2. His full name was George Frederick Handel. 3. His father was a barber and surgeon, who intended his son to become a lawyer. 4. As a little boy he practiced the harpsichord in the garret. 5. Once he went with his father to the home of the Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels. 6. Here he played the organ and won the Duke's attention. 7. The Duke advised the father to let the boy study music. 8. His first teacher was Zachau, who taught him many things, including organ and harpsichord playing. 9. After a few years with Zachau he went to Berlin, and there met two famous men. 10. Then he returned to Halle, but after his father's death he went to Hamburg. 11. At Hamburg he and Johann Mattheson became good friends. 12. He lived in Italy for three years. 13. Returning to Germany he agreed to become Capellmeister to the Elector of Hanover. 14. But he failed to keep his promise to the Elector by overstaying his leave of absence in London. 15. The Elector became King of England. He was very angry at Handel for disobeying him. 16. Handel won his friendship again by writing the _Water Music_ for a royal boat procession on the river Thames. 17. For many years Handel composed operas, but finally he won fame by writing oratorios. 18. He wrote the _Messiah_ and many others well known to-day. 19. He became blind toward the end of his life. 20. He died on Good Friday, 1759. SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HANDEL 1. In what year was Handel born? 2. What other great composer was born the same year in Germany? 3. What was the profession of Handel's father? 4. How did it come about that Handel was allowed to study music? 5. Who was Handel's first teacher? 6. What subjects did he study with his teacher? 7. What instruments did Handel play? 8. In what other cities and countries did Handel live? 9. Of what country did he become a citizen? 10. Name some of the famous composers of the day whom Handel knew. 11. What kinds of music did Handel write? 12. What form of music is the _Messiah_? 13. What was the _Water Music_? 14. How did Handel come to write it? 15. When did Handel die and where was he buried? THE STORY OF GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL Written by.............................................. On (date)............................................... [Illustration: No. 15] Transcriber's Notes: Passages in italics are indicated by _underscores_. In the list of composers in the instructions on how to use the book, the "r with a hacek" in the name Dvorak was replaced with a regular "r". On page 3, "Johann Christian Bach" was replaced with "Johann Sebastian Bach". On page 17, "Water Music" was italicized.