possibly be expressed; the passages concatenated with stupendous art, the whole at the same time being perfectly intelligible, and carrying the appearance of great simplicity. This kind of prelude was succeeded by the concerto itself, which he executed with a degree of spirit and firmness that no one can ever pretend to equal_." Even at the height of the cabal which was organised against Handel, the Grub Street Journal published an enthusiastic poem on Handel's Organ Concertos.[365] "_Oh winds, softly, softly raise your golden wings among the branches!_ _That all may be silent, make even the whisperings of Zephyrs to cease._ _Sources of life, suspend your course...._ _Listen, listen, Handel the incomparable plays!..._ _Oh look, when he, the powerful man, makes the forces of the organ resound,_ _Joy assembles its cohorts, malice is appeased, ..._ _His hand, like that of the Creator, conducts his noble work with order, with grandeur and reason...._ _Silence, bunglers in art! It is nothing here to have the favour of great lords. Here, Handel is king._" It is necessary then to view these Organ Concertos in the proper sense of magnificent concerts for a huge public.[366] Great shadows, great lights, strong and joyous contrasts, all are conceived in view of a colossal effect. The orchestra usually consists of two oboes, two violins, viola, and basses (violoncellos, bassoons, and cembalo), occasionally two flutes, some contrabassos and a harp.[367] The concertos are in three or four movements, which are generally connected in pairs. Usually they open with a _pomposo_, or a _staccato_, in the style of the French overture,[368] often an _allegro_ in the same style follows. For the conclusion, an _allegro moderato_, or an _andante_, somewhat animated, sometimes some dances. The _adagio_ in the middle is often missing, and is left to be improvised on the organ. The form has a certain relation with that of the sonata in three movements, _allegro-adagio-allegro_, preceded by an introduction. The first pieces of these two first concertos published in Volume XLVIII of the Complete Edition (second volume) are in a picturesque and descriptive style. The long Concerto in F Major in the same volume has the swing of festival music, very closely allied to the open-air style. Finally, one must notice the beautiful experiment, unfortunately not continued, of the Concerto for two organs,[369] and that, more astonishing still, of a Concerto for Organ terminated by a Chorus,[370] thus opening the way for Beethoven's fine Symphony, and to his successors, Berlioz, Liszt, and Mahler.[371] * * * * * The chamber music of Handel proves to be of the same precocious maturity as his clavier music.