gods." Pf. xcvi. 3, 4. 
 
 Here the modulation is fublime, and truly ecclefiaflic. The 
 paufe on E b with a perfedt chord, the inftant before a clofe in F, 
 carries us again to the fixteenth century faj. 
 
 ** The waves of the fea rage horribly ; but yet the Lordioho dwells 
 on high is mightier." Pf. xciii. 5. 
 
 Handel, in the accompaniments of this boifterous air, has 
 tried, not unfuccefsfully, to exprefs the turbulence of a tempef- 
 tuous fea ; the ftyle of this kind of Mufic is not meant to be 
 amiable; but it contrafts well with other movements, and this 
 has a fpirit, and even roughnefs, peculiar to our author. 
 
 Duet. 
 
 " O worJJnp the Lord in the beauty of holirufs." Pf. xcvi. y. 
 
 The folemnity of this movement may, perhaps, feem as much 
 too languid to the admirers of the preceding air, as that may be 
 too turbulent for the nerves of thofe who are partial to this. The 
 truth is, that both verge a little on the extreme ; but a compofer, 
 of fuch extenfive powers of invention as Handel, dares every 
 thing, for the fake of variety : and this Duet is much in the ad- 
 mired ftyle of Steffani. 
 
 (a) Arkndelt, the nioft celebrated ma- tanJo tnuorc, has the fame moUulation iin- 
 diigalill of that period, in a favourite ma- mediately preceding a clofc. 
 dfigal beginning ; // bianco e doke cignocan- 
 
 Chorus.
 
 -8 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 Chorus. 
 *' Let all the 10 hole earth Jiand in awe of him. Ibid. Let the 
 " heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad ; let the fea make a 
 " noife and all that therein is." Ibid. 1 1 . 
 
 In the lall: movement of this Chorus, when all the inftruments 
 are bulled, fuch a commotion is raifed, as conftitutes one of 
 Handel's moft formidable hurricanes. 
 
 " Bellowing notes burll with a ftormy found." Addison. 
 
 CHORUS IN ISRAEL IN EGYPT. 
 
 Compofed in 1738. 
 " The Lordjhall reign for ever and ever." Exod. xv. 18. 
 This moft admirable compofition which is written a due cori, 
 begins by the tenors and counter-tenors, in unifon, accompanied 
 only by a ground bafe. 
 
 Recitative. 
 " For the horfe of Pharaoh with his chariots," &c. Exod. xv. 
 
 JVIr. Norris pronounced this and the following Recitative witli 
 the true energy of an Englifliman, who perfed:ly comprehended 
 and articulated the words. 
 
 Chorus. 
 " The Lord Jhall reign for ever and ever." 
 
 The return to this fliort ftrain of Chorus, after each fragment 
 of Recitative, has a fine effedl. 
 
 Recitative. 
 
 " And Miriam the prophet efs, thefjler of Aaron, took a timbrel 
 
 " in her hand: and all the women went out after her with timbrels 
 
 " and with dances." Exod. xv. 19. 
 
 Chorus.
 
 FIRST PERFORMANCE. 
 
 39 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 " Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed glorioujly {a) . The 
 " Lordjhall reign for ever and ever. The horfe and his rider he 
 *' hath thrown into the fea." Exod. xv. 21. 
 
 The effedts of this compofition are at ojice pleafing, grand, and 
 fublime ! The aggregate of voices and inllruments had here its 
 full effed:. And fuch is the excellence of this produdtion, that 
 if Handel had compofed no other piece, this alone would have 
 rendered his name immortal, among true lovers and judges of har- 
 mony fbj. 
 
 wliich the firft theme is refumed, and con- 
 tinued to the end, by all the Nineteen pans 
 ot this multifarious fi;oie. I fliould not 
 have been fo minute in my analyfis of this 
 Chorus, if it were not to point out a difco- 
 very which I made in perufing the fcore, 
 and to wliich the performance, in the midft 
 of the plcafure I received from it, had not 
 led me. The difcovery 1 mean is, that the 
 intervals in this countcr-fubje<5l arc exactly 
 the fame as in the celebrated canon, No/i 
 Nobis Domint. 
 
 k r~~\ 
 
 I will fing un-to the Lord. 
 
 Whether the fubjed occurred to Handel 
 accidentally, or was taken with delign, I 
 know not ; but in either cafe, the notes are 
 happily fckcted, and ingenioufly ufed. A% 
 to the orighml inventor, or right tnvner of 
 that fcrics of notes upon which the canon 
 which tradition has given to Bird, was con- 
 llru(51cd, they had been the fubjcd of fugue 
 to Zarlino, and to old Adrian Vilhicrt, 
 his mailer, long before Bird was born ; and, 
 indeed, conftitutc one of ihe different fpe- 
 cies of leirnchord, ufcd by the Greeks, in the 
 highcft antiquity. 
 
 (a) Handel's uncertainty in whatever 
 concerned the accent and pronunciation of 
 our language appears very remarkably in 
 his manner of fetting this laft Chorus ; 
 where he accents the words, •' For he hath 
 *' triumphed glorioujly,'" thus : " For he 
 hath triumpljed gUrioiiJIy.'" But in the )ear 
 1738, when he compofed the Oratorio of 
 Ifrael in Egypt, our language was not very 
 iamiliar to him ; and he had then but little 
 experience in letting it to Mufic. 
 
 (bj The art with which Handel, in the 
 midft of all the lire ol imagination and ebul- 
 lition of geniuf, introduces a fobcr, chant- 
 ing kind of eounter-fubjcB, while the other 
 is carried on with uninterrupted fpirit, is 
 marvellous ! (See printed Score, p. 265.) 
 afier giving this new fubjccft alternately 10 
 different fingie parts, and fometimes to two 
 parts in thirds, without diminifliing the ac- 
 tivity of the nil, which are continuing the 
 general Chorus, he lor a few bars (p. 277) 
 makes this the principal vocal fubjeil ; and 
 after being led off by the bafc, a regular 
 reply is made by the other parts, in the fifth 
 and oftave. Houcver, the inlirunients never 
 let the firrt fubjcd be forgotten, but contrive 
 to play fragments of it, in accoirpanying 
 the voices, during five bars that they arc 
 employed, folcly, by the fecond fubjciH. After 
 
 Upoi
 
 40 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 Upon the whole, the fuccefs of this day's performance may, 
 with the utmoft truth, be pronounced entire -, as its effedls fur- 
 pafled the mofl fangulne expedtations of the greateft enthufiafts 
 for the honour of Handel, the glory of the profelTion, and 
 profperity of this grand enterprife. And, indeed, he muft have 
 been not only a faftidious, but a very ignorant and infenlible hearer, 
 who did not receive new and exquifite pleafure from the compo- 
 fition and execution of the pieces which were this day per- 
 formed . 
 
 But, in juftice to the audience, it may be faid, that though 
 the frequency of hearing good Muiic in this capital, of late years, 
 has fo far blunted the edge of curiofity and appetite, that the beft 
 Operas and Concerts are accompanied with a buz and murmur 
 of converfation,. equal to that of a tumultuous croud, or the din 
 of high 'Change ; yet now, fuch a ftillnefs reigned, as, perhaps, 
 never happened before in fo large an affembly. The midnight 
 hour was never founded in more perfecfl tranquillity, than every 
 note of thefe compofitions. I have long been watching the ope- 
 rations of good Mufic on the fenfibility of mankind ; but never 
 remember, in any part of Europe, where I attended Mufical exhi- 
 bitions, in the Church, Theatre, or Chamber, to have obfei-ved 
 fo much curiofity excited, attention bellowed, or fatisfad:ion glow 
 in the countenances of thofe prefent, as on this occafion. The 
 effeifts, indeed, upon many were fuch as modern times have never 
 before experienced. The Choral power of harmonical combina- 
 tions aftedled fome to tears, and fainting ; \\ hile others were melt- 
 ed and enrapt, by the exquifite fweetnefs o^ Jingle founds. I had 
 little leifure to contemplate the countenances of thole around me ; 
 but, when I happened to turn my eyes from the performers, I 
 faw nothing but tears of cxtacy, andJooks of wonder and delight. 
 
 Indeed>
 
 FIRST PERFORMANCE. ^ 
 
 Nothing, however, difcovered the admirable difciphne of the band, 
 and unwearied and determined attention of the audience, fo much 
 z^ t\\t paufes, which are fo frequent in Handel's Mufic : for 
 thefe were fo unanimoufly calculated, and meafured, that no pla- 
 toon, -or fingle cannon, was ever fired with more exaft precifion 
 or unity of efFedl, than that with which the whole phalanx of 
 this multitudinous band refumed its work, after all the fudden, 
 and ufually, unlimited ceflations of found, commonly czWtdpauJest 
 which, in general, catch loquacity in the fadt ; but now, at all 
 thefe unexpedted moments, the filence was found as awful and 
 entire, as if none but the tombs of departed mortals had been 
 prefent. 
 
 COM^
 
 ri.iv. 
 
 
 Ptiiy tU Tht Att Jirec/e A-^rn J /-/.,
 
 COMMEMORATION 
 
 O F 
 
 HANDEL. 
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE, 
 
 PANTHEON. 
 
 Thursday Evening, May 27, 1784. 
 
 G 2
 
 [ To face P. 45. ] 
 LIST of tlic Pieces feledied for the Second Performance. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Second Hautbois Concerto. 
 Sorge infaujla. Air in Orlando. 
 Te Sons of i/rW— Chorus in Joshua. 
 Rende ilfereno — Air in Sosarmes. 
 Caro vicni — in Richard the First. 
 He /mote allthejirjl-born: Chorus, from Israel in Egypt. 
 Va tacito e nafcojlo. Air in Julius C^sar. 
 
 Sixth Grand Concerto. 
 Mallontanofdegnofcpupilk. Air in At al ant A. 
 He gave them hail-Jlones for rain. Chorus — Israel in 
 Egypt, 
 
 PART II. 
 Fifth Grand Concerto. 
 
 T)'tte chefa — Air in Ptolemy. 
 
 Vifida lofpofo — in tEtius. 
 
 Fallen is the foe. Chorus, in Judas Macch ab^us. 
 
 Overture of Ariadne. 
 Alma del gran Pompeo-. Accompanied Recitative in Julius 
 C/Esar, 
 
 Followed by 
 Afanni del penfier — Air in Otho. 
 Nafco al bofco — —- in ^^tius. 
 Jo t'abbraccio — Duet in Rodelinda. 
 
 Eleventh Grand Concerto. 
 ^h ! mio cor ! — A i R in A l ci n A . 
 Anthem. My heart is inditing of a good matter.
 
 TH E company, to-night, affembled very early, for fear of not 
 gaining admiflion, and the croud was excelfive. Though 
 the doors were not to be opened till Six o'clock, yet great num- 
 bers of well-dreffed people prefented themfelves at the entrance 
 from Oxford-ftreet, before that time ; and, by Seven, though the 
 performance was not to begin till Eight, the whole building was fo 
 full, that not another place could be obtained, on any terms. The 
 extreme heat of the weather, augmented by the animal heat of 
 more than Sixteen hundred people, clofely wedged together, muft 
 have confiderably diminilhed the delight which the lovers of 
 Mufic expefted to receive from this night's exhibition : when tlie 
 body fufFers, the mind is very difficult to be pleafed. 
 
 The unexpefted fuccefs, and wonderful effedls, of the firfl per- 
 formance in the Abbey, had made impreffions, and raifed expec- 
 tations in the public, which, on the reduced fcale that the infe- 
 rior fize of the building required, were not likely to be fatisfied. 
 Great concerts had often been heard in the Pantheon, and great 
 crouds of the iirft people in the kingdom, fcen. there before. 
 And though the band was at leaft four times more numerous 
 than ordinary, at this place, yet it was fo inferior, in number 
 and effedl, to that at the Abbey, that exped:ation feemed generally 
 difappointcd. The charadler and vai'iety of the pieces, however, did 
 as much honour to Handel, and to tlie feledtor of them,. as 
 tlieir execution did to the performers. 
 
 This
 
 46 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 This moll: elegant building fo far furpafles, in beauty, any other 
 place appropriated to public amufements, throughout Europe, that 
 it is infinitely more the wonder of foreigners, than natives ; and yet 
 thefe, however often they may have feen it, ftill regard it with frefli 
 admiration ; and though it was natural to think it impoflible that 
 any thing could be added to the fplendor of this flrudture, the ori- 
 ginal architedt, Mr. James Wyatt, fo happily exercifed his creative 
 genius in the preparations for the reception of their Majefties and 
 the company, that we fliall prefent our readers with the following 
 defcription of them. 
 
 The eaft and weft galleries, and the paffages behind the colo- 
 nade, as well as the gallery over the orcheftra, were filled up with 
 benches, for company. In this gallery there was a new organ- 
 cafe, decorated with a tranfparent portrait of Handel, from an 
 original painting, prefented to the Concert of Ancient Mufic by Mr. 
 Redmond Simpfon, with boys in chiaro ofcuro, holding a wreath of 
 laurel. The Orcheftra was confiderably enlarged. Over the en- 
 trance into the Pantheon, oppofite the Orcheftra, was eredled a 
 gallery, fupported by fix Ionic columns, like thofe of the origi- 
 nal building. In the center of this gallery was placed their Ma- 
 jefty's box, lined with crimfon fattin, and ornamented with looking- 
 glafs. It was hung with curtains of crimfon damaflc, fringed with 
 gold. The cieling was elegantly painted in Mr. Wyatt's ufual ft)'le 
 of ornamental painting. The box was covered with a dome, in which 
 were placed the royal fupporters, in gold. Behind their Majefty's 
 box, were feats for their attendants \ and, on one fide, for the 
 Dlreftors and their friends ; and, on the other, for the maids of 
 honour. The front of the royal box was decorated with crimfon 
 curtains and valances, fringed and laced with gold. The great 
 dome of the Pantheon was illuminated with additional lamps, 
 
 innu-
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE, 47 
 
 innumerable ; and, as this waS the firft performance here, that 
 was honoured by the prefence of tlieir Majefties, not only the 
 decorations, but the fplendor of the company, exceeded what- 
 ever this beautiful building could boaft before. 
 • The band of to-night, confiding of two hundred of the moft 
 feledt performers who had been employed in the Abbey, with the 
 addition of lignor Paccherotti, the firft fmger at the Opera, 
 among the vocal, was led by Mr. Cramer, with his accuftomed 
 attention and fire. And as the performances in Weftminfler- 
 Abbey manifefted, in a wonderful manner, Handel's great 
 powers, as an Ecclefiajlical Compofer, this evening's exhibition 
 was judicioufly calculated to difplay his abilities in Secular, and 
 Dramatic, Mufic. 
 
 PART
 
 PART L 
 
 SECOND IIAUTBOIS CONCERTO. 
 
 THIS Compofition, played as an Overture to the whole per- 
 formance, had an admirable effedt. The opening is re- 
 markably grand, and accented ; and the Largo, with Solo parts 
 for two Violoncellos, and a cantabile part for the Hautbois, quietly 
 accompanied, is very rich in harmony and contrivance ; but the 
 double fugue, which firft appeared among Handel's Organ 
 fugues, is upon two of the moft pleafing fubjecls, and treated, 
 perhaps, in the moft clear and mafterly manner, of any inftru- 
 mental fugue that has ever been compofed. The Minuet and 
 Gavot have confiderable merit, of a lighter kind, and long de- 
 lighted the frequenters of our theatres and public places (a). 
 
 The fet of pieces, of which this is one, though called Haut- 
 bois Co7icertos, has very few folo parts for that inftrument ; moft 
 of the divifions, and difficult pafTages, being affigned to the prin- 
 cipal Violin . Indeed thefe compofitions, which are more in the ftyle 
 of Haydn's Symphonies, than modern Hautbois Concertos, with 
 long folo parts for the difplay of abilities on that particular in- 
 ftrument, are admirably calculated for a large and powerful band, 
 in which there are performers on various inftruments, who merit 
 diftindlion. 
 
 (a) The Hautbois part of this bold and lar of Mr. Fifchcr, who, by his tone and 
 mall erly Concerto was played by Mr. Kell- execution, nianifcfted himfclf to be a wor- 
 ner, of his Majcfly's military band ; a fcho- thy difciple of fo great a mailer. 
 
 A I R
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE. 49 
 
 AIR IN ORLANDO. 
 
 Compofed 1732. 
 
 SiGNOR Tasca. 
 
 Sorge infaujla una procella 
 
 Che ojcurar fa il ctelo e il mare, 
 Splende faujia pot lajiella, 
 Che ogni cor ne fa goder. 
 
 Pub talor Ufoi-tc errare 
 Ma riforto daW errore, 
 ^el, che pria gli die dolore 
 Caufa hmnenfo ilfuo piacer. 
 
 Though furious ftorms awhile may rage. 
 And ilarlcnefs ev'ry hope deny. 
 The Sun, at length, fliall fear afluage. 
 And calm at once the heart and (ley. 
 
 So men, endow'd with virtue rare, 
 
 The lures of vice fometimes decoy ; , 
 
 Yet, freed from each infidious fnare, 
 
 Converfion brings unbounded joy. 
 
 This is an Air abounding in that fpecies of ingenious and maf- 
 tcrly contrivance, which generally delights the eye and judg- 
 ment of deep Muficians, much more than the public ear. An 
 Opera, however, without fuch fpecimens of mufical fcience, is 
 never had in much reverence by profefTors. But, fo changed is 
 the ftyle of Dramatic Mufic, fmce Handel's was produced, that 
 almofl all his fongs k.tvc\fcientfic. 
 
 H CHORUS
 
 50 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 CHORUS IN JOSHUA, 
 
 Firft performed 1747. 
 
 " Tefons of Ifrael, every tribe attend, 
 
 *' Let grateful Songs and Hymns to Heaven afcend ; 
 
 " In Gil gal, and on fordatis banks proclaim 
 
 " One Firfi, one Great, one Lord fehovaljs name.'' 
 
 This Chorus, unexpeftedly burfling out of the fecond movement 
 of the Overture, is of a very beautiful and Angular kind. The 
 iirft part, to the words, " Let grateful Songs and Hymns to Hea^ 
 " ven afcend," is lively and chearful, without vulgarity, and the 
 points of imitation new and pleafing ; but in the laft part, at the 
 words, " In Gilgal, and oJi for dan s banks proclaiin, one Firjl^ 
 " one Great, o7ie Lord fehovah's name," the compofitiort is 
 truly grand, and fublime ; uniting propriety of expreffion with 
 as much learning and ingenuity of fugue, miodulation, accom- 
 paniment, and texture of parts, as the art of Mufic can boaft. 
 
 AIR IN SOSARMES. 
 
 Compofed 1732. 
 
 Mr. Harrison. 
 Rc?idi ilfereno alcigUo 
 Madre, non pianger piii, 
 Temer d'alcun periglio 
 Oggi mai come piioi tii. 
 
 May heav'n in pity fmooth that brow. 
 And dry a tender parent's tear; 
 Nor e'er again her heart allow 
 To fwcll with forrow fo feverf. 
 
 This
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE. 51 
 
 This is a (hort, but pathetic, and foothing flrain, in a flow Sici- 
 hajia movement, which Handel feldom fails to make intereft- 
 ing. I have been told that Strada, for whom this air was origi- 
 nally compofcd, captivated the audience extremely, by her per- 
 formance of it. Few are now alive who can remember by what 
 peculiar powers of voice or expreflion fhe delighted the public in. 
 this fong, fifty-two years ago ; though many are the hands that 
 bore teftimony to the accuracy, purity, and propriety, with which 
 it was fung by Mr. Harrifoji, on the prefent occafion. 
 
 AIR IN RICHARD THE FIRST. 
 
 Compofed 1727. 
 
 Mifs C A N T E L o. 
 
 Caro vieni, vieni a vie, 
 Fido viem ; puoi tu caro 
 Adolcire il duolo amaro 
 Di chi penafol per te.. 
 
 Pen/a, pen/a alia miaje, 
 Penfa ancor al mio martir^ 
 Ed a tanti miei fofpir 
 Saraifola la merce. 
 
 Ah! come, and kindly eafe my heart ' 
 Of all its pains, of all its fears ; 
 Ah ! faithful come, and joy impart, 
 Nor longer leave me thus in tears. 
 
 Think of my conftancy and love, 
 Think of ray unremitting woes ) 
 Ah ! conie in fmiles, and inftant prove 
 How well, for thee, 1 loll repofe. 
 
 H 7 This
 
 52 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 This is an innocent, fimple kind of Air, which requires no 
 great abiUties to perform, or fcience to hear. A pleafing well- 
 toned voice, free from the Englifh brogue and vulgarity, is all 
 that is neceflary to the finger j and a difpofition to be pleafed with 
 mufical tones, to the hearer. Mifs Cantelo certainly brought the 
 one to the Pantheon, and found the other there. Nothing can 
 prove more clearly the difference of ftyle in fmging this fpecies 
 of Air, fifty years ago, than the fhake which Cuzzoni made on 
 the firll: note, and almoft always on the word caro, wherever it 
 occurred. A good ihake, well applied, is certainly one of the 
 firft embelliflunents of good finging ; but when injudicioufly ufed, 
 it is pert and unmeaning. Shakes are now fparinglj ufed by the 
 few who are able to make them, except at a clofe, and in old-fa- 
 fhioned French finging. 
 
 CHORUS, FROM ISRAEL IN EGYPT. 
 
 Compofed 1738.. 
 
 " He f mote all the ftrji-born of Egypt, the chief of ell their 
 *• Jirength, Pf. Ixxvii. 52. But as for his people, he led them forth 
 " Lke peep. Ibid. 53. He brought them out unthfiher and gold, 
 ** there was not one feeble perfon in all their tribes." Pf. cv. 36. 
 
 Unimpaffioned narrative fupplies a compofer with few opportu- 
 nities of mufical expreffron, or with that fpecies of imitation, where 
 the found can, wuth propriety, be made an echo to the knk. But 
 Handel, in the firfl movement of this admirable Chorus on 
 two pleafing and uncommon fubjects, in the accompaniments, 
 which only mark the accented parts of each bar, has excited an 
 idea of fmiting, and of bloii's. And in the courfe of this clofe and 
 
 regular
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE, 53 
 
 regular double fugue, when he gives the inflruments more to do, 
 lie produces the fame effefts by ihovt elementary founds affigned to 
 the voices, in plain counterpoint. The fecond movement ; " He 
 *' led them forth like Jlieep" is of a paftoral caft, with a mixture 
 of fugue, and a termination, in clofe, compadt, and well arranged 
 full harmony, of fyllabic counterpoint, or note againft note. 
 
 AIR IN JULIUS C^SAR. 
 
 Compofed in 1723. 
 
 Signor Pacchierotti. 
 
 Va tacito e nafcojlo 
 
 ^land' avido e di preda 
 IS ajluto cacciator. 
 
 Cost chi e al mal difpojio, 
 Non brama, ch' alcun veda 
 L'Inganno delfuo cor. 
 
 The wiley fportfman in purfuit of game, 
 Unfcen, and filent, takes his aim ; 
 So he whom malice prompts to bafe defigns, 
 With equal art, his plans combines. 
 
 Whoever is able to read ■^fcore, and knows the difficulty of 
 writing in five real parts, mufl admire the refources which Han- 
 del has manifelled in this. The French-horn part, which is 
 almofl a perpetual echo to the voice, has never been equalled in 
 any Air, fo accompanied, that I remember. Few great fingers are 
 partial to fongs in which the melody and importance are fo equally 
 divided ; but this Air was chofcn to do honour to the abilities of 
 Handel, on a day when they were to ihine in full fplendor. 
 
 And
 
 54 COMiMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 And fignor Pacchierotti, by his judicious choice and excellent 
 performance, at once contributed to the bbize of this great com- 
 pofer's reputatic.n, and his own. 
 
 SIXTH GRAND CONCERTO. 
 
 The firfl movement is folemn and forrowful ; and the fugue, 
 remarkably curious in fubjed ; which is fo unobvious and diffi- 
 cult to work, that no compofer of ordinary abilities, in this learned 
 fpecies of writing, would have ventured to meddle with it, if 
 fuch an unnatural feries of founds had occurred to him. The 
 mufette, or, rather chaconne, in tliis Concerto, was always in fa- 
 vour with the compofer himfelf, as Avell as the public ; for I 
 well remember, that Handel frequently introduced it between 
 the parts of his Oratorios, both before and after publication. In- 
 deed, no inftrumental compofition which I had ever heard during 
 the long favour of this, feemed to me more grateful and pleafing, 
 particularly, in fubjedl : the folo parts and divifions were not very 
 new, at the time they occurred to Handel in this movement j 
 but, probably, they render the return to the firft theme the more 
 welcome. To the refb of the Concerto, which was omitted in 
 this performance, little praife is due, and, indeed, this feemed to 
 be Handel's own opinion; as the two lafl movements were 
 frequently omitted in performance, under his own diredion. 
 
 AI R
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE.- 55 
 
 AIR IN ATALANTA. 
 
 Compofed 1736. 
 
 Madame Mara. 
 
 M allontano fJcg?2oJe pupilk 
 Per vedervi piu liete, eferene, 
 E perc/y abbian le 'vojire faville 
 Nudrimento minor e di pens. 
 
 Awhile I retire from your fcorn and difdaiii, 
 Nor with fpleen or rcfentnient upbraid; 
 In hopes that by love, both my patience and pain 
 Will, with int'reft, in future be paid. 
 
 This Air, which was originally fet for the celebrated Conti, 
 detto Gizziello, from Gizzi, a famous fmger, and, afterwards, 
 finging-mafter, of whom he learned his art, though it requires in 
 the fmger no uncommon extent of voice, pathos, or execution, 
 yet, by the grace, elegant fimplicity, and fweetnefs, as well as 
 power of voice, with which Madame Mara fung this pleafmg fong, 
 (he fortified the great reputation which {he brought into this 
 country, and which (he had realized, and fo much increafed, by 
 her performance in Weftminfter- Abbey. This Air, in which 
 the bafe and other accompaniments are as quiet and fimple as 
 thofe of Haffe and Vinci, of the fame period j fhews, that when 
 Handel chofe to make the finger more important than the Or- 
 cheftra, the talk was not difiicult. 
 
 CHORUS
 
 56 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 CHORUS IN ISRAEL IN EGYPT. 
 
 Compofed 1738. 
 
 " He gave them hailjlones for rain ; Pf. cv. 32. Fire mingled 
 " with the hail, ran along upon the ground." Exod. ix. 23, 24. 
 
 This fpirited and mafterly movement, which was clamoroufly 
 called for, a lecond time, is written a due Cori. It is one of the 
 feyv Chorufes, compofed by Handel, in which there is no 
 fugue, or point of imitation, except in the echos of the two choirs ; 
 but, en revanche, the instrumental parts are fo adlive, and full, 
 without occafioning the leafl confufion, that, if the eight voice 
 parts were filent, the accompaniments might be played with good 
 effeft, as a movement in a Concerto : a circumftance difficult to 
 point out, in the works of any other compofer, than Handel. 
 
 PART
 
 [ S7 ] 
 
 R T IL 
 
 FIFTH GRAND CONCERTO. 
 
 THE opening of this piece always imprefled me with the 
 idea of its being the mod fpirited and charafteriftic of all 
 the movements that were written by Handel, or any other com- 
 pofer, on Lulli's model of Opera Overture ; which feems to 
 require a convuHive, determined, and military caft. The two 
 following movements, of which only the firft was played, con- 
 tain little more than the light and common-place pafTages of the 
 times. The Largo, however, is an excellent piece of harmony 
 and modulation, in Corelli's natural and fober ftyle; and, in the 
 next movement, we have a very early fpecimen of the fymphonic 
 flyle of Italy, in which rapid iterations of the fame note are de- 
 figned to contrafl with fomething better, if not mere noife and 
 7-etnpliJfage, totally devoid of meaning, of which there are but too 
 frequent inftances. The fubjeft of Handel's movement is 
 modern, marked, and pleafing j and the bafe accompaniment of 
 his iterations, bold and interefling. The finale, or minuet of 
 this Concerto, has been fo much admired by Englifli compofers of 
 Handel's fchool, as to have been frequently thought worthy of 
 imitation. 
 
 AIR
 
 58 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 AIR IN PTOLEMY. 
 
 Compofed 1728. 
 
 Mifs A B R A M s. 
 Dite ch'efa 
 
 Dove e I'idol mioy 
 
 Sehaggie deita 
 
 Dite dov e 
 
 II mio teforo F 
 A me voi lo rendete 
 
 O pur fe lo vedete 
 
 Ditegli per pteta 
 
 Che per lui 7noro. 
 O rendetelo al mio cor j 
 
 Dite che ttitto amor^ 
 
 SoJ'piro anch' io. 
 
 Where is my Love ? and how employ'd i 
 Te Fauns and Dryads fay ; 
 If to your rural liaunts decoy'd. 
 Aloud repeat my lay. 
 
 In pity tell him ev'ry pain. 
 Each groan and rifmg figh ; 
 That far from him I life difdain. 
 And only wifli to die. 
 
 Ye ruftic gods, oh tell him this. 
 Or bring him here to crown my blifs. 
 Where is my Love ? &c. 
 
 This air, which is pleafing, and modern in melody, for one 
 that has fifty-fix years on its head, is called the Echo Song, in the 
 printed copy ; and faid to have been fung by Signora Cuzzoni, 
 and Signor Senefino. So few paflages, however, are repeated, 
 
 and
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE. 59 
 
 and thofe chiefly in the fecond part, that it had a very good efFedl, 
 0$ a folo fong, from the tafle and expreflion with which it was. 
 fung by Mifs Abnmis. 
 
 AIRINEZIO, oriETIUS. 
 
 Compofed 1732. 
 Signer B A R T L I N i\ 
 Vi Jida h fpofo 
 
 Vi Jida il regnante, 
 
 Dubbiojb, 
 
 Ed amante 
 
 La vita, 
 
 E I'amor. 
 Tu, amico, prepara 
 
 SoccorJOf ed aita : 
 
 Tu ferbami, O car a, 
 
 Gli affetti del cor. 
 
 To thee I confide 
 My empire and bride ; 
 And, in doubt while I rove. 
 My life, and my love : — 
 Do thou, my dear friend, 
 AfTiflance prepare — 
 While on thee I depend 
 Thy affection to fhare. 
 
 This Air, which is in a ftyle pecuhar to Handel, and the 
 period in which he flouriflied, has, perhaps, been robbed a Uttla 
 of its beauty and grace, by time ; it, however, tilled up its niche 
 in the Pantheon, with the afliftance of Signor Bartolini, very agree- 
 ably. For my own part, who wi(h that whatever is good in its 
 
 / 2 kind
 
 6o COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 kind may live, and have a fhare of attention and favour, I confefs^ 
 that a compofition is the more curious, and welcome to my ears^ 
 in proportion as it differs from the Mufic in common ufe. 
 
 CHORUS IN JUDAS MACCHAB^US, 
 
 Compofed 1746. 
 
 Fall'n is the foe, 
 So fall thy foes, O Lord, 
 Where 'ivarlike fvdas 'wields his righteous fiver d. 
 
 This fpirited, original, and excellent Chorus, which can never 
 pafs without honourable notice in any performance, received great 
 force and energy from the manner in which it was executed to- 
 night. 
 
 OVERTURE IN ARIADNE. 
 
 Compofed 1734. 
 
 The great favour which this Overture fo long enjoyed, particu- 
 larly the Minuet, was here revived, and a new leafe of longevity 
 granted to it by Handel's executors. The number of French 
 horns employed on this occafion very much enriched the harmony, 
 and gave to the effedt of this Air, unufual fplendor and magni- 
 ficence. 
 
 ACCOMPANIED RECITATIVE IN JULIUS CAESAR. 
 
 Compofed 1723. 
 Signor Pacchierotti. 
 Alma del gran Pompeo, 
 
 Che al cener fiio d'intorno 
 
 Jnvi/ibil
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE. 6i 
 
 Invijibil t'aggiri, 
 
 Fur ombra i tuoi trofei, 
 
 Oinbra la tua grandezza, e un ombra fei I 
 
 Cost termina aljine ilfajio umano ! 
 
 yen' chi vivo occupb un mondo in guerra, 
 
 Oggi, rlfolto in pohe, un urna ferra ! 
 
 'Tal di ciafcuno, ahi lajjo ! 
 
 II principio e di terra 
 
 E iljine unfajfo ! 
 
 Mi/era vita ! O quanta efral tuojlato ! 
 
 Ti forma un foffio, e ti.dijlrugge unfato.. 
 
 Thefe are thy afhes, Pompey, this the mound. 
 Thy foul, invifible, is hovering round ! 
 Tliy fplendid trophies, and thy honours fade. 
 Thy grandeur, like thyfelf, is now a fliade. 
 Thus fare the hopes in which we mofl; confide. 
 And thus the efforts end of human pride ! 
 What yefterday could hold the world in chains. 
 To-day, transform'd to duft, an urn contains. 
 Such is the fate of all, from cot to throne. 
 Our origin is earth, our end a ftone ! 
 Ah wretched life ! how frail and {hort thy joys ! 
 A breath creates thee, and a breath deftroys. . 
 
 This admirable foliloquy of Cxfar over the afhes of Pompey, 
 I have been frequently told by perlbns equally well fkilled in 
 Mufic and the Italian tongue, had an effedl, when recited on the 
 ftage by Senefino, which no Recitative, or even Ati-, had before, 
 in this countr)\ But though delivered by Signor Pacchierotti, 
 with the true energy and expreiTion of heroic Recitative, for 
 which he is fo much celebrated in Italy by the befl judges of the 
 poetiy and mufical declamation of that country, had not the at- 
 tention ■
 
 62 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 tention or fuccefs it deferved here, detached from its place in the 
 Opera, and printed without a tranflation. Indeed, the audience, 
 fatigued with the ftruggles for admiffion, the preffure of the croud 
 in their feats, and relaxed by the accumulated heat of the wea- 
 ther and company, were neither fo attentive to the performers, 
 nor willing to be pleafed by their exertions, as in Weflmiiifter- 
 
 Abbey. 
 
 RECITATIVE, which Englifhmen, unacquainted with the 
 Italian language, always wifli as fhort as poffible, is thought of 
 fuch importance, in Italy, that it feems to include the carriage and 
 weftures, as well as elocution of an Opera fmger : for when it is 
 faid of one, recita bene, it is underftood that be, ox Jloe, not only 
 fpeaks Recitative well, but is a good aSlor, or aSlrefs. 
 
 Tartini (a) gives an account of a piece of Recitative that was per- 
 formed in an Opera at Ancona, in 1 7 1 4, which had a very extraordi- 
 nary effedl on the profeflbrs employed in it, as well as the audience j 
 for though it had no other accompaniment than a bafe, and con- 
 fjfled of only one line, it occafioned fuch agitation \x\ all who 
 heard it, that they trembled, turned pale, and regarded each other 
 with fear and aflonifhment. And thefe extraordinary effedls did not 
 arife from complaints, for row, or tragic pathos of any uncommon 
 kind ; but from indignation, and an undefinable fpecies of rigid fe- 
 verity and penetrating harflinefs in the fentiments of the words, the 
 power of which was greatly augmented and enforced, both by the 
 compofer and performer. " During thirteen reprefentations of 
 " this Drama," continues the intelligent and excellent Muiician 
 who has recorded thefe powers of Recitative, " the efFedt was 
 " ftill the fame j and, after the firft night, this terrible fcene was 
 ^' conftantly expefted with the mod profound filence." 
 
 (a) Tratlalo di Mujica, cap. v. p. 135. 
 
 An
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE. 6^ 
 
 An attention little inferior to this, according to tradition, was 
 beftowed upon the fcene in Julius Caefar, when performed in 
 England. The tranflation may, perhaps, convey fome faint idea 
 of the original words ; nothing, however, but the Mufic itfelf, 
 and the recitation of fuch a performer as Senefino, or Pacchierotti, 
 can do juftice to Handel's merit in fetting them. Indeed, it 
 is the finefl piece of accompanied Recitative, without intervening 
 fymphonies, with which I am acquainted. The modulation is 
 learned, and fo uncommon, that there is hardly a chord which 
 the ear expedts ; and yet the words are well expreffed, and the 
 phrafes pathetic and pleafing. 
 
 This Recitative was followed by one of Handel's mofl cele- 
 brated pathetic Airs : 
 
 A I R I N O T H O, 
 
 Compofed 1722. 
 
 Signer Pacchierotti. 
 Affanni del penjier, 
 
 Unfol rnomento, 
 
 Datcmi pace almen. 
 
 E poi tornate. 
 Ah ! che nel mejlo fen . 
 
 lo gia vi fento 
 
 Che ojimati la pace, 
 
 A me tiirbate. 
 
 Afflicting thoughts, a fliort reprieve 
 
 In pity grant. 
 
 And then return ; 
 But ah ! for ever, I perceive. 
 
 My heart will pant 
 
 My bofom burn. 
 
 This
 
 64 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 This exquifite Air was compofed for Cuzzoni, Both the fong, 
 and her performance of it, were greatly admired by the beft judges 
 of the times ; and it is not, perhaps, eafy to find an Air of 
 greater merit in any one of Handel's Italian operas. The me- 
 lody is purely Sicilian ; and though the inflrumental parts are 
 moving in flridl fugue, almoft throughout, it is as free and unem- 
 barraffed, as if it was accompanied in fimple counterpoint. It is 
 fo high as not to be in the pleafanteft part of Signor Pacchierotti's 
 voice : and, though he fung it with great feeling and expreffion, 
 it was not^tafled by the audience in the manner it deferved. 
 
 AIR IN E Z I O. 
 
 Compofed 1732. 
 Signor T A s c A. 
 
 Nafce al bofco in rozza cuna 
 
 JJnfelice pajiorello, 
 
 jE con I'aiire di fortuna, 
 
 Giunge i regni a doininar. 
 Prejfo al trono in regie fafce 
 
 Sventurato un altro 7iafce, 
 
 Efra Tire della forte ^ 
 
 Va gli artncjiti a pafcolar. 
 
 Sometimes a happy ruftic fwain. 
 In cottage born, of humble ftem. 
 Acquires with little toil and pain, 
 Through Fortune's fmiles, a diadem. 
 While he that's blafled by her frown 
 To dire mifchance is fure decreed ; 
 And, though entitled to a crown, 
 A field may till, or flock may feed. 
 
 Th 
 
 IS
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE. 65 
 
 This is one of the moft agreeable bafe fongs that I know. The 
 melody is pleafing, and accompaniment ingenious and fpirited. 
 And though the life of a mufical compofition is in general much 
 fhorter than that of man, yet this bears its age fo well, that in- 
 Head of fifty-two years old, it feems in all the vigour and bloom 
 of youth. It was compofed for Montagnano, one of the moft 
 celebrated bafe fingers in Handel's fervice, when that fpecies of 
 voice was more in falhion, and perhaps more cultivated, than at 
 prefent. The divifions require conliderable flexibility, and the 
 compafs great extent of voice ; both of which were well fupplied 
 by Signor Tafca. 
 
 DUET, IN RODELINDA, 
 
 Compofed in 1725. 
 
 Madame Mara, and Signor Bartolini. 
 lo fabbraccio; 
 E piu che morte 
 ■A/pro e fo7-te, 
 K pel cor mio 
 ^iejio addio 
 
 Che il tuofcn dal mio divide. 
 Ah vna vita ! 
 Ah mio tejoro ! 
 Se non mora, 
 
 A 
 
 
 Solo 
 Sola, 
 
 A 2. 
 
 A 2 
 
 K pill tirajino 
 
 ^lejr affanno, 
 
 \ Che da morte ^ e non uccide. 
 
 rThis laft embrace is worfe than death, 
 \ Without the lofs of fciife or breath j 
 y What torture to a faithful heart, 
 i. From all that's dear, thus forc'd to part ? 
 
 Sola.
 
 66 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 Solo. My love i 
 Sola. My life! 
 Solo. My only hope F 
 Sola. My faithful wife! 
 .. t How barbarous is a tyrant's will, 
 
 < Which death can give, yet does not kill ! 
 
 The opening of modern Duets is generally more in Dialogue, 
 and, perhaps, more dramatic, than was in fafhion fifty or fixty 
 years ago. Yet I am acquainted with no Duet upon the fame model 
 ■which pleafes me more than this. It was introduced, with feveral 
 -of Handel's fongs in a pajiicc'io Opera called Lucio VerOy in 
 1 748 J and I never was more delighted than with the performance 
 of it, particularly where the compofer, in the courfe of his mo- 
 dulation, has made fuch a happy ufe of the fharp feventh of each 
 new key, enforced by the inftruments, in a manner which was 
 then totally new to my ears. There is not a paffage, or point of 
 imitation, in this Duet, which breathes not grace and dignity j and 
 fo far is the whole compofition from difcovering its age, that it 
 feems of a kind which muft be immortal, or at leafl an ever- 
 green ; which, however times and feafons vary, remains frefh and 
 blooming as long as it exifls. 
 
 Xlth GRAND CONCERTO. 
 
 The firft movement of this Concerto, though mafterly, and 
 built on a folid foundation, is uncommonly wild and capricious 
 for the time when it was compofed ; the fugue is on a marked 
 and adlive fubjedt, which reminds us a little of fome of our au- 
 thor's other inftrumental fugues ; but the fymphony, or intro- 
 duiHon, of the andante, is extremely pleafing ; and no lefs re- 
 markable for its grace, than the boldnefs with which the compofer, 
 in order to bring in the anfwers to points of imitation, has ufed 
 
 double
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE. t-j 
 
 double difcords, unprepared. The Solo parts of this movement 
 were thought more brilliant, than eafy and natural to the bow and 
 linger-board, forty-years ago. Indeed the laft Allegro^ which is 
 airy and fanciful, has Solo parts that feem more likely to have 
 prefented themfelves to the author at a harpfichord, than with a 
 violin in his hand ; however, the whole Concerto was played in a 
 veiy chafte and fuperior manner, by Mr. Cramer j and it is but 
 juftice to this great performer to fiy, that with a hand which de- 
 fies every polTible difficulty, he plays the productions of old 
 maflers with a reverential purity and fimplicity, that refledt 
 equal honour upon his judgment, good tafte, and underflanding. 
 
 AIR IN ALCINA, 
 
 Compofed in 1735. 
 
 Madame Mara. 
 Ah ! 7)110 cor I fchernito Jei f 
 
 Stelle ! Dei ! nume d'amore ? 
 
 Traditore ! t'amo tanto, 
 
 Puoi lafciarmi fola in pianto ? 
 
 Oh Dei ! perche ^ 
 Ma chefa gemendo Alcina ? 
 
 Son reginay e temo ancora ? 
 
 Rejli, mora, 
 
 Pene JemprCy 
 
 O torni a me. 
 
 Ah / mio cor ! he. f 
 
 Aho ! my heart ! thou art now defpis'd !— 
 
 Ye pow'rs that move 
 
 Oar hate and love, 
 Is this the way my pafhon's priz'd ? 
 Left by a wretch, whofe heart of ftecl 
 Is dead to all I fay or feel. 
 
 K 2 Sut
 
 68 COiMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 But why let grief my foul devour ? 
 I'm dill a queen, and ilill have pow'r ; 
 Which pow'r my vengeance foon fliall guide, 
 If flill my kindnefs he deride. 
 Alas ! my heart ! &c. 
 
 This fong was always as much admired for Its compofition, as 
 Strada for her manner of finging it, when the Opera of Alcina 
 firft appeared faj. Perhaps a modern compofer, from the rage 
 into which the enchantrefs is thrown in the Drama, by difcover- 
 ing the intended departure of her favourite hero, Rogero, would 
 have given the lady lefs tendernefs, and more paflion ; however 
 that may be, the firft ftrain of this Air, upon a continued moving 
 bafe, is truly pathetic ; and the conftant fobs and fighs, exprefled 
 by (liort and broken notes in the violin and tenor parts, greatly 
 add to this effe6t. Indeed, this movement contains fome ftrokes 
 of modulation which are extremely bold and pathetic, particularly 
 at the words/o/a in pianto. The Ihort fecond part likewife ex- 
 prefies much of the fpirit, agitation, and fury, which the words 
 and fituation of the finger feem to require. If any one of the 
 three furviving original performers in Alcina was prefent in the 
 Pantheon during the performance of this Air, I cannot help 
 fuppofing, that, in fpite of partiality for old times, and reverence for 
 Strada, he, or ftie would have agreed with the reft of the audience, 
 in greatly applauding madanie Mara's manner of finging this im- 
 paiTioned and difficult Air. 
 
 (a) Though near fifty years are eUipfcd choral of St. Paul's, who in the printed 
 
 fmce, yet there are three of the origin;il copy of the Mufic, is called the boy, and 
 
 performers in that Drama flill living : Mrs. in the hook of the words, young Mr. Sa- 
 
 Arne, widow of the laie Dr. Arne, who vage ; and Mr. Beard, fo long the favour- 
 
 was at that time a fcholar of Geminiani, and ite finger, and, afterwards, manager in one 
 
 is called Mrs. Young, in the printed books ; of our theatres. 
 Mr. Savage, late fub-almoner, and vicar- 
 
 ANTHEM.
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE. 69 
 
 ANTHEM. 
 
 Compofed for the Coronation of King George, the Second, 1727, 
 
 " My heart is inditing of a good matter \ I /peak of the things 
 " which I have made unto the king. Pf. xlv. i. 
 
 *' Kings daughters were among thy honourable women. Ibid. ro. 
 
 ** Upon thy right hand did jl and the queen in vejiure of gold ^ 
 " and the king fiall have pleafure in thy beauty. lb. 12. 
 
 " Kings Jhall be thy nurfng fathers^ and queens thy nurfing 
 "mothers." Ifaiah xlix. 23. 
 
 This moft pleafing and admirable compofition, the work of 
 Handel's youth and leifure, contains fo many pecuHar beau- 
 ties, that an enthufiaftic commentator migiit fill a confiderable 
 volume in pointing them out. I fliall try, however, in examin- 
 ing the fcore, to moderate my admiration more than I was able 
 to do at its performance. 
 
 Of the firfl movement, the melody is remarkably well accent- 
 ed and pleafing; and the accompaniment clear, ingenious, and 
 mafterly. There is a dignity and fobriety in the movement and 
 effect of the whole, well fuited to compofitions a Capella ; how- 
 ever, this is fo much in Handel's own ftyle, that no recolledtion 
 is awakened, either in the hearer or reader, of any other produc- 
 tion, ecclefiaflical or fecular. 
 
 Indeed, nothing can exceed the feveral fpecies of excellence 
 with which this movement is replete, except that which imme- 
 diately follows it : 
 
 " Kings daughters are among thy honourable wo?nen :" which, 
 not only fixty years ago was more original, but which flill re- 
 mains
 
 70 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 mains unrivalled and uncommon. Here a natural and beautiful 
 melody is equally and artfully divided among the feveral principal 
 voice-parts 3 while the violin accompaniments, in a different ftyle 
 of beautiful melody,, are fo far from occafioning coiifufion, that 
 they help to unite and cement the whole together. The majellic 
 and regular movement of the bafc upon which fuch an admirable 
 l\ru(5ture is built, muil ftrike judges of compofition with as much 
 wonder, as uninllrutSed lovers of Mufic with delight. 
 
 The third movement, '' Upon thy right handy' &c. is as grace- 
 ful in melody as rich in harmony ; and as new as if compofed 
 but ycfterday, except in one favourite paflage with Handel and 
 his times, which being now a little pajc, is, perhaps, too often 
 repeated for modern hearers (a) . 
 
 The fourth, and laft movement, '* Kings JJ^all be thy nurfmg 
 " fathers," is a full Chorus, big with all the fire, contrivance, 
 rich harmony, and energy of genius, which Handel afterwards 
 difplayed in his befl Oratorio Chorufes. And this was the finak 
 of the admirable mifcellaneous concert of Connnemoration ; which 
 if an exhibition of yet greater magnificence had not been given 
 elfewhere, would have been ftill more admired, and worthy of 
 celebrity. 
 
 ^a) This is the paflaje : which, in the couife of the movement, occupies upwards 
 cf thirty bars. 
 
 C O M-
 
 ^^f\^f^ 
 
 y 
 
 -V 
 
 A 
 
 ! -^ 
 
 --TMtSiP''' 
 
 7
 
 C O M M E iSl O R A T I O N 
 
 o r 
 
 HANDEL. 
 
 THIRD PERFORM ANCEj 
 
 WESTMINSTER-ABBEY, 
 
 Saturday, May 29, 1784. 
 
 THE 
 
 MESSIAH.
 
 74 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 A R T I. 
 
 THE Overture to the Messiah, though grave and folemn, 
 always feemed to me more dry and uninterefting in the 
 performance, than the reft: of Handel's Overtures j but the 
 force, energy, and dignity, given to every trait of melody, as well 
 as mafs of harmony, by this wonderful band, produced effedls in 
 it, which elude all defcription. 
 
 Handel's Overtures are generally analogous to the opening of 
 the firfl: fcene of the Drama to wliich they belong, and may be 
 called real prefaces or preliminaiy difcourfes to a book. In order 
 therefore to fupprefs eveiy idea of levity in fo facred a perform- 
 ance as the Messiah, he very judicioufly finifhed the Overture 
 without an Air. And the fliort fymphony to the accompanied 
 Recitative, or Ariaparlante, " Comfort ye my people," (Ifai. xl. i.) 
 feems to fuch as are not acquainted with the Oratorio, a preparation 
 for the light minuet, gavot, or jig, with which Overtures are ufually 
 terminated ; but bow exquifitely are judicious ears diliippointed ! 
 Indeed, I am acquainted with no movement of the fame caft, to 
 the words of any language, which is more grateful and foothing 
 than this. There is not a note, either in the principal melody 
 or accompaniment, that is become vulgar, common, or unmean- 
 ing. Mr. Karrifon, with his fweet and well-toned voice, did 
 this Recitative and the following Air great juftice, by delivering 
 
 them
 
 THIRD PERFORMANCE. 75 
 
 theni with propriety and the utmofl purity and truth of into- 
 nation (a). 
 
 The Air, " But ivho may abide the day of bis coming^' (Mai. iii. 2.) 
 is in a Sicihan paftoral ftyle, of which Handel was very fond, 
 and in which he was almoft always fuccefsful. And the Chorus : 
 " And he Jhall purify the fons of Levi, is of a peculiar cail: : each 
 fpecies of voice delivering the primitive fubjedt, unaccompanied 
 by the reft, till the counter-fubjed:, in ligature, or binding-notes, 
 is introduced, which adds to the efFedt of the whole, when the 
 inftruments come in, and all the voices, quitting the mazes of 
 fugue, unite in fimple counterpoint. 
 
 There is a very curious expreffion of the words attempted in 
 the Air : 'The people who walked in darkjiefs have feen a great light ; 
 (Ifai. ix. 2.) where the chromatic and indeterminate modulation, 
 fcems to delineate the uncertain footfteps of perfons exploring their 
 way in obfcurity. Whether this imitation is obvious, or poflible 
 to be made fo, I know not ; but there is merit in the attempt, 
 when it involves no abfurdity. 
 
 During the performance of this Oratorio, I made three feveral 
 pencil-marks, expreflive of the degrees of comparative good with 
 which my ears were aiFedled, by particular movements ; and I 
 found the fign of fuperlative excellence ftamped on the Chorus : 
 
 ^4r^ Handel has certainly manirefted This grcnt mafler, with all his nuifical riches 
 
 great knowledge of the fentiments and im- and fertility of invention, was frequently 
 
 port of the words he had to exprefs in this obliged to be oeconomical in his compofitions 
 
 Oratorio, though, when he fct thcni, he was as well as his affairs : and, when he was prciT- 
 
 not peifcdly acquainted with the pronun- cd for time, he often applied words to Mufie, 
 
 elation of our language : as, in the firll Re- inftcad of Mufic to words ; taking from its 
 
 citative, he has made a monofyllable of niche, or his port folio, a movement already 
 
 cryeth; in the firft Chorus frequently al- compofed. Perhaps this was the cafe with the 
 
 lows but one note to the word Glory; firll Chorus : The glory of tbc Lor J ; which, 
 
 and in the fecond Chorus of the fccond part, however, is an excellent conipofition, and 
 
 he has made the word furcly a trifyllable. had a fine effcft in the performance. 
 
 L 2 For
 
 76 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 For unto us a child is born, (Ifai. ix. 6.) j which has fo much merit 
 of various kinds, that I know not where to begin to praife it. The 
 fubjedls of fugue are fo agreeable ; the vioHn accompaniments of 
 fuch a pecuHar charadler ; and the clearnefs and facihty which reign 
 through the whole fo uncommon, that each of them deferves to 
 be particularly remarked ; but at every introdudlion of the words 
 ** Wonderful! Counfellor ! the mighty God! the everlafting Fa~ 
 ** ther ! the Prince of peace !" which he fo long and fo judi- 
 cioufly poftponed, the idea and c&it&. are fo truly fublime, that, 
 affifled by the grandeur and energy of this band, I never felt the 
 power of Choral Mufic and full harmony, in enforcing the ex- 
 preflion of words, fo ftrongly before. There is poetry of the 
 higheft clals in the Mufic, as well as the words, of this Chorus. 
 The PASTORAL SYMPHONY which followed this higb^ 
 founding Chorus, played without wind-inftruments by violins 
 only, in the mofl: fubdued manner, was balmy and delicious ' 
 The pianos or whifpers of fuch multiplied founds, produced a 
 fweetnefs of fo new and exquifite a kind, that the mulical technica 
 furnilhes no terms adequate to their effedts. 
 
 Recitative. 
 " There were JJ.iepherds abiding in the field, keeping ivatch 
 ** over their fiock by night." Luke ii. 8. 
 
 Recitative accompanied. 
 " And, lo ! an Angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory 
 ** of the Lord Jhone around them, and they were fore afraid." 
 Matth. iii. 17. Luke ii. 9. 
 
 Recitative. 
 " And the Angel faith unto them. Fear not ; for, behold! I 
 " bring y oil good tidings of great joy, which jhall be to all people •, 
 
 ''for
 
 THIRD PERFORMANCE. jj 
 
 ** for unto you is born this day, in the city of Davidj a Saviour ^ 
 hicb is Chriji the Lord." Luke ii. lo, 1 1, 
 
 u 
 
 Recitative accompanied.- 
 
 *' And fuddenly there ivas with the Angel a multitude of the 
 " Heavenly Hoji, praifng God, and faying" Ibid. 13. 
 
 Thtfe Recitatives, as delivered bv the fwcct voice and articulate 
 pronunciation of Madame Mara, had an effedl far beyond w^hat 
 might be expefted from fuch few and fimple notes, without air, or 
 meafure : they were literally made " melting founds" to every hearer 
 of fenfibility prefent. And the magnificent Chorus, " Glory be 
 " to God in the higheji ! and peace on earth, good-will towards 
 " men!" (Ibid. 14.) in which the ^/fl«(?j andy^r/^j were admirably 
 marked and obferved, never had fo great an effedt before, in any 
 performance within my knowledge. There is more claire obfcure 
 in this fhort Chorus than perhaps had ever been attempted at the 
 time it was compofed. The anfwers to the fugue fucceeding 
 each other fo clearly and clofely at the words " good-will towards 
 " menf mufl always pleafe artifts, who know the ingenuity and 
 merit of fuch contrivances j but the general efFedls of this Cho- 
 rus w^ant nothing in the ignorant, but attention and feeling, to af- 
 ford them unaccountable delight. " Rejoice greatly, O daughter 
 " of Zion ; Jhout ! O daughter of Jerufilem ^ behold/ thy king 
 *' corneth unto thee. Zechariah ix. 9. 
 
 " He is the righteous Saviour, and he Jl.mllfpeak peace unto the 
 " Heathen." Ibid. 10. 
 
 This brilliant and difficult Air afforded Madame Mara an op- 
 portunity of difplaying fome of her wonderful powers of execu- 
 j^on, and fliewed her in a veiy different light from any thing flie 
 
 had
 
 7S COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 had hitherto fung at the Commemoration ; but fo firm, fweet, 
 and judicious, was her performance of every kind, and fo deUght- 
 ful to the audience, that flie never breathed a found without 
 cffea. 
 
 " He fiallfeed his fock like ajliepherd," (Ifai. xl. ii.) is an Air 
 in Handel's beft Siciliana ftyle, and has ever been in great favour 
 with performers and hearers : Guadagni, after Mrs. Cibber, efta- 
 bUflied its reputation. It is fimilar in movement to the kxlhng 
 paftoral at the end of Corelh's Eighth Concerto, " Fatto per la 
 ** notte di natale," and had a pleafing effed from the performance 
 of Signor Bartolini, and Mifs Cantelo. 
 
 PART
 
 [ 79 ] 
 
 PART II. 
 
 THE Second Part of this divine Oratorio abounds in fo 
 many beauties of compofition and effecfl, that I find one 
 of my three marks affixed to ahnoft eveiy movement. The Cho- 
 rus, " Behold the Lamb of God, that takech away the fins of the 
 " world," (St. John i. 29.) has the fmgle ftamp of folemnity ; but 
 the Air, " He was defpfed aid rejeSled of me?!," (Ifai. hii. 3.) has 
 ever imprelTed me with the higheft idea of excellence in pathetic ex- 
 prefTion, of any Englifli fong with which I am acquainted. " Swely 
 *' he hath borne our griefs," (Ibid. 1. 4, 5.) is an admirable piece 
 of learned counterpoint and modulation, and very expreffive of the 
 words. The fubfequent alia breve fugue, to the words " And with 
 " hisjiripes we are healed," is written upon a fine fubjedt, with 
 fuch clearnefs and regularity as was never furpafled by the greatefl 
 Choral compofers of the fixteenth century. This fugue, which 
 is purely vocal, and a Capella, as the inftruments have no other 
 bufinefs affigned them than that of doubling and enforcing the 
 voice-parts, may fairly be compared with movements of the fame 
 kind in Paleftrina, Tallis, and Bird, which, in variety, it very 
 much furpafles. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 ** All we, likejheep, have gone ajlray ; we have turned every 
 " one to his own way." Iflii. liii. 6. 
 
 This Chorus has a fpirit, and beauties of compofition, of a quite 
 different kind : the bafe is cojiretto, and moving incefiluitly in 
 
 quavers^
 
 8o COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 quavers, while the voice-parts and violins exprefs a roving, care- 
 lefs kind of paftoral wildnefs, which is very charafteriftic of the 
 words. " And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." 
 Ifai. liii. 6. This fragment is full of forrow and contrition. 
 
 The words of the admirable choral fugue : " He trujled in 
 " God that he would deliver him ; let him deliver him, if he delight 
 '* in hi?n," (Matth. xxvii. 43. and Pfal. xxii. 8.) which contain 
 the triumphal infolence, and are prophetic of the contumelious lan- 
 guage of the Jews, during the crucifixion of our Saviour, were veiy 
 difficult to exprefs ; however, Handel, availing himfelf in the 
 moll mafterly manner of the advantage of fugue and imitation, 
 has given them the effedi, not of the taunts and prefumption of 
 an individual, but the feoffs and fcorn of a confufed multitude /^^y. 
 
 " Thy rebuke hath broken hts heart ; he is full of heavi fiefs : he 
 *' looked for fome to have pity on him, but there was 710 man, neither 
 *' found he any to comfort him.'' (Pfal. Ixix. 21.) This is a piece 
 of accompanied Recitative of the pathetic kind, no lefs honourable 
 to the Compofer's feeling, than mufical learning and recondite mo- 
 dulation : and all the forrowful cail and expreflion of that and the 
 Air which follows it : " Behold and fee, if there be any forrow 
 " like unto his forrow I" (Lam. of Jeremiah, i. 12.) were well 
 preferved by the performance of Mr. Norris. 
 
 The happy conftrudlion of Weftminfter-Abbey for cheriHiing 
 and preferving mufical tones, by a gentle augmentation without 
 echo or repetition, was demonflrated by no part of the perform- 
 ance more clearly than in that of Mifs Abrams j whofe voice, 
 
 (a) He was fo confcious of the merit of theme ufunlly prcfcntcd itfelf to his mind ; 
 
 this movement, that he frequently perform- when, making it the fubjeft of extempore 
 
 ed it on kcy'd-inflruincnts, asa lefl'on ; and fugue ar.d volur.tary, it never failed to in. 
 
 if he was prcfled to fit down to play at fuch fplre him with the moll fublimc ideas, and 
 
 times as he felt no immediate impulfc, this wonderful failles of imagination. 
 
 though
 
 THIRD PERFORMANCE. 8i 
 
 though fweet and of a good quality, is not regarded as Theatrical, 
 but fuch as the Italians denominate Voce di Camera. Yet, in 
 finging the pleafing Air, " But thou didji not leave his foul in hell," 
 (Pf. xvi. II.) which Ihe did with confiderable tafte and expreflion, 
 her voice was rendered more audible in every part of that immenfe 
 building, than it has ever been in any Concert-Room in London. 
 
 Chorus. 
 " Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlafl- 
 ** ing doors, and the King of Glory f jail come in !" Pfal. xxiv, 7. 
 
 Semi-Chorus. 
 *' Who is this King of Glory f* 
 
 Semi -C h o r u s. 
 ** The Lord flrong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 
 
 Semi-Chorus. 
 " Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlaji-* 
 " ing doors, and the King of Glory JJjall come in ! 
 
 Semi-Chorus. 
 " Who is this King of Glory ? 
 
 Semi-Chorus. 
 " The Lord of Hojls ; he is the King of Glory. 
 
 Chor us. 
 " The Lord of HoJls ; he is the King of Glory." 
 
 All thefe words are admirably exprefled, and the contrafled effe(fls 
 of Semi-Chorus and Chorus, were never more ftriking than in 
 
 the performance of to-day. 
 
 M Chorus,
 
 82 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 Chorus. 
 " Let all the Angels of God worjlnp him." Heb. i. 6. 
 
 This fpirited fugue, feemingly on two fubjedls, is, perhaps, 
 the moft artificial that has been compofed in modern times, 
 Handel, in order to exercife his abiHties in every fpecies of dif- 
 ficulty which the moft learned and elaborate Canonifts and 
 Fughifts of the fifteenth and fixteenth centuries were ambitious 
 of vanquifhing, has compofed this movement in what ancient 
 theorifts called fninor Prolation -, in which the reply to a fubje(5l 
 given, though in fimilar intervals, is made in notes of different 
 value : as when the theme is led off in femibreves and anfwered 
 in minims, or the contrary faj. 
 
 " T'he Lord gave the word ; great was the company of the 
 preachers." Pfal. Ixvii. ii. 
 
 The majefty and dignity of the few folemn notes with which 
 this Chorus is begun, without inftruments, received great aug- 
 mentation now, from being delivered by fuch a number of bafe 
 and tenor voices in unifon j and the contraft of fenfation occa- 
 fioned by the harmony and adtivity of the feveral parts, after- 
 wards, had a very ftril<ing effedl. 
 
 " How beaut ful are the feet of them that preach the gcfpel of 
 " peace, and bring glad tidings ofgoodthitigs!" (Ifai. Hi. 7. andRom. 
 X. 15.) is a very pleafing Air, alia Siciliana, which Signor Bartolini 
 
 (a) As it is only profeflbrs wlio can efti- ft;intly repeating it in quavers and femi- 
 
 mate the difficulty of finding a fubjcft quarers : an exercile for ingenuity often 
 
 which will I'f rve as an accompaniment to pra(5>ifed about two hundred years ago, on 
 
 itfelf in notes of augmentation or diminu- a few ilo.v notes, or in fragments of canto 
 
 tion, it is to them that the examination of fermo ; but never before, I believe, in fo 
 
 this Chorus is recommended, who will fee many parts, with fuch perfefl airy freedom, 
 
 that while one part is performing the theme or little appearance of rellraint and difti- 
 
 in crotchets and quavers, another is con- culty. 
 
 fung
 
 THIRD PERFORMANCE. 83 
 
 fungwith elegant limpllcity. And " their found is gone out " (Pf, 
 xix. 4.) and " Let lis break their bonds a/under" (Pf. ii. 3.) both 
 upon two different flibjcd:s, are capital Chorufes in very different 
 ftyles, as well as meafure, and were performed with the utmoft fpirit 
 and precifion ; but I haftcn to fpeak of the Allelujah, which is 
 the triumph of Hand£l, of the Commemoration, and of 
 the mufical art. 
 
 The opening is clear, chearful, and bold. And the words, 
 " For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth," (Rev. xix. 6.) fet to a 
 fragment of canto fermo, wtiich all the parts fing, as fuch, in uni- 
 fons and odlaves, has an effect truly ecclcfiaftical. It is afterwards 
 made the fubjeft of fugue and ground-work for the Allelujah. 
 Then, as a fhort epifode in plain counter-point, we have " The 
 " kingdom of this world" (lb. ix. 15.) — which being begun />/W«o, 
 was folemn and affedling. But the laft and principal fubjed: pro- 
 pofed, and led off by the bafe — " And he Jhall reign for ever a?id 
 *' ever," is the moft: plcafing and fertile that has ever been invented 
 fince the art of fugue was firff cultivated. It is marked, and con- 
 flantly to be diftinguiflicd through all the parts, accompaniments, 
 counter-fubjedls and contrivances, with which it is charged. And, 
 finally, the words — " King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, (lb. xix. 
 16.) always fet to a fingle found, which feems to ftand at bay, 
 while the other parts attack it in every poffible manner, in " A//e- 
 " lujahs—for ever and ever," is a moft happy and marvellous con- 
 cati nation of harmony, melody, and great effects. 
 
 Dante, in his Paradifo, imagines nine circles, or choirs of che- 
 rubs, feraphs, patriarchs, prophets, martyrs, faints, angels, and 
 archangels, who with hand and voice are eternally praifing and glo- 
 rifying the Supreme Being, whom he places in the centre ; taking 
 the idea from TV Deum laiidamus, where it is faid : '■'• To thee Che- 
 
 M 2 riibim
 
 84 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 rubim and Seraphim continually do cry," &c. Now as the Orcheftra 
 in Wcftminfter Abbey, feemed to afcend into the clouds and unite 
 with the faints and martyrs reprefented on the painted glafs in tlie 
 weft window, which had all the appearance of a continuation of the 
 Orcheftra ; I could hardly refrain, during the performance of the 
 AUelujah, to imagine that this Orcheftra, fo admirably conftrud:- 
 ed, filled, and employed, was a point or fegment of one of thefe 
 celeftial circles. And perhaps, no band of mortal muficians ever 
 exhibited a more refpedlable appearance to the eye, or afforded a 
 more extatic and aifeding found to the ear, than this. 
 
 " So fung they, and the empyrean rung 
 " With Allelujahs." 
 
 PART
 
 [ 85 ] 
 
 ART III. 
 
 '* T KfWiv that my Redeemer Ihcth, and that he will Jland at 
 •* ''the latter day upon the earth : and though worms dejiroy 
 *' this body, yet in my jlejh I JJmU fee God. (Job xix. 25, 26.) 
 " For now is Chriji rifen from the dead, the frji fruits of them 
 thatfleep." i Cor. xv. 20. 
 
 It has been faid, I think, inconfiderately, " that the Airs of 
 " the Messiah are greatly inferior to moil of thofe in Handel's 
 " Operas, and other Oratorios." It would not, however, 
 be difficult to point out eight or ten Airs of peculiar merit in this 
 Oratorio; among which, " Every Valley" — preceded by the ac- 
 companied Recitative, '' Comfort ye my people" — He JImH feed his 
 " fock — He was defpifed — and I know that my Redeemer liveth"—' 
 are fo excellent, that it would not be eafy to find their equals in 
 any one of his Operas or other Oratorios. Indeed, the univerfal 
 rapture vifible in the countenances of this uncommonly numerous 
 and fplendid audience, during the whole time that madame Mara 
 was performing the very affedling Air with which the Illd part 
 of the Messiah is opened : " I know that my Redeemer liveth y" 
 exceeded every filent expreffion of delight from Mufic which I 
 had ever before obferved. Her power over the fenfibility of the 
 audience feemed equal to that of Mrs. Siddons. There was no 
 eye within my view which did not 
 
 — — — " filently a gentle tear let fall." 
 
 Nor
 
 86 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 Nor, though long hackneyed in Mufic, did I find myfelf made 
 
 " of (tronger earth than others." 
 
 At the end of her performance of this Air, the audience feemed 
 burfting with applaufe for which the place allowed of no decorous 
 means of utterance. The Italians, when much pleafed with 
 Mufic in their churches, manifeft rapture by coughing, fpitting, 
 blowing their nofes, or fcraping their feet, which with us are 
 expreffions of contempt. The conftrudlion, however, of thefe 
 audible figns are eafy and intelligible, when once they are fettled 
 by national compact. 
 
 After this juftly admired Air, the fliort Semi-chorus : " Since 
 *' by man came death," in plain counterpoint, by the principal 
 foprano, counter-tenor, tenor, and bafe, without inftruments, 
 had a fweet and folemn effeil, which heightened the beauty of the 
 followino- Chorus : "By man came alfo the refurreSlion of the 
 dead." And the Semi-chorus, " for as in Adam all die" fung 
 in the fame unaccompanied manner, by three of the befl: fingers 
 in each of the four fpecies of voice, contrafted admirably with the 
 full Chorus — " Even Jo in Chrift Jlmll all be made alive." 
 
 The effedl of contrail in thefe movements, alternately fung 
 with, and without inftruments, was fo agreeable and flriking, 
 that it were to be wifhed more frequent ufe was made of fuch an 
 eafy expedient. 
 
 The favourite Bafe fong, " T he Trumpet Jhall found " (i Cor. xv. 
 c2.) was very well performed by Signor Tafca and Mr. Sarjant, who 
 accompanied him on the trumpet admirably. There are, however, 
 fome paffages in the trumpet-part to this Air, which have ahvays 
 a bad effedi:, from the natural imperfection of the inflrument. In 
 Handel's time, compofers were not fo delicate in writing for 
 
 Trumpets
 
 SECOND PERFORMANCE. 87 
 
 Trumpets and French-horns, as at prefcut ; it being now laid 
 down as a rule, that the fourth and fixth of a key on both tliefe 
 inftruments, being naturally fo much out of tune that no player 
 can make them perfedt, fhould never be ufed but in fhort pafling 
 notes, to which no bafe is given that can difcover their falfe in- 
 tonation. Mr. Sarjeant's tone is extremely fweet and clear, but 
 every time that he was obliged to dwell upon G, the fourth of 
 D, difpleafure appeared in eveiy countenance ; for which I was 
 extremely concerned, knowing how inevitable fuch an eifed: muft 
 be from fuch a caufe (a). 
 
 The Chorus — " But thanks be to God.," (Ibid. 57.) and the 
 Air — " If God is for us," Rom. viii. 31), fung by Mifs Cantelo, 
 were well performed, and had very pleafmg effedts. 
 
 ' ' Worthy is the Lamb that was Jlain, and hath redeemed us to 
 " God by his blood, to receive power,, and riches, and wi/dom, and 
 " Jlrength, and honour, and glory, and ble//i?ig. Rev. v. 12. 
 
 " Blejfing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that fit - 
 " teth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever I 
 " Amen" Ibid. 13. 
 
 Of thefe three final Chorufes it is difficult to determine which 
 is the beft, or had the grandefl effed, from the very uncommon 
 force and accuracy with wliich they were now performed. But 
 though thefe three admirable movements are all in the fame key 
 and meafure, yet their charadters are totally different : the firft—- 
 " Worthy is the Lamb — in Iblemn, fimple counterpoint, and 
 
 (a) fn the AllclujaVi, p. i 50, of the piirtcd onc'that hears it, with nn cxpicirion of pain, 
 
 fcorc, G, the fourth of the key, is founded It is very much to be wiflied that this ani- 
 
 and fuftaiucd duriii}/ two entire bars. In iniuing and brilliant inftriinient could have 
 
 the Dettingen Te Dcinii^ p. 30, and in many its defe(5^s removed by fonie ingenious me- 
 
 other places, this/a^ concord, or interval, chaiiicaj contrivance, as thofe of the Ger» 
 
 perpetually deforms the fair face of har- man flute are, by keys, 
 uiony, and indeed the face of almoft every 
 
 modu-
 
 88 
 
 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 modulation, is flow ; with alternate ftrains of an accelerated 
 movement, to which there is a very ingenious and pleafing ac- 
 companiment for the violins, totally different from the voice- 
 parts, 
 
 " BleJJing and honour, glory and power faj, be unto him that 
 " Jitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever." 
 
 This fecond Chorus on a marked, fpirited, and pleafmg fub- 
 je<5t of fugue, in the ftyle of canto fermo, is led off" by the tenors 
 aud bafes, in unifon ; then it is repeated by the trebles an odtave 
 higher, without accompaniments, till the point : — " that Jitteth 
 " upon the throne," is anfwered by the tenors. After which the 
 counter-tenors introduce the firft fubjedl, and are followed by the 
 bafes. When all the parts have fung the whole fubjeft, which 
 is long, particular feitions of it are made points of imitation. 
 And after the fugue has been well treated in all the relative keys, 
 
 while 
 
 (a) The feeming contraftion of (he words 
 in the notation of this paffage, has a barba- 
 rous appearance to the eye : as Hansel 
 has allovved but three notes to five fyllables ; 
 though the time is fo flow {Larghetio) that 
 no elilion in finging them feems necefliiry. 
 
 'mm 
 
 Bleffing and honour, glory and 
 
 EBifi^z' 
 
 ^-®^-^-h--E:-b-r- 
 
 — W-k^-h- 
 
 
 Blefling and honour, glory and 
 
 
 
 be un to him, &:c. 
 
 power, be unto him. — 
 
 and this notation has been literally followed 
 in all tranfcripts and editions of the Ora- 
 torio ever fince. 
 
 This little defe£l would certainly not have 
 been po'nted out here, had it not been with 
 the wifti of indicating an apology for it, and 
 a cure. In future editions and tranfcripts 
 of fo claffical a produiStion, it feems necef- 
 
 power. 
 The compofcr, from the liitle experience 
 he had had in fetiing Engllfli words, in 
 
 the year 1741, thinking the rapid manner fary to recommend the correftion of this 
 
 in which the l.mguage is pronounced in and a few other fimiiar in;iccuracics, left 
 
 converfation Ihould be followed in reading mere verbal critics, laying too much ftrefs 
 
 and finging poetry and lofty profe, fct the on fuch trivial defefts, fhould endeavour to 
 
 words of this Chorus thus : diminilh the glory of the author and his 
 
 work
 
 THIRD PERFORMANCE. Bgi 
 
 while the viohns are moving in femi-quavers, the important 
 words " blcjjingy honour j glory," — are diilinftly and judicioufly 
 pronounced by all the vocal parts together, in plain counter- 
 point, with a crotchet reft, or mufical comma, between each of 
 them. Then, with a fire, fpirit, and refources peculiar to Han- 
 del, this admirable Chorus is wound up with reiterations of the, 
 words " for ever and e\)e7\" in all the fplendor of fitli har- 
 mony and animated movement. 
 
 And, at length, when thofe who hear the Messiah for the 
 firft time imagine the whole performance to be completely and 
 glorioufly finiflied, a finale is led off by the bafes, in a fugue, 
 upon a noble fubje6t, to the Hebrew conclufive term of devotion,. 
 Amen. In the courfe of this movement the fubjedt is divided, 
 fubdivided, inverted, enriched with counter-fubjedls, and made 
 fubfervient to many ingenious and latent purpofes of harmony, 
 melody, and imitation ; with the efFe<5ls of which, though all 
 muft be ftruck and delighted, yet thofe only are able to comprehend 
 the whole merit of contexture in this Chorus, who" have ftudied har- 
 mony or counter-point, and are capable of judging of defign, ar- 
 rangement, contrivance, and all the ingenious mazes and perplexities 
 of elaborate compofitions. Here Handel, unembarraffed by 
 words, gave a loofe to genius, liberated from all reftraints but 
 thofe of his own art. An inftrumeutal fugue could not be more 
 free and unconfined than this, upon an open vowel, and a fyl- 
 lable that terminates with the eafy appulfe of the tongue and 
 teeth, which the liquid letter n requires. Symphonies of a fo- 
 Icmn kind, witliout finging, are frequently played in the Italian 
 
 work. And, Indeed, however flight or un- of Mufic, to mere grammarians and philo« 
 important fuch overfights may be to lovers logers, they appear unpardonable, 
 
 N churches,
 
 90 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 churches, during the Mcjfa bojj'ay or filent celebration of the 
 mafs. And diviiions on particular words and lyllables, which 
 are thought innovations and modern fopperies, have been proved 
 of the higheft antiquity in the church, and the authority of 
 Saint Auguftine has been cited in apology for their ufe (a). 
 
 (a) " 'When we are unable to find words " can ue celebrate his iiieflTible joodnefs, 
 
 " worthy of the Divinity, we do well, f:iys " when we arc equally unable to adore him 
 
 " this faint, to addrefs him with confuted " in fikntc, and to find any other expref- 
 
 " founds of joy and thankfgiving. For '" fions ot our tranTports, than inarticulate 
 
 •' to whom are fuch extatic founds due, un- " founds i"' tii.ory of Mujic, vol. ii. p. 
 
 " lets to the Supreme Being ? And how 172.. 
 
 C O M^
 
 [ To face P. 91. ] 
 
 Seledtion of Sacred Mufic for the Fourth Commemoration 
 
 Performance. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Overture — Esther^ 
 The Dettingen Te Deum. 
 
 PART IL 
 
 Overture of Tamerlane, and Dead March in Saul 
 Part of the Funeral Anthem. 
 Whefi the ear heard him. 
 He delivered the poor that cried. . 
 His body is buried in peace. 
 Gloria Patri, from the Jubilate. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 Air and Chorus — Jehovah crown d with glory bright. 
 
 In Esther. 
 First Grand Concerto. 
 C n o R u s — Gird on thy Jhjaord, In Saul. 
 Fourth Hautbois Concerto = 
 Anthem — O fmg unto the Lord all the whole earth. 
 Chorus — The Lord f:all reign for ever and ever. Israel 
 
 in Egypt. 
 Coronation Anthem. Zadoc the PrieJ.
 
 •^ ,/ 
 
 JJfiUtury uafp . 

 
 COMMEMORATION 
 
 O F 
 
 HANDEL. 
 
 FOURTH PERFORMANCE, 
 
 WESTMINSTER- ABBEY. 
 
 June 3, 1784. 
 
 BY COMMAND OF HIS MAJESTY. 
 
 P A 11 T
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 THE preceding performances having given fuch entire fatif- 
 fadlion to all that were prefent, and becoming, of courfe, 
 the general fubjedl of difcuflion and praife, excited a great defire 
 in all lovers of Mufic, and even of fplendid fpedtacles, who were 
 abfent, to be enabled to judge and fpeak of tranfadlions fo memor- 
 able, from the convidlion of their own fenfes. But even thefe 
 were not more eager in wifliing there might be a repetition of the 
 performances, than thofe who had already attended them. Luckily 
 for all parties, the wiflies of their Majefties coincided with thofe 
 of their fubjedls ; and as the fcafFolding was ftill ftanding, and 
 the band not yet difperfed, two more opportunities were given 
 for the difplay of Handel's wonderful powers, and the gratifi- 
 cation of public curiofity. 
 
 On Monday, the laft day of May, thefe two additional per- 
 formances had the advantage of being announced in the pubUc 
 papers, with the mofl honourable and indubitable teftimony of 
 Royal Patronage, in the following manner. 
 
 BY
 
 [ 94 ] 
 
 " By COMMAND of His MAJESTY. 
 In Commemoration of HANDEL, under tiie Direftion of the 
 
 Earl of Exeter 
 Earl of Sandwich 
 Earl of Uxbridge 
 
 Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, 
 
 Bart. 
 Sir Richard Jebb, Bart. 
 
 ! 
 
 On THURSDAY next, the 3d of June, there will be an additional 
 
 performance of 
 SACRED MUSIC, 
 
 In Weftminfter-Abbey, 
 Confifling of the following Pieces compofcd by that Great Matter. 
 
 PART I. 
 Overture, Eflher. 
 The Dettingen Te Deum. 
 
 PART II. 
 Overture, Tamerlane — with the Dead March in Saul. 
 When the Ear heard him. 
 
 He delivered the Poor that cried, J. From the Funeral Anthem. 
 His Body is buried in Peace, 
 Gloria Patri, from the Jubilate. 
 
 PART III. 
 Firft Grand Concerto. 
 Chorus. — Gird on thy Sword, from Saul. 
 Fourth Hautboy Concerto. 
 Anthem. — O fing unto the Lord all the whole Earth. 
 Chorus — The Lord fliall reign for ever and ever, from Ifrael in 
 
 Egypt. 
 Coronation Anthem. — Zadock the Prieft. 
 The doors will be opened at Nine o'Clock precifely, and the per- 
 formance will begin at Twelve, when the doors will be fliut. 
 
 Tickets for this Performance will be delivered at One Guinea each, 
 at the St. Alban's Tavern, in St. Alban's-ftrect, and no where clfe, on 
 Tucfday the ift, and Wednefday the 2d of June, between the hours 
 of Ten in the morning, and Ten in the evening of each day, and 
 after that time no Tickets can be delivered, or Money taken j but 
 when the number of Tickets fhall be judged fufficient to fill the places 
 allotted for the company, the delivery of them will be flopped before 
 the hour of Ten on Wednefday night. 
 
 The profits arifing from this performance, as well as thofe of the 
 former ones, will be applied to charitable purpofcs."
 
 [ 95 ] 
 
 " By COMMAND of Her MAJESTY. 
 
 On Saturday next, June 5, being the LAST DAY of the 
 
 C O ISl M E ]\.l O R A T I O N OF HANDEL, 
 
 Will be performed in Wcflminfler-Abbcy, 
 
 Under the Management of the 
 
 Earl of Exeter 
 Earl of Sandwich 
 Earl of Uxbridge 
 
 Sir Watlcin Williams Wvnn, 
 
 Bart. 
 Sir Richard Jcbb, Bart. 
 The SACRED ORATORIO of 
 THE MESSIAH. 
 The doors will be opened at Nine o'C lock prccifely, and the per- 
 formance will begin at Twelve, when the doors will be fhur. 
 
 Tickets to be had at the St. Alban's Tavern, on Friday next and no 
 where elfe, from Eight in the Morning, till Ten at Night. 
 
 The profits arifing from this performance, as well as thofe of the 
 former ones, will be applied to charitable purpofes." 
 
 Experience is fuch an admirable inflrudlrefs, that every little 
 perplexity, or unexpeded cmbarraiTment, which had occalioned 
 the lead trouble or inconvenience to the company, in approach- 
 ing or entering the Abbey, had been fo entirely removed by the 
 well-concerted meafures which the Diredors and their afiiftants 
 had taken, that no alTemblies equally numerous were, perhaps, ever 
 formed before, on any occafion, with fuch perfed: facility as thefe. 
 Though the pieces performed in the Abbey, on the firft Day of 
 Commemoration, were fo admirably executed, and univerfally ap- 
 proved, yet as there were a few changes and additions to be made 
 at the particular inftance of his Majefty, a public rehearfal was 
 advertifed for Wednefday, at which upwards of Eight hundred per- 
 fons were'prefent, who paying half guineas for admilfion, confider- 
 ably augmented the clear profits appropriated to charitable purpofes. 
 
 The order in which the feveral pieces of this day were per- 
 formed, is the following : 
 
 PART
 
 [ 96 ] 
 
 PART I. 
 
 OVERTURE IN ESTHER. 1722. 
 THE DETTINGEN TE DEUM. 1743. 
 
 OF thefe excellent produdlions, nothing need be added to 
 what has already been faid, in the account of the firft 
 day's performance (a) ; except, that for accuracy of execution, 
 and grandeur of effedl, they now merited flill warmer praife. 
 
 Ca) See p. 27, 28. 
 
 PART
 
 PART II. 
 
 OVERTURE IN TAMERLANE. 
 
 Compofed 1724. 
 WITH THE DEAD MARCH IN SAUL, 
 
 1740. 
 When the ear heard him. Sec. "^ Funeral Anthem. 
 
 He delivered the poor that cried, Sec. > 
 His body is buried in peace, &c. J Compofed 1737. 
 
 Gloria Patri _ _ _ "Jubilate 1713. 
 
 TH E only change that was made in the pieces of this part 
 of to-day's performance, was playing the two firfl move- 
 ments of the Overture in Tamerlane, inftead of the firft move- 
 ment of the Overture in Saul, which was very judicious, and 
 produced an admirable effecft. The opening of the Overture in 
 Tamerlane is remarkably majeftic in itfelf; and the powerful 
 manner in which all the parts were this day enforced, augmented 
 its dignity and importance. The fugue, upon a marked, lively, 
 and airy fubjed:, is fo clofely and ingenioufly worked, as to be 
 continually heard in one or other of the parts ; for even where 
 the hautbois are left to themfelves, the folo palfages allotted to 
 them arife either out of the fubjed: of the movement, or its in- 
 verfion. It was wonderfully compad: in performance, and after 
 being twice played with the precifion of a few fcle6l hands, and 
 the effedl of myriads ; from its being in a minor key, and in an 
 animated movement, it contributed mucli to brighten the grate- 
 ful richnefs of the harmony, as well as to give dignity to the flow 
 and folemn meafure, of the 
 
 DEAD MARCH IN SAUL. 
 
 O PART
 
 [ 98 ] 
 
 A 
 
 R 
 
 II r. 
 
 AIR AND CHORUS IN ESTHER, 
 
 Compofed in ijzo fa),. 
 
 A I R. 
 
 Jehovah crawn'd 'with glory bright,. 
 Surrounded with eternal light, 
 Whofe minifiers are fames of Jire, 
 Arife, and execute thine ire fbj. 
 
 C H OR u s. 
 
 He comes, he comes, to end our woes, 
 And pour his vengeance on our foes. 
 Earth trembles, lofty mountains nod, 
 Jacob arife, to meet thy God 
 He comes, &c.- fcf 
 
 (a) Though this Oi-atorio was compofed 
 fo early as 1720, for the duke of Chandos, 
 at Cannons, ytt it was not publickly per- 
 formed till May, 1732; when it ran dur- 
 ing ten nights. 
 
 (h This Air is mdre than an imitation 
 of the foUowins; lines in the laft Chorus of 
 the 2d Aft of Racine's Ellher. 
 
 O DicU, que la gloire cowonne ! 
 D'uu, que la lumUrc. cnvironne ! 
 Qui '•joles fur I'aik ties -vent., — ^ 
 Donne a ton nom la 'viiioiru 
 
 (e) A r me -to!, vien nous tlefenjrc, 
 
 Defcenth tel qu^ autrefois la Mer te vit dt- 
 
 fcendre. 
 Slui les mechans appremient aujoura'hui 
 A crabidre ta lolcre. 
 I never could afcertain who was the wri- 
 ter of this Oratorio, inEnglifh: accordii^ 
 to the author of the Bibl. Brit. Tom, xv, 
 1740, it was aferibcd to Pope and Arbuth- 
 not ; but, by whomfoever it was produced, 
 there is certainly fomething in many of 
 the lines that fcems entitled to the name 
 of poetry. 
 
 The
 
 FOURTH PERFORMANCE. 99 
 
 The invocation to the Divinity in the Air, as well as his an- 
 nunciation in the fubfequent Chorus, are fet in a ftyle fo pecu- 
 liarly grand, that they ought not to ^be pafled by without ibme- 
 thing iTVDre than an indifcriminate acknowledgment of their ex- 
 cellence. 
 
 The opening of this fcene, in the firft Sacred Drama that was 
 fet to Mufic by Handel, bears all the marks of a grand and 
 fublime genius. He was now arrived at the age of thirty-iix, 
 when, after WTiting for the firft performers in Europe, vocal and 
 inftrumental, his judgment was matured fufficiently to guide, 
 without abating his fire and enthufiafm. And this Chorus feems 
 entitled to admiration for a different fpecies of merit from 
 the generality of his Oratorio Chorufes, to which we liften with 
 wonder, at the knowledge, contrivance, art of fugue, or rich- 
 nefs of harmony with which they abound ; for this has all the 
 fpirit and activity of a compofition truly drajn<itic. And the per- 
 petual agitation of the inflrumental parts helps the exprefhon of 
 the words, in a moft wonderful manner. 
 
 Indeed the accompaniments are fo full and complete, that they 
 feem to have been written before the voice-parts, which are chiefly 
 in plain counterpoint ; furnifliing fuch fimple fundamental har- 
 mony as the right-hand of a harpfichord -player might comprefs 
 into chords, in accompanying the bafe. There is neither fugue 
 nor imitation carried on in this Chorus, except for a few bars, at 
 the words, " to end our woes — And pour his vengeance on our 
 " foes." — But at the fecond flrain — " Earth trembles" &c. 
 there is a grandeur of exprelfion and effedt, which, as it was the 
 firft time I had ever heard this compofition performed, adled on 
 my feelings in a very uncommon manner. 
 
 O z As
 
 160 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL, 
 
 As fome of my readers may, perhaps, wifh to. know a few cir- 
 cumftancee belonging to the hiftory of this primitive Oratorio, 
 be fides thofe that have been related in the Life of Handel, 
 p. 22 ; the following information has been obtained from Dr. Ran- 
 dal, the mufical profeffor at Cambridge, and Mr. Barrow, who were 
 among the original performers, when it was dramatically reprefented. 
 
 On the firfl performance of Esther, in adlion,. at the houfe 
 of Mr. Bernard Gates, Mailer of the Children of the Chapel- 
 Royal, in 1 73 1, the parts were caft in the following manner: 
 
 Efther _ _ by Mr. John (now Dr.) Randal. 
 
 AlTuerus, and firft Ifraelite - James Butler.. 
 Haman _ _ _ John Moore. 
 
 Mordecai, and Ifraelite Boy - John Brown. 
 Prieft of the Ifraelites - - John Beard. 
 
 Harbonah _ _ _ - Price Clevely, 
 
 Perfian Officer, and 2d Ifraelite James Allen. 
 
 Ifraelites ") Samuel (late Dr.) Howard, 
 
 and I ^ ~ ■^^* Thomas Barrow. 
 
 Officers J Robert Denham. 
 
 Soon aftei- this, it was twice performed by the lame children, 
 at the Crown and Anchor, by the defire of William Huggins, 
 efq. a member of that Society, and tranilator of Arioflo,. pub- 
 liflied 1757, who fiuTulhed the drelles. Mr.. Hand ex himfelf 
 was prefent at one of thefe reprefentations, and having mentioned 
 it to the Princcfs Royal, his illuflrious fcholar, her Royal High- 
 nefs was plcafed to exprefs a dcfire to fee it exhibited ia aition at 
 the Opera-houfe in the Hay-market, by the fame young perform- 
 ers ; but Dr. Gibfon, then bilhop of London, would not grant 
 permiffion for its being reprefented on that ftage, even with book ^ 
 
 in
 
 FIFTH PERFORMANCE. 
 
 101 
 
 in the children's hands. Mr. Handel, however, the next year, 
 had it performed at that theatre, with additions to the Drama, by 
 Humphreys ; but mjlill life : tliat is, without adion, in the fame 
 manner as Oratorios have been fmce conltantly performed. The 
 Drama exhibited by the children confifted only of two adls : be- 
 ginning with the Recitative, " Tis greater far," Sec. as it had 
 been originally fet for the duke of Chandos. 
 
 The firfl Oratorios that were performed in Italy, at the begin- 
 ning of the lafl century, -wtvcfacrcd Dramas, or Reprefmtations^ 
 performed in aftion ; and EJlher and Athalie were exhibited in 
 France, at the convent of St. Cyr, in that manner. It feems to 
 have been a cuftom of very ancient {landing, for our court to em- 
 ploy the children of the chapel in dramatic reprefentations, under 
 the diredtion of the mafler of the revels. And in the houfliold book 
 of the earls of Northumberland, it appears that the fame ufe was ori- 
 ginally made of the fmging-boys of their domeftic chapel. It appears 
 likewife that moft of Ben Jonfon's Mafques, written for queen Eli- 
 zabeth and king James the Firfl, were adled and fung by the chil- 
 dren of the Chapel-Royal -, and among his Epigrams, we find an 
 epitaph on S. P. a child of queen Elizabetli's chapel, Avhofe ta- 
 lents for ailing are more celebrated than thofe for finging,^^^. 
 
 (^) " Weep uith inc all you that read 
 
 This little ftory : 
 And know for whom a tear 3-ou (hed,. 
 
 Death's felt' is foriy. 
 'Twas a child that fo did thrive 
 
 In grace and feature, 
 As heav'n and nature fecm'd to (Irire 
 
 Which own'd the creature. 
 Yearcs he number'd fcarce thirteen 
 
 When Fatci tiirn'd cruel, 
 Yet three fiU'd zodiackes had he been 
 
 The ftagcs jewel ; 
 
 And did ac>, what now we moane 
 
 Old men fo ducly. 
 As footh the Parcci: thought him one. 
 
 He play'd fo trucly. 
 So by error to his fate 
 
 They allconfented ; 
 But viewing him fince, al.is too late. 
 
 They ha%'e repented ; 
 And have fought to give new birth, 
 
 In bathes to llcep him ; 
 But, being fo much too good for earth, 
 
 Heav'n vows to keep him." 
 
 £<•« Joj'jWs ff'orki, Fol. Edit. p. 3S. 
 
 I' I R S T
 
 102 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 FIRST GRAND CONCERTO. 
 
 If the epithet grand, inftead of implying, as it ufually does, 
 many parts, or a Concerto requiring a great band or Orcheilra, 
 had been here intended to exprefs fubliniity and dignity, it might 
 have been ufed with the utmofl: propriety ; for I can recolledl no 
 movement that is more lofty and noble than this ; or in which 
 the treble and bafe of the tutii, or full parts, are of two fuch 
 diflind and marked charafters ; both bold, and contrafted, not 
 only with each other, but with the folo parts, which are graceful 
 and chantant. Nor did I ever know lb much bufmefs done in 
 fo fliort a time ; that movement contains but thirty-four bars, 
 and yet nothing feems left unfaid ; and though it begins with fo 
 much pride and haughtinefs, it melts, at lai't, into fcftnefs ; and, 
 where it modulates into a minor key, feems to exprefs fatigue, 
 languor, and fainting. 
 
 The fubjedl of the next movement is gay and pleafing. And, 
 when the nrft violin has a feries of iterated notes, in fcale, by 
 thirds with the bafe, the fecond violin renders them interelling 
 by the poignancy of fliarp fifths, mounting up to fixths, ufed as 
 appoggiaturas, or notes of tafte. In the adagio, while the two 
 trebles are finging in the ftyle of vocal duets of the time, 
 where thefe parts, though not in regular fugue, abound in imi- 
 tations of the fugue kind ; the bafe, with a boldnefs and charadler 
 peculiar to Handel, fupports with learning and ingenuity the 
 fubjed: of the two firft bars, either dire<ft or inverted, throughout 
 the movement, in a clear, diftindl, and marked manner. The 
 fugue upon an airy pleafing theme, is clofely worked and car- 
 ried on from the beginning to the end without epifode, or divi- 
 
 fion
 
 FOURTH PERFORMANCE. 103 
 
 fion foreign to the fubje6l, and in a modulation ftridly confined 
 to the key note and its fifth : thofe who know the merit and 
 diriiculty of this fpecies of compofition can alone be fenfible of 
 our author's refources and fuperiority, whenever fugue is in quef- 
 tioji. The hSk. A/kgro, in the time of a quick Minuet, con- 
 tains many graceful and pleafing pafi"ages, particularly in the 
 folo parts. I have often heard this CoQcerto well performed at 
 Vaux-hall, Ranelagh, and other places, foon after its publication, 
 by what were, then, thought great bands j but the force, dignity, 
 and importance given to every paillige and combination by this 
 unparalleled band, renovated and fiarpaffed all the pleafure it ever 
 afl:brded me before. 
 
 C H O R. U S IN S A U L., 
 
 Compofed 1740.. 
 
 Gird on thyfivord, thou man of might, 
 Purfiie thy wonted fame ; 
 Go on, be profperous in fight y 
 Retrieve the Hebrew name. 
 
 Thy Jlrong right hand with terror arm'dy. 
 Shall thy obdurate foes difniay ; 
 While others, by thy virtue charm' d. 
 Shall crowd to own thy righteous fway. 
 
 This Chorus is extremely animating and fpirited ; and, as the 
 words imply, being intended to roufe and ftimulate a hero to 
 take the field, feemed, in the performance by fo numerous a band,, 
 to exprefs the clamorous entreaties of a whole people. The 
 point " retrieve the Hebrew Jiame," led off in the middle of this 
 
 Chorus,
 
 104 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 Chorus, contrafted admirably with the artful and intentional con- 
 fulion of the beginning ; and the artlefs fiinplicity of the laft 
 movement, — " ivhile others by thy 'virtue charmed," led off in a 
 kind of canto fcrmo, by upwards of fixty tenor voices, in unifon, 
 had an effedt to which our ears are wholly unaccuflomed. In- 
 deed, the powerful manner in which this fubjed: was delivered, 
 lingly, by the other parts, as well as the ingenuity of the accom- 
 paniment, and united force of the whole band, augmented through- 
 out by the tromboni, when every voice and every inftrument was 
 employed, mufl have aflonifhed, by the novelty of the effedts, 
 not only the unlearned lovers of Mulic, but the moit fcientific 
 and experienced Muficians prefent. 
 
 FOURTH HAUTBOIS CONCERTO ^.^y. 
 
 I received fuch pleafure in my youth from all the fix admirable 
 Concertos, of which this is one, that as I had not heard them 
 performed for many years, I rejoiced much to fee two of them 
 in the lift of Commemoration-pieces ; and ftill more, on hearing 
 them, to find that they had not loft ground in my affedlion. To 
 afi^ert that they were never fo well performed before, e\'en un- 
 der the author's own diredtion, is faying but little ; as he was 
 never mafter of fo numerous or well difciplined a band. Indeed, 
 fuch is the power of good performance, that it will give meaning 
 and intereft to ordinary Mufic -, but compofitions fo intrinfically 
 
 (a) During the Opera regency of the turn out profitable. Dr. Arbuthnot iindcr- 
 
 Royiil Academy, the Dircftors, at the clofe took to manage, and HANOtL to compofe 
 
 of a fealbn, finding their finances in a better an Overtiire on the occafion. Itwas then 
 
 Hate than ufual, determined to laaifice a that he produced this fourth Concerto, 
 
 night to the emolument of the Orcbcflra. which from the ufe to which it was applied, 
 
 Atid a Concert being thought raoft likely to was called the Ordtfira Overture. 
 
 ?ood
 
 FOURTH PERFORMANCE. 105 
 
 good as thefe, fo rich in harmony, melody, and contrivance, 
 muft be flill more heightened and fublimed. The opening of 
 this fourth Hautbois Concerto is full, bold, and fpirited, in the 
 Overture ftyle ; the fecond movement is conftrudted upon one of 
 the moft airy themes, that ever was made the fubjedt of fugue ; 
 and it is ftill chequered, and enlivened by Mifcellaneous paiTages. 
 The third movement is a very agreeable Air, in minuet time, alia 
 caccia. Indeed, this movement is fo much in the French-horn 
 ilyle, that it feems to call for that inflrument. The fourth move- 
 ment is a fliort fugue, in a minor key, with folo parts for the two 
 violins. The Jinalc is a very pleafing minuet, with a folo part 
 for a baflbon. The late celebrated performer on that inflrument. 
 Miller, ufed to acquire great applaufe by his tone, and manner 
 of playing this jnovement, at public places. It was now per- 
 formed by twenty-four baffoons, of which the unity of effedl was 
 truly miu-vellous. The violoncellos were very judicioufly ordered 
 to play only the under part in this drain. 
 
 And here it feems but indifpenfable juftice to obferve, that 
 Mr. Fifcher performed the folo parts of this Concerto, upon the 
 Hautbois, with fuch exquifite tafte and propriety, as muft have 
 convinced all thofe who heard him, that his excellence is not 
 confined to the performance of his own very original and inge- 
 nious produ(ftions. Indeed, one of the Commemoration-won- 
 ders feems to have been, the perfedl manner with which the fweet 
 and grateful tone of his fingle inflrument filled the flupendous 
 building, where this excellent Concerto was performed. 
 
 I have dwelt the longer on this Concerto as it is one of the 
 mofl maflerly and pleafing of Handel's inflrumental produc- 
 tions. It was the fafliion, during his life-time, to regard his 
 compofitions for violins, as mucli inferior to thofe of Corelli and 
 
 P Gemi-
 
 io6 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 Gemlniani ; but I think very unjuftly. If thofe two great maf- 
 ters knew the finger-board and genius of their own inftrument 
 better than Handel, it muft be allowed, per contra, that he 
 had infinitely more fire and invention than either of them. Co- 
 relli was naturally graceful, fymmetrical, and poliflied, but timid ,- 
 Geminiani more bold, inventive, and rhapfodical, was frequently 
 deficient in rhythm, and air. Indeed, his Mufic is fo little 
 phrafed, that whenever a young performer, who plays a fubordi- 
 nate part, is out, he can never get in again ; whereas the me- 
 lody of Corelli is fo meafured, that the number of bars, like feet ia 
 poetry, are even and correfpondent ; fo that an inexpert player, with 
 a tolerable ear, if thrown out, can have little difficulty in rallying. 
 Thefe three admirable authors, who have fo long delight- 
 ed Englifli ears, have certainly a difkind: character and ftyle 
 of compofition, wholly diffimilar from each other : they would 
 all, doubtlefs, have been greatly fublimed by the performance of 
 fuch a band as that lately aflembledj but Handel in a fuperior 
 degree : as the bold defigns, mafles of harmony, contraft, and 
 conftant refources of invention, with which his works abound, 
 require a more powerful agency to develope and difplay them, than 
 the mild ftrains of Corelli, or the wilder effufions of Geminiani. 
 
 HA'NDEL fports with a band, and turns it to innumer- 
 able unexpected accounts, of which neitlier Corelli nor Gemi- 
 niani had ever the leaft want or conception. He certainly ac- 
 quired, by writing fo long for voices and an opera band, more 
 experience and knowledge of effedls than either of thefe ad- 
 mirable violinifts : fo that fuppofing their genius to be equal, 
 thefe circumftances muft turn the fcale in his favour. Indeed, 
 Handel was always afpiring at numbers in his fcores and in his 
 Orchcftra; and nothing can exprefs his grand conceptions, but 
 
 an
 
 FOURTH PERFORMANCE. 107 
 
 an omnipotent band : the generality of his produdlions in the 
 hands of a few performers, is like the club of Alcides, or the 
 bow of Ulyfles, in the hands of a dwarf. 
 
 ANTHEM. 
 ** Ofing unto the Lord, a newfong" &c. 
 
 ** The LordJJoall reign for ever and ever," Sec. 
 
 After the Anthem and Chorus, which were performed with 
 the fame precifion, and heard with the fame unremitting eager- 
 nefs of attention, as before, at the firft performance in the 
 Abbey, the 
 
 CORONATION ANTHEMj 
 
 *' Zadock the priejl, atid Nathan the prophet," &c. 
 
 Terminated the exquilite performance of this dayj which though 
 augmented by the addition of two Concertos, and two Chorufes, 
 was fo far from appearing long, that there feemed not to be a 
 fingle hearer, who did not regret its conclufion. And it would 
 be ungrateful not to confefs, that all the additional pieces of this 
 day's mifcellany were fo judicioufly chofen and admirably exe- 
 cuted, as to refledl the higheft honour upon the great Mulician, 
 who not only gave occaiion to the Feftival, but furnifhed food 
 for the Feaft. 
 
 P r COM-
 
 /'/. / //. 
 
 
 Pi4^liyhrJJ.'x>'.ir>- t^'f'i^f,^.
 
 COMMEMORATION 
 
 O F 
 
 HANDEL. 
 
 FIFTH PERFORMANCE; 
 
 THE 
 
 MESSIAH. 
 
 By command of her MAJESTY, 
 
 In WESTMINSTER-ABBEY, 
 
 Saturday, June 5, 1784.
 
 II I 
 
 THOUGH this fubliiiie produdlion was performed here but 
 a week before, in fo perfedl and magnificent a manner, 
 that no rehearfal, previous to its repetition, was neccffary to the 
 band ; yet, to gratify the wifhes of many timid and infirm lovers 
 of Mufic, who dreaded tlie croud that was likely to be afTembled 
 at a public performance, as well as to raife money for charitable 
 purpofes, another rehearfal would certainly have been announced 
 for Friday, if it had not been prevented from taking place by the 
 celebration of his Majefly's birth-day, on which occafion there 
 was a certainty that the chief part of the performers and com- 
 pany would be engaged. 
 
 Thofe who attended this day's Commemoration at the Abbey 
 were, feemingly, of a higher clafs than had yet appeared there ; fo 
 that though the croud was fomewhat lefs than at the precedino- 
 performance of the fame Oratorio, the exhibition was more 
 fplendid. Indeed, as a fpedlacle, it was fo magnificent to the 
 fight, and, as a mufical performance, fo mellifluous and grateful 
 to the ear, that it will be difficult for tlie 7mnd's eye of thofe who 
 were abfent, to form an adequate idea of the fliow, or the mental 
 ear of the found, from defcription. Eveiy one prefent mufl 
 have found full employment for the two fenfes which afford us 
 the mofl refined pleafure ; as it is from the eye and the ear that 
 intelledl is fed, and the mind furniflied with its befl intelligence. 
 
 There
 
 112 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 There was a change in the manner of executing the Mufic to 
 " Lift up your heads, O ye gates" which deferves to be men- 
 tioned. On the former occafion, the alternate femi-chorufes were 
 performed by all the voices belonging to each part ; but to-day, 
 in order to heighten the contraft, only by three of the principal 
 fingers, till about the thirty-third bar j when the whole Chorus 
 from each fide of the Orcheftra, joined by all the inftruments, 
 burft out, " He is the king of glory." This had a mofl admir- 
 able efFedl, and brought tears into the eyes of feveral of the per- 
 formers. Indeed, if wc may judge from the plenitude of fatif- 
 fadion which appeared in the countenances of all prefent, this 
 effedt was not fuperficial, nor confined to the Orcheftra. 
 
 Another new and grand effedl was produced to-day in the Hal- 
 lelujah, and laft Chorus, *' Worthy is the Lamb" by the intro- 
 dudtion of the tromboni, which were not ufed in thefe Chorufes, 
 on the former occafion. 
 
 At the firft performance of the Mefliah, his Majefty exprefTed a 
 defire to the earl of Sandwich of hearing the moft truly fublime of 
 all Choruffes : " Allelujah ! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" 
 a fecond time ; and this gracious wifti was conveyed to the Or- 
 cheftra, by the waving of his lordfliip's wand. At this fecond 
 performance of that matchlefs Oratorio, his Majefty was pleafed 
 to make the fignal himfelf, with a gentle motion of his right 
 hand in which was the printed book of the words, not only for 
 the repetition of this, but of the final Chorus, in the laft part, 
 to the great gratification of all his happy fubjedts prefent ; and, 
 perhaps, the fubjeds of no fovereign 'prince on the globe were 
 ever before fo delighted with the effefts of a royal mandate. 
 
 Thus ended the fifth and laft of the performances for this me- 
 morable celebration ; and fo great and perfedl was the pleafure 
 
 which
 
 FIFTH PERFORMANCE. ^ 113 
 
 whicli the audience had received, that thofc who had attended all 
 the five exhibitions, feemed mofl to regret this final clofe. There 
 remains, however, a hope, that a performance, fomewhat fimilar, 
 may be annually eftabliflied under the aufpices of their Majefties 
 and the fame Directors , for the Benefit of the Musical Fund^ 
 The plan is not yet wholly digefted ; but I have authority to fay 
 that their Majefties have gracioully condefcended to take this Society 
 and Charity under their Royal patronage and proteftion ; that the 
 noblemen and baronets who fo admirably direded the late Com- 
 memoration, have deigned to become in a particular manner pa- 
 trons of the inftitution, by accepting the offices of honorary 
 Prefident and Vice-Prefidents of this Society ; and that an an- 
 nual performance, on a grand and extenfive fcale, is in meditation, 
 at which pieces feledled from the works of the immortal Han- 
 del, now confecrated by time, reafon, fcience, and univerfal 
 approbation, will be performed in the moft perfed aiid fplendid 
 manner pollible. 
 
 This information may, perhaps, a little abate the defpair of 
 thofe lovers of Mufic, who imagined that fuch an artificial want 
 was created, by the late grand and exquifite performances, as it was 
 impoflible ever again to gratify : regarding the concurrence of fa- 
 vourable circumftances which produced fuch an audience, and 
 fuch a performance, as totally out of the reach of purchafe or 
 power of chance. 
 
 Indeed the late performances, for fome time, fo diminiflied tlie 
 effeft of Orcheftras which always ufed to be thought the moft con- 
 fiderable, that many of the performers in the Opera-band, after 
 having been at the Abbey on the two Saturday mornings of Com- 
 memoration, imagined, at night, that half their brethren were 
 abfent, and the other half, afleep. 
 
 ^ " And
 
 114 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 And though there may, perhaps, be a difference of opinion 
 concerning the comparative excellence of particular movements 
 in the compofitions of each day, as well as the performance of 
 individuals > yet the effefts and perfection of the wdiole ; the pre- 
 cilion with which this mufical phalanx moved, and weight and 
 dignity it gave to every feries of founds in melody, and combi- 
 nation in harmony, can only be controverted by extreme ignor- 
 ance, or perfed infenfibilLty. But if, befides thefe, there (hould 
 flill be others,, who, wilhing to be thought more delicate in their 
 feelings, and accurate in their decilions than the reft of mankind^ 
 are unwilling to do juftice to thefe perform.ances ; they may furely 
 be aflced what is good mufic, and good performance,, if fuch as 
 produced thefe effeds be denied that title ? Let us, at leaft, have 
 fome fuperior ftandard of excellence eredted, under which to en- 
 lift,, before we abandon fenfibility to the mercilefs feverity of un- 
 principled critics, who feem at war, not only with candour, truth, 
 and good tafte, but with their own pleafures. 
 
 Being very defirous to know what judicious foreigners thought 
 of thefe exhibitions, particularly Italians,, accuftomed to good 
 Mufic in their churches, as well as theatres, I applied to Cowit 
 Benincafa, a Venetian nobleman, who was then in London, and 
 had been prefent at the performance of the Messiah in Weft- 
 minfter-Abbey, for information concerning tlie comparative 
 grandeur and excellence of this Band, with any other which he 
 had heard, or of which hiftory or tradition b^d preferved the 
 memory, in his own country. As we had not time for a full 
 difcuflion of the fubjeft, when it was firft propofed,. viva voce, 
 Signor Benincafa was fo obliging as to honour me with his opinion 
 in a letter, of which, before his departure, I entreated his per- 
 miiTion to lay an extradl before the public 3 and it will be the 
 
 more
 
 F I F T tl PERFORMANCE. 115 
 
 more flattering to the projedlors and executors of this ftupendous 
 plan, as the Count is an excellent judge of Mufic ; having heard, 
 read, meditated, and written on the lubje(ft, with a degree of feeling 
 and intelligence, that is equally honourable to himfelf and the 
 art (a). 
 
 London, June 7, 1784. 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 THE Commemoration of Han d'el, celebrated in London 
 during the months of May and June 1784, is one of thofe 
 events which every friend of humanity Ihould reverence and exalt, 
 for the honour of mankind. Happily for you. Sir, the friend of 
 humanity in this fcnfe, ought in a particular manner to be a 
 friend to the Englilh. It is only your great and very refpeftable 
 nation that is capable of planning and executing fuch enterprizes 
 as carry us back to heroic times, by their grandeur and fub- 
 limity. 
 
 Dc Lo7idres ce y 'Juin, 1784. 
 Monfiew, et trh-chcr Atni, 
 
 ZA Commemoration de HANDEL celebree a Londres mix tnois 
 dcMai et "Juin \'j%\,ejl un de ces e'venemcns que tout ami des 
 hommes doit remarqucr, et exalt e^r pour thcnneur de Jes femblables. 
 Heureufement pour vous, Monjieur, Vami des hommes me paroit dans 
 ce Jens devoir etre furiout I'ami des Anglois. C'e/i a votre grand 
 et toute rejpedlabk nation, qu'il appartient d'imagincr, et d'executer 
 les idees, qui peuvent nous retracer les terns heroiques par leur ele- 
 vation, ct par le fentimetit exquis, et fublime a lafois, qu'elles <//- 
 ployent^ 
 
 (a) Sec EJJai fur h Mujiqiir, torn. iii. crs, with whicli Cutinl Beniticafa fiiiniflied 
 Par. 1780, i^xa. where there are m;iny ar- the editor, that breathe the true fpirit ol 
 tides concerning Italian compofcrs and fing- talle, fenlibility, and entliuliafm. 
 
 ^2 la
 
 ii6 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 In the charafter of a true Italian, tormented by his fenfibility, 
 unlefs he gives it vent aloud, I neither can be filent, nor fuffi- 
 ciently explain to you, how much I refpeded the idea, and was 
 ftruck with the majefty of its execution. 
 
 To honour in this manner the memory of an author, who has 
 fignalized himfelf fo much in the divine art of Mufic, though a 
 foreigner ; an author who had the merit of breaking up new 
 ground, and fo\\'ing it with the immortal feeds of knowledge and 
 genius, which time, however, and the limits affigned by nature 
 to our exiftence have not allowed him to fee grow up to their 
 prefent degree of perfection, is an event the mofl honourable to 
 that nation which renders fuch public and difmterefted juftice to 
 the fmiple and filent merit of an illuflrious mortal, who is now 
 no more. Why, alas ! did not his fliade hover round his portrait, 
 and enjoy the triumph faj f 
 
 En qualite dc bon It alien que fa fenfibU'ite fourmente, s'il ne la 
 foulage pas en criant avtour de lui, je ne puis ni ?ne taire, ni vous 
 dire ajjl'z, combien fai ete touche de cet ideey et frappe de I'enfemble 
 majejlueux de [on execution, 
 
 Honorer de cette maniere la memoire d'un auteur des plus Jignales 
 dans le bel art di'vin de la Mufique, mais qui etoit etranger ; d'un 
 auteur y qui a en le tnerite de defricher un champ prefqu inculte dans 
 cefoly en y Jimant des gcrmes immortels de /avoir, et de genie, mais 
 a qui le terns, et les bornes ajjignes par la tiature a tout inventeur, 
 quelqu etonnant quilfut, nont pas permis de porter Jon ouvrage a 
 la perfc6lion qu'on a plus aifement atteinte depuis ; ceji un desfajles 
 les plus honorablcs pour la nation, qui rend une juflice Ji eclatante, 
 Ji dejintirejfee au merite jimple et muet d'un mort illujlrc. Pourquoi 
 Jon ovibrc, en iwltigeant autour de fen portrait, iia-t-elk pu jouir de 
 ce beau tricfnp.be f 
 
 (a) The portrait of Handel was placeJ ja the froa: of the Orchcftra. 
 
 I iliall
 
 FIFTH PERFORMANCE. 117 
 
 I ihall long have before my eyes that beautiful temple whofe 
 pointed vaults afcend to heaven ; that immenfe croud of the moft 
 beautiful and w^ealthy inhabitants of the firft city in the univerfe j 
 the interefting fpedlacle of a Royal Family, whofe beauty charms, 
 and whofe goodnefs captivates every eye and heart ; and that pro- 
 digious Orcheftra, which never before had exigence on the earth, 
 and which by its admirable arrangement feemed like Mulic itfelf, 
 to defcend from the fkies. 
 
 I have in vain tortured my memory to find any feftival fnnilar 
 to this, either in hiftury or fable. Perhaps, a noily croud of 
 trumpets, bells, harps, and drums, ftunned the inhabitants of 
 Babylon, when the good king Nabuchodonofor vifited them in 
 all his Aliatic pomp ; perhaps, the wife king Solomon, in his great 
 abundance of every thing, made the vaults of the temple ring with 
 his innumerable copper vellels, ruflic pipes, and brazen triangles. 
 
 'J'aurai longtems de'vant mes yeiix ce tanple, qui pouffc an del 
 
 fes voutes aigiies, cette Joule nomhreufe, I' elite dcs beaux et riches 
 
 habit ans de la premiere ville de I'linivers, . I'afpeSl toujour s inter ef- 
 
 fant d'une Famille Royale, dont la bcaute arrete tons les yeux, et la 
 
 bonte captive tons les cceurs, cet Orchejlre immenfe, qui v'a jamais 
 
 exijle auparavant fur la terre, et qui paroiffoit dansfon arrangement 
 
 fi bicn entendu dej'cendre des cieux, comme la Mifique qui en eji la file , 
 
 y'ai beau toiirmenter ma memoire : elk ne me rappelle rien defem- 
 blable dans tons lesfajles de I'hijloire, et de la fable. Pcut-efre unefoule 
 bruyante de trompcttes, de tymbales, de guitarres etourdiffoit les places 
 de Baby lone i lorj'que la bonne bete du roi Nabuchodonofor les traverfoit 
 dans jd po7npe AJiatique : peut-etre le grand roi Salomon, qui avoit tout 
 par milliers, faijbit-il retentir les voutes du temple par le grand 
 nombre dcfcs plats de cuivrc, de fes fifres fauvages ct de fes triangla 
 d'airain. 
 
 But
 
 ii8 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 But certainly, fince the inexhauftible riches and variety of liar- 
 niony were firfl displayed, I believe that it has not been pofll- 
 ble, till now, to all'cnible upwards of five hundred Muficians, and 
 which is ftill more extraordinarj', without impeding by their num- 
 ber, the mofl accurate and finiflied execution. 
 
 No one, Sir, is better acquainted with the Mufical Feftivals of 
 Italy than yourfelf. But thofe of the greateft magnitude at the 
 courts of Florence, Ferrara, Parma, or Naples, during the two 
 laft centuries, offer nothing equal in number, to the fpedtacle in 
 Weftminfter- Abbey. 
 
 You have been pleafed to alk me whether the city of Venice, 
 which has been celebrated at all times for the fplendor of its 
 public reprefentations, has lately had any Mufical exhibition ap- 
 proaching in magnificence to the Commemoration of Handel. 
 
 Mais fiircmetit dcpuh que Ihannonie a dephye fcs richejfes, fes 
 'uarietes mepuifables, je crois qiioji n'a jamais ni pii, ni Ju raf~ 
 embler cinq cent ving cinq Muficicns, dont k nombre ctoniiaiit n'a pas 
 nui a r execution la plus jujle, la plus Jinie. 
 
 PerfonJie ne connoit, comme vous, Monjicur, les fajles de hi Mu- 
 
 Jique Italienne : les grandes fetes des cours de Florence, de Ferrare^ 
 
 de Panne aux deux derniersjiecks, lors de la renaijjance de la Mu^ 
 
 Jique, celles de Naples aux occajions des evenemens de cour, tie vous 
 
 ont prefente, quant au nombre, rien de comparable au fpe£tacle de 
 
 IVeJiminftcr- Abbey. 
 
 Vous avez la bonte de jne demander, fi la ^ille de Venife, qui eji 
 ''" p'lU''ffj(>'^ depuis tant dejiecle de donner des JpeBacks auji Jingu- 
 Hers, quelle, et dont le departement mufical eJi des plus con/iderables 
 en Italie, na pas peut-etre fourni dernierement quelqu exemple 
 d'une magmfcence, qui approche de la Commemoration de HAN- 
 DEL. 
 
 And
 
 FIFTH PERFORMANCE, 119 
 
 And I freely own to you that we can boafl of nothing equally 
 numerous. Indeed, I am perfuaded, that it requires near a mil- 
 lion of inhabitants, and as great a paiTion for Mulic as there is at 
 prefent in London, to furniih upwards of five hundred profef- 
 fional Muficians. Confequently, whatever genius the Italians 
 may pofTefs for Mufic, as we have no city fo peopled, we can 
 never aflemble fuch a number of mufical profeflbrs, without col- 
 lediing them from many ftates and capitals (a). 
 
 The memory of the following events, however, is honour- 
 ably preferved by the Venetians. During the rehdcnce of their 
 moft ferene highnelTes the Comte and Comtefle du Nord, 
 in Venice, 1782, the republic regaled them with feveral 
 
 "Jevous reponds d'abord tres-dec'idement, que non, quant au nom~ 
 6re des Mujiaens. 'Je Juts pcrfuade qiiil ne faut rien moins que 
 prefqu'un Tnilliott d'habitaiis, et autant de luxe dans la Mujique qu'il 
 y en a a Londres, pour tnettre enfemble plus de cinq cent bons Mu- 
 Jiciens par etat. Conjequemment,, quel que foit le talent des Italiens 
 pour la Mujique, comtne il ejl tres-vrai, et trh-jtaturel, qiion la 
 fait en Italie inieux qu'ailleurs, cependant cotmne nous n'avons pas a 
 beaucoup pres aucune vtlle de cette force ; il ne pourra jamais y avoir 
 un affcmblage pareil de profefj'eurs en Mufique, a moins qiion ne les 
 ramajfe de plujieurs villes. 
 
 Void, pourtant, quelques evenemcns Venitiens,. dont on peut con- 
 ferver unfouvenir honorable. - 
 
 Al'occafion dufejour que LL. A A. SS. le Comte et la Comteffe 
 du Nord f rent a Venife en \j%2, la Republique leur do?ina des 
 
 (a) Though upwards of five hundred furriiflied an equal number for the other 
 
 Muficians were employed in the perform- end of the Abbey, had they been wanted, 
 
 .nncc of the Mejfiah, at the Commemoration with Giardini, Barthclemou, Salomon, &:c, 
 
 cfHANDEi,, yet fuch is the prefent mufical at their head. 
 flrcngth of this country, that it could have 
 
 fuperb
 
 120 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 iupei b rpc<flacles, of \\'l'iich a very exadl and interefting defcription, 
 interrperfed with national anecdotes, has been publidied by an Eng- 
 liih lady, fettled at Venice. Among other feflivals they were pre- 
 fented with a Cantata, compoled by Mortcllari, a Neapolitan, and 
 executed by a hundred Muficians, male and female. A Concert 
 and a Ball were likewife made for the fame illuftrious flrangers, at 
 the theatre of Saint Benedi<fl. The band of Muficians all drelfed 
 in a rich uniform, exceeded a hundred, and had a very good 
 effed. 
 
 But the niofl fmgular event, was the entertainment given to 
 the prefent Emperor on his firft arrival in Italy ; a feftival as ex- 
 traordinary of its kind as that of London. All the girls in the 
 four Confervatorios, or Mufic-Schools, able to perform vocally 
 or inftrumentally, were collefted. Signor Bertoni, maefbro di 
 Capella of one of thefe Confervatorios, compofed a Cantata ex- 
 
 fetes fuperbes, dont il y a une defcription fort exaSle, et trh~mtc~ 
 refj'ante d'ailkurs par plufieiirs details natioriaux, qui efl Vouvrage 
 d'une dame Angloife etahlie a Venifc. Far mi ces fetes on leur donna 
 une Cantate compofce par le fieur Mortellari, Napolitain, maitre de 
 Mufique da?is cette ville, et cxecutee par une centaine de Mujiciens, 
 et Muficiennes. Une autre foireefut employee a leur donner dans le 
 grand theatre de St. Benott, tin Concert, et un Bal. La bande des 
 Mificiens, tous habilUs en unifonne riche, pajfoit la centaine, et la 
 
 fete, eut un tres-bel effet. 
 
 Mais refinement le plus fingulier, car je le crois tout aiifji unique 
 dansfes circonjianccs, que celui de Londres pour le Jiombre, efl la fete 
 que I'on donna a S. M. L' Empereur afon premier voyage en Italie. 
 On tira des quat7-e Confervat aires, ou hopitaux fameux, toutes 
 ks files en etat de rendre quelque partie vocale, ou infrumentale. 
 Le Sieur Bertoni, maitre Venitien tres-connti, compofa a cette oc- 
 
 prefily
 
 FIFTH PERFORMANCE. 121 
 
 prelTly on the occafion ; and in the immenfe hall of the Rezz:-- 
 ■nico palace a band was colledled, confifting of one hundred and 
 twenty girls, uniformly, modeftly, and elegantly dreffed. Every 
 kind of inftrument, and every fpecies of voice, including double- 
 bafes, wind-inflruments, vocal tenors, and bafes, were fupplied 
 by young female hands, and female throats. And there was no 
 other man among them than the compofer, who was a filent and 
 inadlive auditor. It is true, that the number of thefe fell very 
 fhort of five hundred ; but will not the Angularity and the diffi- 
 culty of forming fuch an aflembly of Sirens augment their value 
 and importance ? Twenty pieces of gold may be of infinitely 
 more value than a hundred of filver ; and, in the prefent cafe, 
 there is, perhaps, the metallic difference which renders the two 
 fums equal. And you will not, I hope. Sir, deny that one hun- 
 dred girls may be a match for five hundred men, in.Mufic. And 
 
 ta/ion une cantate expres, et Ion vit davs la Jalk immenfe du palais 
 Rezzonico un Orchejlra de cent vingt filles en iiniforme tnodc/le et 
 gentil : toute forte d'mflrumens, tout role de chant, y compris la 
 contre-bafe, et les inflrumens a vent, Ics tenori, et les balles-tailles 
 pour le cha7it, tout etoit dejjervi par des jeunes mains, et des jeunes 
 goziers defiles : et il 7iy avoit d' autre bomme au milieu d'elles, que 
 le maitre compofteur, qui ne faifoit quafifter. — // ef vrai qu'ily 
 a encore bien loin de ce nombre a cinq cent j mais aufji combien 
 la proportion, qui refulte de la fngularite, et de la difficulte d'unir 
 tant de jeunes perfonnes dufex n augment e t-il pas la valeur de ce 
 nombre f Vingt pieces d'or peuvent en valoir plus de cent en argent : 
 et dans notre cas il y a une difference de metal, pour ainf dire, qui 
 rend peut-etre les deux fommes egales. Entre nous, avouez d'ailleurs, 
 Monfeur, que cent files peuvent bien tetiir tcte a cinq cent hommes, 
 £n Mufque. 
 
 R pray
 
 1^3 COMMEMORATION OF flANDEL. 
 
 pray remember that they were very well in tune ; which is the 
 more remarkable, conlidering their vivacity, quarrels, little ac- 
 quaintance with each otiier, inexperience, and the ufual jealouiy 
 of rival fchools. Obferve, likewife, that fuch an Orcheftra as 
 this, independent of its Mufical merit, is very interefting, and 
 that the chajms of fex is equal to the, moft powerful eiteds.. 
 
 This is all, my dear friend, that my memory can furn.illi at 
 prcfent, in anlwer to your queftions^j but as. I am far from, thofe 
 fcenes of adion, and as you have not allowed me tim,e to procure 
 better information, by letter, I wUl not anfwer for the precifioa.. 
 of my narrative. 
 
 Notez, qitelles alkrent fort bien. d' accord, ce qui eji encore plus 
 retnarquable, vu Iciir vivacitei, lew inexperience de Je trowoer 
 enfemble, et les petit es tracajferies qui tiennent^a kitr etat, et a 
 la jaloufie reciproque des endroits d'oii eUes fortoient. . Avonez de 
 meme, quiin Orcbejlre pareil, indepeiidamment de fon merite Mil- 
 Jicaly ejl tres intcreJJ'ant, et que ce meme fi4rite airifi place, a tout, 
 le droit au pln^ grands cffets, 
 
 Voila, Monjieur et trl's cber ami, ce que ma memoire m'a fourni 
 fur le champ, pour powooir repondre immediatejnent, a vos quefions. . 
 Mais comme je fuis loin des lieux, et que vous navez pas *v,oiUu me 
 domier le terns de me fair e ecrire ces chofes plus en detail, je ne re-- 
 ponds pas de la. dernier e exa5litud.e dans Ics circonjlances que j at 
 rapportees.
 
 FIFTH PERFORMANCE. 123^ 
 
 I feize, however, with the greatefl: eagernefs this opportunity 
 of teftifying my regard, and of alluring you that 
 
 I have the honour to be, Sir, 
 
 Your moft humble and moll obedient 
 Servant and Friend, 
 
 LECOMTE BENINCASA. 
 
 'J'nifaifi avec le phis grand plaifir loccajhn de vous temoigner, 
 '•quoiqiie fi imp ar fait ement, mn confideration pour "votre nierite per- 
 fonndy mon ejiime peur la jujlcjfe et I'etendue de vos lumicres, et, 
 permettez~moi de dire aujji, ma reconnoijj'ance pour voire zele eclair e^ 
 
 qui a repandu tant de jour et de philofophie fur Vhijloire de la Mu~ 
 fique, de cette fource intarijfable dc plaifr, et de fentiment., que la 
 
 Divinite bienfaifante a owverte -aux mortels. 
 
 J'ai Phonncur eTelre, MonJicUr, 
 
 Votrc tres-humble et tns-obeijfant 
 Servilcur, et AfU'i, 
 
 LECOMTE BENINCASA, 
 
 R 2
 
 124 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 
 
 STATE of MONEY received, in confequence of the 
 Five Commemoration Mufical Performances. 
 
 I- s. d. 
 Received the firft day, at Weftminfter- Abbey, 7 ., 
 
 Wednefday, May 26, 1784 - 3 
 
 Second Performance, in the Pantheon, Thurf-7 tAqo 
 day. May 27 - - J 
 
 2626 I o 
 
 Third Performance, in the Abbey, Saturday,") 
 May 29 - - J 
 
 Fourth Performance — Thurfday, June 3 - 1603 7 o 
 
 Fifth Performance — Saturday, June 5 - 21 17 17 o 
 
 At three feveral Rehearfals, in Weftminfter- " 
 Abbey and Pantheon 
 
 His Majefty's moft gracious donation - 525 o o 
 
 By fale of printed books of the words - 262 15 o 
 
 1 
 
 944 17 10 
 
 Whole Receipts - - - - £• 12736 12 10 
 
 Dif-
 
 FIFTH PE R F O R M A N C E. 
 
 125 
 
 Difburfement of SUMS expended, and appropriated to Cha- 
 ritable Purpofes. 
 
 To Mr. James Wyatt, for building, in tlie 
 Abbey and the Pantheon 
 
 Mr. Afliley for payment of the band, &c. 
 
 Rent and illumination of the Pantheon 
 
 Advertifing in Town and Country Papers 
 
 Printing books of the words 
 
 Door-keepers 
 
 Ufe of the organ 
 
 High, and petty conflables 
 
 Gratifications - _ _. 
 
 Engraving cheques and tickets, ftriking medals, 
 drawings, guards, porters, and fundry inci- 
 dents - - - - 
 
 To the Society for decayed Mulicians 
 
 To the Weftminfter Hofpital 
 
 In the hands of Redmond Simpfon, Sub- 
 
 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 1969 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 1976 
 
 17 
 
 
 
 156 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 236 
 
 19 
 
 
 
 289 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 102 
 
 I 
 
 6 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 100 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 167 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 351 8 10 
 
 6000 o o 
 
 1000 o o 
 
 286 6 6 
 
 treafurer, to anfwer fubfequent demands 3 
 
 Whole Difburfement, errors excepted £. 12736 12 10 
 
 REDMOND SIxMPSON^^y. 
 
 fa) Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, who zeal, diligence, and arithmetic-dexterity of 
 involved and embarrafTed himfelf with the Mr. Simpfon, a veteran profeflbr, no Icfs 
 troublcfome and complicated office of Trea- dillinguiihed for his abilities and probity, 
 /liter, undcrt;iking, cv Officio, to receive than acftive in all that tends to the profpcr- 
 and difburfe fums of money fufficicnt to itv of the Fund, and honour of his pro- 
 have employed the clciks of a confidcrable Uflion. 
 bankei's-fliop, hjd great affiftance from the 
 
 A P P E N-
 
 AN Account of the Receipts, Expences, 
 ai;d Aprropriaiion of Money receive 1 at the 
 MUSICAL FESTlVAI,, in Vv'E.S TMINSTER 
 ABBEY, June the id, 6th, Sth, and ii'h, T7S5 
 
 By Sale of 9516 Tickets, at tl. r«. each 
 By Cj(h taken at three Rcliearfuls 
 JBy his M.ijcfty's moft gracious Donation 
 Cleared hy Sale of printed Bouks 
 ^y Calk takco without Tickets 
 
 I 
 
 To the Payment of the Band of Mufic 
 To James Wyatt, Efq; for Building 7 
 
 in the Abbey — i 
 
 To I'lintinjj Books, Bills, &c. 
 
 To AdvertiGng 
 
 io Gratiiicarions ' 
 
 _"o the Ule of the Organ — 
 
 To Hire of Books, Mufic-porters, &c. 
 
 To the Doot-keepcrs 
 
 To the High and Petty Conftablcs 
 To Engraving, Paper, and piiniing? 
 
 the Tickeis — i 
 
 To Clerks, Dinners, Porters, and? 
 
 fundty Incidents — 5 
 
 T<\ the Royal Society of MuCcians 
 
 To St. George's Hofpital 
 
 To Weftmialter Holpital — 
 
 Remains in Hand of the Sub-Treafurer 
 
 1. 
 
 s. 
 
 d 
 
 9991 
 
 »6 
 
 
 
 t'S^ 
 
 .■? 
 
 
 
 420 
 
 
 
 
 
 56 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 4^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 I,64» 
 
 IJ 
 
 
 
 1100 
 
 
 
 
 
 I4fi 
 
 ts 
 
 6 
 
 i27 
 
 '7 
 
 
 
 2.12 
 
 -0 
 
 
 
 I7,i 
 
 
 
 
 
 "? 
 
 
 
 
 
 144 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 9S 
 
 J2 
 
 6 
 
 39 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 46 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 146 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 3000 
 
 
 
 
 
 1800 
 
 
 
 
 
 1800 
 
 
 
 
 
 (Errors excepted) ,f. 11,648 i.; o 
 
 REDMONT:) SIMPSON. 
 July 4th, 1785. This Day the foregoing Accmmts 
 Were fettled, examined and allowed by .'Jir Waikin 
 ■Williams VVynn, Batt. the I rc.ifurer of the islufical 
 Feltival, in 'Wellminftcr Abbey, and Redmond 
 S«nipfoa, Sub-Treafurer. The above Balance of One 
 Hundred and Sixty t'ounds, to be retained by Mr. 
 Simrfon, to anfwer anyrfubfequcnc Demands, and 
 d'fpufcd of njeir'ipg to ihc Direiaioiiii of the 
 Al^LnaKers of the Kcltiv^i. 
 
 WATKIN WIIXIAM.; WYNN, 
 RiibW'A'JD SIMPSON.
 
 APPENDIX.
 
 [ 129 ] 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 TH E fums raifed in fo fliort a fpace of time by the produc- 
 tions of one Compofer only, fo long after his deceafe, and 
 that of almofl; all his perfonal friends and acquaintance, whofe 
 partiality could be fuppofed to operate on the occafion, may be 
 numbered among the miraculous powers of modern Muiic. 
 
 And as the great fliare of the profits ariling from the Comme- 
 moration-performances which have been beftowed on the Fund 
 for the Support of Decayed Mificians and their Families, may ex- 
 cite curiofity concerning the nature, extent, and utility, of that 
 inftitution, and its claim to fo confiderable a bounty, I fliall here 
 give an extradl from the original ftatutes of the Society, followed 
 by a few rcfledtions on its fubfequent profperity and ufe. 
 
 ABSTRACT of the Laws and Resolutions of the Fund 
 for the Support of Decayed Mufcians and their Families. 
 
 May 8, 1738. 
 " WHEREAS a Subfcription was fet on foot the beginning 
 of the laft month, for eflabliihing a Fund for the Support of 
 Decayed Mufcians, or their Families ; which Subfcription having 
 already met with uncommon fuccefs, the Subfcribers have had 
 two General Meetings, in order to form themfclves into a regular 
 
 S Society
 
 I30 APPENDIX. 
 
 Society, by the name of THE SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS, 
 and have eleded Twelve Governors for the prefent year j and alfo 
 agreed to the following refolutions. 
 
 I. " That every fubfcriber to this Charity do pay, at lead. 
 Half a Crown a Quarter ; the firfl payment to be made on or 
 before Midfummer-day next (a). 
 
 II. " That there be annually, on the Sunday before Midfummer- 
 day, a general meeting of the faid Subfcribers, to infpedt the ac- 
 counts, and to eledt Twelve Governors by ballot ; and that the 
 faid Governors, or any five of them, fhall have power of receiv- 
 ing all monies colledled for this charit)'-, paying the fame as foon 
 as poffible into the hands of Mr. A?idrew Drummond, banker, 
 upon account, and for the ufe of this Society ; there to re- 
 main until it arife to a fum capable of being put out at intereft in 
 fome fund fecured by parliament. 
 
 III. " That the faid Governors, or any five of them, fliall have 
 power of drawing upon Mr. Andrew Driimmond, for fuch fums 
 as Ihall be wanted for the ufe of this Charity, and (under fuch 
 reftridtions as fliall be judged neceflary by the Society) to dif- 
 pofe of the fame, keeping an exadl account, ready to be produced 
 to any Subfcriber when defired. 
 
 IV. " That no perfon, or his family, fliall receive any benefit 
 from this Fund, who has not been a profefl"or of Mufic, and 
 alfo a Subfcriber to this Charity, at leaft one year ; and that fuch 
 perfon fliall produce a certificate, figned by ten Subfcribers, who 
 are not Governors, of his being a proper obje6l, before he fliall 
 be entitled to any relief from the faid Fund. 
 
 {a) In 1-66, the fura of twenty fiiillings members then agreed, almoft. unanimouny, 
 per annum was required of all new-clefted to pay the fame fum. 
 members. Inftead of ten. And the old 
 
 C. " Thit
 
 APPENDIX. 131 
 
 V. " That no man who has not a family, fliall receive of this 
 Fund more than Ten ShilUngs a week, except in cafe of fick- 
 nefs, an allowance for advice and medicines, at the difcretion of 
 the Governors for the time being. 
 
 VI. " That a weekly allowance, not exceeding Seven Shillings, 
 be made to the widows of fuch Muficians (who have been Sub- 
 fcribers to this Fund) as are really found to be in want ; but the 
 faid allowance to ceafe if they tnarry agaiti. 
 
 VII. " That care fliall be taken of the children of fuch Mufi- 
 cians (who have been Subfcribers to this Fund) as are left defti- 
 tute of other fupport. 
 
 VIII. " That an allowance, not exceeding Five Pounds, be made 
 for the funeral of every fuch Mufician (who has been a Sub- 
 fcriber to this Fund) as fliall die without leaving effects fuflicient 
 to defray the expences of a decent interment, conditionally, that 
 fuch perfon continued a Subfcriber to this Charity until the time 
 of his death. 
 
 IX. " That in order to make a regular diftribution of this Cha- 
 rity, there be a meeting of the Go\'ernors the firfl: Sunday in 
 every month, at the Cardigan-head Tavern, near Charing-crofs, 
 or any other place that fliall be agreed upon by the Governors 
 for the time being ; at which meetings the Governors fliall have 
 a power of admitting fuch perfons to fubfcribe to this Fund, 
 as they fliall judge not likely to become foon a charge to it ; and 
 that no perfon be admitted a Subfcriber, but fuch as Ihall be ap- 
 proved of by the faid Governors, or a majority of them. 
 
 X. " That no allowance whatever be made to the Governors for 
 their faid Monthly meetings, but that all fuch meetings be at 
 their own expence, 
 
 S 2 XI. " That
 
 ,32 APPENDIX. 
 
 XI. " That all fuch Subfcribers as are profeflbrs of Mufic, 
 fhall pay their fubfcriptions, or caufe them to be paid, into the 
 hands of the Governors, at fome of the laid Monthly meetings ; 
 and that a perfon be appointed (with a falary of Five Pounds a 
 a year) (a) to collect the fubfcriptions of thofe perfons who are 
 not profeflbrs of Mufic. 
 
 XII. " That if any Subfcriber negledl to pay his fubfcription 
 for three quarters, he and his family fhall be for ever excluded 
 any benefit arifing from this Fuki>. 
 
 XIII. " That the Governors fhall be obliged to call a General 
 Meeting of the Society, whenever it is required by any Twenty 
 of the Subfcribers. 
 
 XIV. " That in cafes not provided for by the aforefaid Articles, 
 the Governors, for the time being, ihall have power of adling by 
 fuch refolutions of their own making, as from time to time fliall 
 become neceflary ; but lliall be obliged to report all fuch refolu- 
 tions to the next General Meeting, in order to have them con- 
 firmed (bf. 
 
 In 1739, a compadl was formed with the Corporation of the 
 Sons of the Clergy, by which the Society engaged to furnilh a 
 band, feledled from their fubfcribing members, for the two an- 
 nual performances in St. Paul's Cathednil, in confideration of 
 the fum of Fifty pounds, which the Corporation agreed to allow 
 each year to the Society ; and this fum has been conftantly 
 thrown into the Fund, and appropriated to charitable purpofes. 
 
 (a) The CoUeftor's falary in 1751, was appear, were, perhaps, the beft which 
 
 augmented to 25 /. per annum. could then be allowed or devifed ; but now 
 
 (i) As the mod ri<;id oecoaoiny was ab- the capital of the Fund is become fo confi- 
 
 folutely nccelTary during the infancy of the dcrabie, and expeftations from futuie plans 
 
 Society, thcfe fundamental la-.vs, however, fo promifing, they certainly retjuire imme. 
 
 illiberal and contruL^cd they may at prcfcnt diate revifal and extenfion. 
 
 Befides
 
 N D I X. 
 
 133 
 
 Befides the cafual and fluduating income arifing from Subfcrip- 
 tions and Benefits, the Society has been honoured with a few 
 benefadions in the way of Legacies, of whic.i the following 
 is an account. 
 
 i 
 
 £- s. d. 
 100 o o 
 
 50 o o 
 50 o o 
 
 »iooo o o 
 
 In 1758, Mr. Claudio Rojere, a profeflional Sub- 
 fcriber to the Fund, bequeathed to its ufe the fum of 
 
 1760, Mr. Boys Waldron, ditto 
 
 1782, Mr. James Mathias, merchant an honorary? 
 Subfcriber faj - - - ' 
 
 But the moft confiderable bequeft which the So-'j 
 CIETY has ever received from individual benevolence 
 has been from its great benefador, George Fre- 
 deric Handel, who left to it the fum of - 
 
 Concerning which Legacy the following account has been pro- 
 cured from the Minutes of the Society. . 
 
 " June 17, 1759. 
 
 " Dr. Bufivell, late Gentleman of tlie Chapel-Royal, and one 
 of the committee of the Society's accounts, reported, that 
 Twelve Hundred and Fifty-four pounds flock, of the reduced 
 Bank Annuities, now (landing in the names of Mr. Thomas 
 Wood, Mr. Peter Gillier, and Mr. Chrijiian Reich, in the 
 books of the company of the Bank of England, had been 
 transferred to them by George Amyand, efq. one of the exe- 
 
 («) This worthy Dilettante, who was a The admirably full, mellow, and exten- 
 
 conftant bcnetnc'lor to the Fund from the five bafe-voice of Mr. James Maihias will 
 
 time of its inllitution to his death, exclu- be long deplored by his friends, but parti- 
 
 fivc of his annual fiibfcription, as an bono- cularly the members and fi'equenters of the 
 
 rary member, freqiicuily made prefcnts to Crtnvn ond Anchor Concert, who were fo 
 
 tlic Charity, in money, at the lime of the long and fo highly dciiijhtcd by its cffciSh. 
 Benefit. 
 
 cutors
 
 .134 APPENDIX. 
 
 cutors of the lail: Will and Teftament of George Frederic 
 Handel, efq. deceafed, in full fatisfadtion and difcliarge of the 
 Leo-acy of One Thoufand Pounds, given and bequeathed by the 
 faid George Frederic Handel, in and by one of the Co- 
 dicils to his lafl Will, to the Society, by the name of 'The So- 
 ciety for the Support of Decayed Mii/icians and their Families ; 
 to be difpofed of in the moft beneficial manner for the fupport 
 of that Charity." 
 
 By thefe donations ; ty the quarterly contributions of the 
 Members of the Society during the firft years of the inftitu- 
 tion, and afterwards, when double that fum was required, by 
 their annual payments ; by honorary Subfcribers ; and by Be- 
 nefits, from June the 17th, 1739, to June the 20tb, 1784, ex- 
 clufive of the Six Thouland Pounds from the Direftors of the 
 Commemoration of Handel, it appears, that in the courfe 
 of forty-five years, the Society has not only accumulated a 
 fum futficient for the purchafe of £12,000, in South-fea An- 
 nuities and three per Cents, but has paid to their infirm and in- 
 digent brethren and their families ^^24,8 14 I4J-. I. 
 
 And it does appear that thefe fums have been diftributed in the 
 
 mod upright and intelligent manner : allowing to each claiming 
 
 Member 
 
 I- ^- d. 
 
 For his fubfiflence, per month - - 220 
 
 For a widow - - - - i i o 4 
 
 For each child, the father being dead - 0100 
 
 For fchooling, from five years old to eight, per quarter 0100 
 
 From eight to fourteen - - - 0150 
 
 For the funeral of a deceafed penfioner - 500 
 
 Tiie
 
 APPENDIX. ,35 
 
 The Society, ever fince its firfl inflitution, has not only 
 been well fupported by its principal Members, but by the pub- 
 lic in general : for it appears, that the lovveft annual fum received 
 in the courfe of fo many years, by Subfcriptions and Benefit, has 
 exceeded ;C40°» except in 1766, when it only amounted to 
 ^134; and the higheft fum, as in 1782 and 17&3, has exceeded 
 >Ciioo. 
 
 Of thefe fums the money annually expended, except the two 
 
 or three firft years of the inftitntimi, has been from £120, to 
 
 ^866, which was dilburfed in 1769. 
 
 ^. s. d.. 
 The Society's prefent penfioners are7 
 
 feven infirm and decayed brethren, at j „ j^ 
 
 Twenty-eight widows, at - i 10 41 per month. 
 
 Eleven children, at - - o 10 oj 
 
 Other widows and children at different allowances proportion- 
 ed to their fituation and neceffities ; for the whole of which, 
 with an allowance for the fchooling of children of different ages, 
 
 the Society at prefent, is at a certain! 
 
 c CX,- 05 16 8 per month, 
 
 current expence 01 - - J ^ 
 
 Or, _ _ _ 790 o o per annum. 
 
 At their annual Benefits the principal profeflional Sublcribers 
 to the Charity, who are not employed in the Orcheftra, are ap- 
 pointed to attend at the feveral doors and ofiices of the Theatre ; 
 the whole bufinefs being tranfadled by themfelves, as regulated and 
 ordered by a Committee Jor t/je Concert. And it fcems as if no 
 charitable inftitution could be more out of the reach of abufe, 
 embezzlement, or partiality ; regulated with more care, integrity, 
 and ceconomy ; or have its income fo immediately derived from 
 
 the
 
 136 APPENDIX. 
 
 the adivity and talents of its own Members. Except a fmall 
 falaiy to the Secretary, and another to the Colledlor, there is 
 no kicrative employment belonging to the inftitution : lb that 
 the whole produce of Benefits and Subfcriptions is nett, and clear 
 of all dedudlion or drawback. 
 
 Mr. Michael Chrijiian Fejihig, and Dofbor Morrice Green^ 
 took, the lead at the time of inftituting this Society, and for 
 twelve or fourteen years afterwards. Since their deceafe, other 
 Muficians, who were Kigb in the profellion, and of whofe pro- 
 bity and honour their brethren had a good opinion, were placed, 
 alternately, in the chair ; and now, by the great acceffion to the 
 Fund from the profits of the late Commemoration, its ca- 
 pital becomes a ferious and weighty concern, amounting to up- 
 wards of ;(^2 2,000, In South-Sea annuities and three per Cents, 
 which realizes, and afcertains, an income of £6j^ a year, ex- 
 clufive of Benefit or Subfcriptions. 
 
 The path therefore which the Governors and Court of Aflifi:- 
 ants have now to purfue is perfedlly plain and pleafant : the 
 power of alleviating diftrefs and mifer}% of feeding the hungry, 
 clothing the naked, and adminiftering comfort to age and infir- 
 mities. Is placed in their hands, without the trouble of providing 
 the means. 
 
 * * * * 
 
 SOME
 
 APPENDIX. 137 
 
 SOME illiberal reflexions having had admifiion into the Newf-. 
 papers, concerning the fmall gratuities that were accepted by in- 
 dividuals in the Conunemoration-bandy as compenfatioiis for a fort- 
 night or three weeks labour and attendance, this feems the place 
 for clearing them of the charge of meannefs or rapacity, by an 
 exadl ftatement of their fituation and fervices. 
 
 Indeed, it is natural for the Bencfidlors and friends of other 
 Charities to look with an unfavourable eye upon the feepiing 
 partiality to the Musical Fund, at the exclufion of all other 
 inftitutions which have charity for their bafis. But a little in- 
 formation concerning the peculiar claims of this Society, will, 
 perhaps fatisfy the reafonable, if not lilence the clam-orous part 
 of the public, who may interefl themfelves in the difpofal of the 
 profits arifing from an enterprize, wholly generated and foflered 
 by Music. 
 
 And it may be neceflary to remind fuch perfons, that the firfl 
 objeft which occurred to the projecftors of this Feftival, was not 
 the raifing large funis of inoney ; but the honour of the Mufical 
 art, and of a great and favourite profefTor. And happy would 
 they have been, during the firfl dawnings of hope that fuch an 
 idea could ever be realized, had any one to whom it it was commu- 
 nicated been able to aflure them, that the plan wowXd. fupport itji/f. 
 When profefiional men, and particularly the Members of the 
 Musical Fund, were found willing to afford it all the fupport 
 in their power, and there feemed a poflibility that die expences, 
 great as they mufl appear, in every point of view, would not 
 only be defrayed by the performances in contemplation, but that 
 there might, perhaps, be fome furplus to diipofc of,, nothing 
 could be more natural and reafonable than for the patrons of this 
 
 T enter-
 
 138 APPENDIX. 
 
 enterprize to fortify zeal in the performers, by the hope of be- 
 coming benefactors to their own well-inflituted Fund. 
 
 But when it is remembered that public curiafity was flimulated 
 during the progrefs of the undertaking, in proportion to the 
 fpontaneous ardor with which Muficians of all ranks gratuitoufly 
 offered their affiftance, while it was fuppofed that the whole ce- 
 lebrity would be comprifed in tivo performances on one and the 
 fame 4^y ; that Music was^ the origin. Music the efficient and 
 final caufe of the Feftival ; and that the profelfors of no other 
 fcience, art, or faculty, however fuperior in rank or utility, 
 could, perhaps, fo effecStually have influenced the public to fup- 
 port at fo uncommon an expence, any other fpecies of exhi- 
 bition ; it can hardly be pronounced unreafonable that Muficians 
 fliould form a wifli, and their patrons be willing to gratify fuch 
 a wifh, that a charitable inftitution, founded folely for the fup- 
 port of their aged, infirm, and indigent brethren, as well as 
 wives, widows, children, and orphans, involved in their diftrefs, 
 fhould be chiefly benefited by the fuccefs of this memorable 
 celebration . 
 
 And with refpeft to the fituation of Muficians in general, who 
 bore a part in this Commemoration, it may with the utmod 
 truth be afierted, that no eminent profefibr could either perform, 
 or attend the performances, without facrificing very confiderably 
 to the honour of Handel, and profperity of the Society. 
 Even thofe that were paid received no compenfation that could 
 be deemed at all adequate to the negledl of fcholars and other 
 concerns, fo many days, in order to attend public and private re- 
 hearfals, as well as the performances themlelves. Indeed, thofe 
 profefTors, who paid for adniifiion at all the five public exhibi- 
 tions.
 
 APPENDIX. 139 
 
 tions, of whom there were great numbers, fuflaiiicd the leajl da- 
 mage. But even to them, rive guineas, and the lofs confequent 
 to four entire days abfence from bufinefs, at fuch a time of the 
 year, muft have occafioned a confiderable difference in their af- 
 fairs. 
 
 The worthy noblemen and baronets, who honoured the under- 
 taking with their countenance and direction, wifely and gene- 
 roufly hung out honourable lures of wands, good cheer, medals, 
 and importance, to thofe who, without performing, were willing 
 to take an adlive part in the bufmefs ; yet it is but juftice to fay, 
 that the honour of Han»bi, anA. benefit of their favourite So- 
 ciety, Simulated their zeal more powerfully than any other 
 confiderations. And the total difintereftednefs and humanity with 
 which the heads of the Mufical profeflion have adted for the wel- 
 fare of this inftitution, their folicitude, and their pride, ever iince 
 its firfl cflablifhment, is the more honourable, as, befides their 
 quarterly contributions, attendance at general and monthly Meet- 
 ings as Governors, and fpending their own money at them all ; 
 the performing gratis at the annual benefit for the Charity, as 
 well as thofe of the Sons of the Clergy, for the profit of the 
 Society, are focrifices which no other profeffional men can 
 boaft, merely for the maintenance and fupport of their infirm and 
 unfortunate brethren and their families : as, by this means, they 
 transfer the weight of providing for their neceffities, from the 
 flioulders of the public, to their own. 
 
 St. Martin's-llrcet, 
 July 1784.
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 Lately Publljhed, 
 Ornamented with Plates, engraved by Bartolozzi, from Defigns of Cipriani, 
 VOL. I. and II. 4to. Of. 
 
 A GENERAL HISTOKY OF MUSIC, 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 EARLIEST AGES to the PRESENT PERIOD. 
 
 To which is prefixed, 
 
 A DISSERTATION on the MUSIC of the ANCIENTS. 
 By CHARLES BURNEY, Muf. D. F.R.S. 
 
 The Sequel of tliib Work is in great Forwardnefs, and will be pub- 
 lifliedj entire, with all convenient Expedition. 
 
 Printed for the A U T H O R ; 
 
 And Sold by J. RoBSON,New-Bond-(lreet ; and G. Robinson, Paternofter-Row. 
 
 Price One Guinea and a Half, each Volume, to Non-Subfcribers.
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Preface, Page xlii. dek line 2. and infcrt as if it had been produced by a few feledl 
 
 performers, in &c. 
 Life of Handel, P. 15. 1. 5. from the bottom, dele was. P. 34, Note (a), 1. 4. 
 
 rr(7// Belchler. Ibid, Note C^;, rra// Sheridan. P. 28. 1. 12, ^/tV*- that. P. 38. 1. 22, 
 
 y»r were, read\xziS.. P. 46. /cr 2 vols. ?Vrti a volume. P. 52. 1. 10,/or qui, rc<7(/que. 
 Commemoration. IntroduBion. P. 11. 1. 18, read Dupuis. P. 12. Note fn^ and 
 
 elfcwherc, read Afllley. P. 36. 1. 13. dck s in the ivord fimples. P. 40, dele the 
 
 catel.nvord Indeed, and infert Nothing. 
 
 DIRECTIONS to the B I NDER for placing the Cancels. 
 
 Signature *B to be placed between B and C. 
 
 D 2 (a Sheet) and "D (a Quarter-Sheet) to be placed in Sheet D, inftead of 
 
 Pages 19, 20, 21, and 22. 
 F p. 39 and 40 (lart Leaf) to be cancelled, and Sheet G follows immediately. 
 I a Quarter Sheet follows H. 
 
 Lart Lc.if of E and firll of F, cancelled ; to be replaced by the Half-Sheet 
 marked *E and F. 
 
 See Dircflions for placing the Plates, Firft Sheer, p. viii.
 
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