There was this older guy, a songwriter in his 50s, who had become a failure after a once illustrious past. He had faced bankruptcy. People had begun to tell him that he was "behind the times."
Many people made fun of him--all the time. They called him a nincompoop. He was in a great deal of physical pain.
On top of all of this, he was now clinically depressed.
He was pursued by debtors and in a constant state of financial crisis and plagued by numerous health issues. Most of his advisers and friends told him to give up, run away and hide.
Many years before, his own father (long since dead) had told him never to go into music but get a "real job"--like a lawyer.
So, when nearly everyone in the world had turned their back on him, and he was penniless, a complete and utter failure, with hardly a friend in the world, he decided to lock himself in a room for a month and write the greatest piece of music ever written in the history of mankind.
Within 28 days he was finished and came out of his room with his new song--260 pages long.
He told someone that when he got to the end of the song--and had written the "big part"--that he truly believed he had seen God and had been transported to heaven for a quick glimpse. During this quick glimpse, God had given him a peek at heaven and all of the angels. Of course everyone thought he was completely and utterly mad for saying this.
But they wanted to hear the music anyway, just out of curiosity.
The songwriter:
Georg Friedrich Handel.
The song:
The Messiah.
Footnote:
Upon hearing the notes of the Hallelujah Chorus for the first time, the King of England stood up and gave a standing ovation--because he thought it was the British National Anthem.
For many years after, church leaders tried to keep people from going to hear it, calling the work "blasphemy"--only they had the credentials to talk about God, not a musician.
But, the promoters still couldn't find places big enough to contain the crowds because the people (and the King) loved it.
I have read some stefan zweig. the postmistress and the chess player and beware pity. Good novels. Its seems he wrote the piece you are referring too.
Considering in that era, handel was able to do a lot as a musician and composer and was occupied throughout his time with many works and positions as musical director.
He was aged at that time and suffering several things and the comparison with the resurrection is probably allowable artistic licence. Great fun to think so.
Using: Dell 3268 i3, 8 GB ram, windows 10. Biab version 2017 standard package, no extras.
David, that was a truly amazing and inspired story! I love reading things like this. Thanks for sharing it.
BTW, if suddenly you go missing for 28 days, I will have HIGH expectations upon your return.
Of course combining your Elvis (The King) days with there being a king in this story (technically two...the King of England and the Messiah), I can't help but notice an theme to your posts. Kings be yo thing! You sir will emerge as King David?
Last edited by HearToLearn; 03/08/1803:24 AM.
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
Wow - if this doesn't encourage someone to never give up, I don't know what will. Got a little bit of the goosebumps after reading this. I admittedly had no clue who Georg Friedrich Handel was, or what The Messiah sounded like. I looked up on YouTube and instantly recognized it.
I also ended up further down the rabbit hole and wound up reading about his life on Wikipedia. It's stunning what he overcame - a very interesting man with a very interesting life, indeed. Someone should make a movie about him!
Handel moved to live in England in 1712 and had been popular there for quite some time before he wrote the Messiah. He'd made a name for himself writing Italian operas for the continentally minded Poms.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
But this was a comeback story of sorts, maybe embellished through the years, but still inspirational. He definitely has a slump and some major issues and setbacks the Messiah was his comeback.
But all other history duly noted as was stated in the OP.
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
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Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 60 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
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2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49. Browse the full contents of each package and listen to demos here.
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
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Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
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Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
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