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; 03/08/1804:24 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
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