Baroque Notes: Flowers and Duets

His coat and trousers were soaked by the rain, and his red cloak was already wet by the rain, but it was so familiar that Handel couldn't help but think of a portrait he had looked at countless times when he was alive; He was slightly embarrassed, but his expression was so calm and elegant; his brown eyes were full of warmth, but were dimmed with tears.

"Fred, I've finally 'crossed the mountains.'"

Handel was momentarily at a loss for words.He stood where he was, tears flowing down with muddy water and rain.Even when they were both alive, half a century was only a correspondence: since 1703, when he left the law department of Halle University to earn a living in Hamburg, the two hardly saw each other again.The voice and smile of his old friend in his memory still stays in those years. Handel, who was not yet 20 years old, just walked out of Halle University, when he heard a voice calling him kindly... Telemann, who was in his early twenties, was due to travel. Trek was sloppy and tired, but he jumped out of the carriage happily, waving his latest work and a small gift for his friends, and ran over the muddy street , threw himself into the arms of his friend, and splashed the other party with mud... At that time, he also had the same tone, and he raised his voice slightly shyly, calling, "Fred? Georg Friedrich Heng Del, is that you?"...

Memory and reality finally coincide after two centuries.

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"I know all this because I was in charge of receiving Philip at that time." Bach said with a smile, "However, the conversation didn't last long, and Philip's desire to change the itinerary and go to the British Pavilion first became stronger. After driving through the UK When I was in the pavilion, I can be sure that the car had not stopped at that time. Mr. Telemann, who was nearly 260 years old, jumped out of the car with agility and ran towards the British Pavilion at an admirable speed. .”

"My apparent age had been changed at that time, and it was the same as now, but I was only in my early thirties, so it was understandable that I could run fast..." Telemann said shyly.Nervously, he froze the eel on the fork and dropped it on Handel's lap beside him.

"Really?" Bach narrowed his triangular eyes. "I promise, even after working with Philip for so many years, I never saw him run so fast again."

"It would be great if I could also witness that touching moment," Vivaldi said emotionally, "I never thought that a man as stern and resolute as Handel would have such a happy and touching moment, when his face Will it be like the sun peeking out of the clouds if it radiates tenderness and love? That scene can surpass all of Handel's tender and romantic opera arias..."

"No, no, Antonio," Telemann wanted to pick up the eel jelly that fell on Handel's lap, but the latter had already put the eel jelly into his mouth first, "It was also very touching when you met Sebastian And romantic... and the moment I met Fred, it might not be as romantic as you think... Fred," Telemann said, looking at Handel next to him, who was eating Covering up my embarrassment, "Stop it. I know what you're thinking. Do you know why I was crying?"

"I don't know," Handel's expression made him look a bit like a delicious roast suckling pig now, "as for me... I was because...you were the last time we said goodbye in Halle three centuries ago It’s almost as if everything happened yesterday.”

"I...the reason why I was crying...at least part of the reason..." Telemann stammered awkwardly, "I was scared to cry. Although I haven't seen your portrait when I was alive, but the real person ... I vaguely remember that when we met for the first time, your face like a perfect ancient Greek sculpture convinced me that you were the reincarnation of Oedipus. During college, you were also such a handsome young man... But... However... I ... What I saw at the entrance of the British//National Pavilion was a man who weighed about half a ton, with thick hands and feet, drooping cheeks, heavy steps, and fat hands that could not show muscles and bones, leaving only creases... ...Big...Big bear...God! Where did that suave and handsome boy go? When Mattson told me that you two often reconcile by eating together, I should have prepared..."

"Oh, Phil!" said Handel sadly, "I eat a little fat to give you a sense of security!"

"Philip, don't be sad," Vivaldi comforted, even though he knew that Bach was by his side. "The first time I saw someone, I felt exactly the same as you..." (see "Silent Melody" Chapter 12 "New Life", author's note)

"I know." Telemann said, "otherwise I would have called Fred over at the very beginning of the day. You know... I will give you a psychological preparation first..."

"And to the question of obesity, someone gave me exactly the same answer as Fred..." Vivaldi pursed his lips.

"I..." Bach didn't know what to say, "I propose, let's continue eating. The food is still edible—I mean, delicious..."

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"In the dark evening of Harley in 1701, thank you for washing away the haze of anxiety and withdrawal for me who was hesitant by nature, just like Apollo washed away the dry blood on Sarpedon's body, so that he can finally return to the embrace of death and sleep Thou hast assured me, and hoped, that after so many days, amidst the ashes of death, the Muse will come, who for the sake of music pours us with Ambrosia, the ancient Bread of the Greek gods; we shall drink this gift of Olympus and live eternally, and our dim shadows shall flow in the memory of history's continuation..."

P.S. (non-)musical moments

01 Holidays of four baroque musicians: exotic plants

dinner time.

Telemann was very sad, "I'm very glad that you brought me flowers again when you went out today... But—" Telemann pointed to a very twisted and hideous plant in the middle of the dining table, "This is not a pig cage Grass?! Are you sure it’s really good to put it in the middle of the dining table like this?”

"Ah." Handel came back to his senses, not forgetting to take a sip of wine, "Mosquitoes are not so much in summer in Hamburg; don't you like exotic plants; look! This pitcher plant is perfect! I walked for a long time this morning Just got it. You see, there's already a... um, fly in this little pouch, and it looks like it has a good appetite!"

Looking at the depressed Telemann, Bach anxiously wanted to smooth things over, "Philip, don't worry about our appetite! Everyone who sees you will think of your "Table Music", and their appetite will improve unexpectedly. Good enough to eat you; besides, Fred doesn't eat much, and I had a keg of beer and a grilled fish just before you came!"

Everyone is depressed now.

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02 A holiday with four baroque musicians: a career in composition

"I can write an opera in five days."

"I can write a cantata in an hour and 15 minutes."

"What's the matter, I can compose concertos faster than scribes can copy them."

"It's not a rare skill," Telemann said disdainfully. "Scarlatti can't compose music as fast as his scribe."

"Yes yes, my old Monsieur Telemann," said Vivaldi sarcastically, "this skill was necessary for the geniuses of the 18th century: Tiepolo When he finished a painting, his colleagues didn't even finish the colors."

"All in all, I've written more pieces than you. Three thousand versus eight hundred."

"It's not fair," Vivaldi said angrily. "You outlived me by so many years! And how can you judge by numbers alone?"

Telemann laughed. "What else? You know I'm the one who can write cantatas even for tax return notices. The French Mr. March Marais just wrote bladder stone surgery into a song...Compared with me, it's completely insignificant."

Vivaldi dismissed it, "There is no basis for what you say -----" He glanced at the shopping receipt that Bach had just bought in the supermarket, "Now let's take this shopping receipt and start composing!"

"Haha, this is really a wonderful cantata theme," Telemann was completely unmoved, holding the shopping receipt, half-chanting, "First of all, the bass--Munich...Munich beer ... two barrels ..."

Vivaldi said unconvinced, "Don't shake your book bag. I want to compose a concerto with sonnets (the "Four Seasons" series is a concerto with sonnets, author's note)... Bassoon solo The theme of Munich beer