Modern music and musicians : [Encyclopedic] . Bach reached a point higher than Pales-trina, or Beethoven one higher than Bach or Handel? To me it seemsrather nearer or farther than higher. But these are the summits—Palestrina, Handel and Bach, Beethoven, Wagner. After all is said and done, Handel remains one of the monumentalfigures of music. Nothing can be said which will lessen his greatness,and nothing can weaken his hold upon us. He was a giant whosestrength abated not, but rather increased even to the end of a long andintensely active life. And there were giants in those days. All Handels
Modern music and musicians : [Encyclopedic] . Bach reached a point higher than Pales-trina, or Beethoven one higher than Bach or Handel? To me it seemsrather nearer or farther than higher. But these are the summits—Palestrina, Handel and Bach, Beethoven, Wagner. After all is said and done, Handel remains one of the monumentalfigures of music. Nothing can be said which will lessen his greatness,and nothing can weaken his hold upon us. He was a giant whosestrength abated not, but rather increased even to the end of a long andintensely active life. And there were giants in those days. All Handels qualities, all his life, are consistent. His glorious honestyin money matters, his untiring, progressive activity even when in painand affliction, his intolerance of mediocrity, his genial recklessness in GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL 67 making enemies, his wholesome contempt for conventional honors, sug-gesting that the degree of Doctor of Music be given to one of whom hespoke as his bellows-blower, as he himself did not desire it—these com-. L / tr/r Y //.*, //o/itf/tH/i/ bine to form the picture of a man who might not perhaps always provea suave and comfortable companion, but whom one might admire with-out reserve or fear of disappointment. He was a public man, secure inthe knowledge of his powers and proud in the exercise of them, thoughwasting little time in the contemplation of his own greatness. His changing fortunes and attrition from contact with the rough sideof life developed, strengthened, and solidified the generous dignity of hisnature. He was early placed, by pensions, beyond the reach of real of £200 under Queen Anne, and a second and third of like amount 68 GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL under King George I and King George II respectively, all three for lifeTinsured this. Mention may also be made of a single gift of £1000 fromthe Duke of Chandos to Handel at the first performance of Esther, hisfirst English oratorio, in 1720, as illustrating the g
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