Baroque Notes: Flowers and Duets

, such as caring about composers of the younger generation, such as writing letters to an old friend from boyhood.

Over the past few years, he has been in frequent contact with Handel.Communications about music, work, and etiquette dwindle and are replaced by conversations about gardening.These small things in life, in the eyes of these two growing lonely people, are much more important than the grand narrative about opera in the past.

"If this love of exotic plants can give you long life and your natural vivacity, then I will do my best to foster it with great honor. Once again I send you a box of flowers, my The botanical experts assure me that they are the best of the best and very rare, if they are telling the truth. You should have the best plants in all England..." (Handel, to Telemann, 1750)

Telemann silently read this letter from Handel not long ago, and those kind and warm words seemed to be whispered slowly in his ear by his old friend himself.If he was ten years younger, how much he would want London to meet his long-lost friend in person, talk to him about gardening, talk about those flowers... Del even fiddled with these tiny flowers and plants, but he seemed to be sure that his guess was true.After the fierce market battles with the various opera companies and the courtly intrigues, Handel was also tired.Even an unyielding hero has to admit the menace of the years. In April 1737, at the age of 4, Handel suffered his first stroke, immobilizing four fingers of his right hand.That summer, the physical disturbance in turn affected his mental state.Although he was able to return to the stage after a short recuperation at the hot springs, his physical and mental condition was much worse after that. In 52, 1741, 1743, whenever he was under extreme pressure and competition, chaos and collapse would suddenly come.In August of this year, things got worse when Handel suffered a serious carriage accident in the Netherlands on his way back from Germany to//London. Fortunately, he gradually recovered from his illness.

Telemann only read these news from various newspapers, and Handel never mentioned these personal misfortunes in his letters, and he never complained.He is still like the proud Harley boy back then, keeping all his personal emotions tightly, and just looking at the world around him with indifference and arrogance.He was always generous to help, but never asked for alms from others.Telemann glanced at the flowers in the garden, where the flowers sent by Handel grew wordlessly, with the same care as his master.He wondered what Handel had undertaken behind all the quietness. He couldn't imagine that a foreigner who was far away from home, away from his family and worked hard abroad all his life, was old and on the verge of physical and mental collapse. how to maintain.

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"In the winter of 1750, I was sick. At Christmas that year, Fred (Handel) replied to the manuscript I had sent him earlier, sent some exotic plants, and wrote to me who was very sick. Take heart." Telemann said, "I didn't know that life was very difficult for him at that time, and if I had known then, I would not have just expressed gratitude. At that time, I read the report in the newspaper and knew He played the organ for Princess Anna of the Netherlands in September, and returned to London on time in December. I think he has overcome the previous challenges with his strong physical foundation and stubborn personality." A little pause, Telemann Said, "Through reading biographies all these years in the association, I only know that in June 1750 he had made his will and his eyesight had deteriorated extremely. The following year, in 1751, he lost sight in his left eye."

"In 1754 I was very ill... Rumors began to circulate that the elderly Telemann died in 1754 at the age of 73. However, I really had no time to manage my things at that time. In the same year Handel sent me flowers by post , but the flower quilt was returned to England as it was, and the postman reported that I had passed away." Telemann said, "But I have no way of knowing his reaction at that time. After my illness improved slightly, at the end of September of that year, I received a letter from him. I can't describe how touched I was by this flat letter, although it was only a few words, but I couldn't help tears welling up in my eyes. -Antonio, do you mind if I read this letter for you Is it?"

"Of course not," Vivaldi said. "Countless scholars who have written your biographies have quoted this letter. I have not seen trivial prattle."

Later, Telemann found a copy of "Letters of Composers in Germany" edited by Jost Hermand in 1981, opened it and read:

"London, September 9th, 29

Mr,

I had been preparing to send exotic plants for you for some time, until Captain Jean Carsten told me that you were dead.You can't imagine what an extreme effect that statement had on me.Afterwards I was overjoyed to find that you were all right!It was the same Captain Jean Carsten who just came from you and told me the great news, and you gave him a list of the exotic plants you wanted.It is with great honor that I accept this request, I have gone to great lengths to find them and you will have almost every plant on the list.Considering that Captain Jean Carsten will not ship until December, I have made sure that he will send your plants on the first ship from here, you will see this Captain's name on your package with The name of the ship.I hope this small gift of mine will please you; I beg you to kindly tell me about your health, and I hope you are well; and I hope that you will prosper in all things, as I truly believe. a little.

Your humble and obedient servant,

G． F．Handel"

"I was so touched at that time." After reading, Telemann pursed his lips, "But when I was old and my mind was confused, I realized that this letter was not written by Handel himself, and his signature was not as smooth as usual... ...But I didn't think much of it! It was only in recent years that I read biographies and realized that he was completely blind after 1752, and this letter was dictated by him...!"

Letters from the family of Handel's London friend James Harris, 1753

"You ask me how poor Handel is. I saw him when I paid him for his oratorio... I couldn't help weeping the first time I saw him. He was completely broken, Pale, limp, old, blind, and in every way could not have been worse... I am told that he wept like a baby at the performance of Samson's aria 'Total Eclipse' (May 1753, 5). Thank God I didn't witness that!"

[Whole Foods!No sun, no moon!

Darkness covered the midday sun!

O glorious light!no more joyful sunshine

Shine my eyes for a new day!

God!Why take my sight?

The sun, the moon, and the stars are all darkness to me from now on! 】

- Handel "Samson", Samson's Aria: Total Eclipse

(Note: In this scene, Samson, who was originally a Hercules, was gouged out by the Philistines for leaking the secret, and was imprisoned in prison to grind.)

"Even in such a miserable situation, he still misses everything about me and tries his best to satisfy my request! How can I not be ashamed!"

Ended

In 1755, Telemann's eldest son Andreas died at the age of 40-year-old Michael (GeorgMichaelTelemann) who lost his father came to his grandfather's house in Hamburg to live with his 7-year-old grandfather.Looking after young Michael was perhaps one of the few pleasures the old and lonely Telemann enjoyed in his later years.Under the tutelage of his grandfather, Michael began to study music, and got acquainted with the young predecessor Carl Philipp Immanuel Bach (son of Johann Sebastian, godson of the old Telemann).In the years that followed, Telemann Jr. and Bach Jr. kept in touch frequently, and the friendship of their ancestors continued in these two young people.

Between 1756 and 1758, when Handel, also in his seventies, seemed to be in better physical and mental condition, neighbors heard him playing the harpsichord and "your old friend Handel looked plump, bulky and fat .(citing James Harris, 1758)"

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"In 1756 I saw the latest portrait of Handel in a journal, painted by Thomas Hudson. Despite his advanced age, he was still very strong, and his expression was as recognizable as in his early years. On his table is the Messiah and he looked at the audience," recalls Telemann, "yet everyone who noticed his distracted eyes could not help but feel heartache—the poor composer lived in total darkness for many years. 1758 He had eye surgery done by that charlatan, John Taylor," lamented Telemann, "if