By Mary Dodge Allen
Can you imagine what Christmas would be like without the glorious music of Handel’s Messiah? An event that occurred 320 years ago today – December 5, 1704 - nearly cut Handel’s life short. Read how a simple metal button preserved his life, so he could live on to compose the Messiah and many other masterpieces.
The two talented musicians established an immediate friendship. They began attending operas and concerts together, and they both enjoyed boating. Mattheson described Handel as “rich in abilities and good intentions.”
The resulting air of superiority Mattheson demonstrated toward Handel only added insult to injury. Mattheson was well aware of Handel’s feelings, and he wrote that it “gave occasion for jealous looks.”
Handel went on to secure a position with Hamburg’s Opera House, joining the ranks of the orchestra’s second violins, while his jealousy continued simmering below the surface.
On December 5, 1704, an opera composed by Mattheson entitled, The Misfortune of Cleopatra, opened at the opera house. Mattheson, himself, played the singing role of Mark Antony, and he arranged for composer Reinhard Keiser to conduct the first part of his opera from the harpsichord. Mattheson had planned to take over as conductor after Antony’s death scene. Unfortunately, Keiser had a drinking problem, and he left the performance early.
Handel took this opportunity to fill in as the opera’s conductor at the harpsichord. After Mattheson finished Antony’s death scene on stage, he expected to take over as conductor for his opera. But Handel refused to return to the second violins and relinquish the conductor’s role. Handel stayed put at the harpsichord, conducting the opera until it was over.
After curtain-down, an argument broke out between the two musicians that became so heated, it attracted a crowd of onlookers. Then Mattheson physically slapped Handel. In this era, a public humiliation like this could only be settled by a duel. The two angry men left through the stage door and headed toward the market square, followed by a quickly-growing crowd.
Both men drew their swords. Mattheson lunged forward and aimed his sword at Handel's heart. The narrow blade struck a large metal button on Handel’s coat with such force, the sword's sharp tip was completely sheared off. This shocked both of them. Their anger evaporated, and they reconciled as friends on the spot.
However, the city of Hamburg was not big enough to hold both of these ambitious composers and their oversized egos. Handel decided to move to London, but he later cast Mattheson in the lead role of two of his operas. The two men maintained a life-long friendship.
Mattheson wrote an eloquent account of the duel, stating that it could have ended in tragedy...
“had God’s guidance not graciously ordained that my blade, thrusting against my opponent’s broad metal coat-button, should be shattered.”
This Christmas, as we listen to the glorious music of the Messiah, we can be grateful that God spared Handel’s life during that anger-fueled duel 320 years ago.
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Mary Dodge Allen is currently finishing her sequel to Hunt for a Hometown Killer. She's won a Christian Indie Award, an Angel Book Award, and two Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writer's Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith Hope and Love Christian Writers.
Thank you for posting today. Thank God for that button!
ReplyDeleteWow! I had never heard about that incident from Handel's life. Thank you for sharing. One of my favorite Christmas traditions is to come home after our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, turn off all the lights except for the white lights on the Christmas tree and listen to the Christmas portion of The Messiah.
ReplyDeleteThe Messiah stirs my heart like no other music - describing the glory of God. I like your Christmas tradition, Heather. And Connie, I agree. Thank God for that coat button!
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