Composer Quotes
George Friderick Handel
After the bankruptcy of Handel’s opera company, and subsequent illness Handel was threatened with debtor’s prison. But following the visit of a friend, he was asked to write music to a libretto his friend had written, about the Christ and His work of redemption. Handel agreed and estimated he would complete the work in a year. Soon after, Handel was approached to compose a work for a benefit performance to raise money to help free men from debtor’s prison.
Handel began composing his masterpiece ‘Messiah’ in August 1741, rarely leaving his room or concerning himself with food and in 24 days he had finished!
After he completed the part that would become known as the ‘Hallelujah Chorus,’ he said:
“I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself.”
Messiah premiered the following year and was a sensation, raising money which was used to free over a hundred and forty men from prison debtors.
Messiah had fed the hungry, clothed the naked, fostered the orphan and freed the prisoner.
The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. (Psalm 146:7b-9)
Franz Joseph Haydn
Haydn said:
“Since God has given me a cheerful heart, He will forgive me for serving Him cheerfully. I prayed that the Infinite God would surely have mercy on His finite creature, pardoning dust for being dust. These thoughts cheer me and I experienced a sure Joy so confident, that as I wished to express the words of the prayer, I could not express my Joy but gave vent to my happy spirit and wrote the Miserere Allegro. And I pray for mercy until I feel that I am forgiven. Not from me – from heaven above, comes everlasting life.”
Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. (Micah 7:18)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
“God is ever before my eyes. I realise His omnipotence and I fear His anger, but I also recognise His love, His compassion, and His tenderness towards His creatures.”
For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!
(Deuteronomy 32:3)
Richard Wagner
In 1880 Wagner wrote an article called Religion and Art, in which he referred to Jesus Christ as “the all-loving Saviour who was born to suffer and die for mankind redeeming the human race through His blood.”
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)