Aaron Rabushka <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>I've also heard that some of Bach's visual problems came from >>his hand-copying The FitzWilliam (cap?) Virginal Book by moonlight. Bob Lyman added: >My understanding is that both Bach's and Handel's blindness was partially >the result of years of eye strain. I believe this was a fairly common >occurance with composers (and copyists, writers, etc.) who managed to reach >advanced years. And when one thinks of doing musical notation by candlelight, it is easy to see why... >Delius managed to figure out a system for dictating his >music to an assistant after he went blind. Of course Delius lived into the era of electric light, so his case was different. Julia Werthimer <[log in to unmask]> California, USA