Regarding Beethoven's admiration of Handel:
Ries (quoted in Thayer, p 366) says, "Of all composers, Beethoven valued
most highly Mozart and Handel, then S. Bach. Whenever I found him with
music in his hand or lying on his desk it was surely compositions of these
heroes. Haydn seldom escaped without a few sly thrusts."
Beethoven is quoted, again in Thayer (871), as saying, "Handel is the
greatest composer that ever lived. . . . I would uncover my head, and
kneel down at his tomb! . . . In a monarchy, we know who is the first."
Nick
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