Page:Anecdotes of Great Musicians.djvu/228

216 Many years afterward, the son of this violinist came to Beethoven for musical instruction and presented a note of introduction from his father. The great composer gave him a warm reception, a thing many aspirants for his instruction did not receive; and besides having his request that Beethoven should oversee his musical education granted, he was given this message to his old father in Bonn:—

"Tell your father I have not forgotten the death of my mother."  

The possession of genius seems to give a man the right to set at defiance the conventionalities of life. Beethoven was somewhat rough and unmannerly, and acted in a way, when in polite society, that, were it not for his genius, would have entitled him to the appellation, "a boor."

Händel was also in a position where he could snap his fingers at some of the senseless doings of the society of his day as well as at the wilfulness of his singers.

Together with all musicians who ever took part in any concert or musical entertainment, Händel greatly desired that the performance be not interrupted by the late or noisy entrance of careless patrons. Even when conducting performances at the residences of royalty, if the young Prince and Princess of Wales were late in their coming he would give them a good scolding. And if, after the rehearsal had begun, the maids of honor or other attendants made any disturbance it so irritated the master that he would not confine himself to rebukes, but would swear at the offenders and call them names; and then the good princess would calm them with, "Hush, hush, Händel is in a passion."