im
lessons on the organ, harpsichord, violin, and hautboy. Zachau was
extremely pleased with his pupil, and, perceiving his extraordinary
aptitude and genius, he did his best to bring him on. The organist
possessed a large collection of music by composers of different
countries, and he showed Handel how one nation differed from another
in its style of musical expression, or, to put it another way, how
the people of a particular country felt with regard to the art. Zachau
also taught him to compare the work of various composers, so that he
might recognise the various styles, as well as the faults and
excellencies of each. All this time, too, Handel was set work in
composition. Before long he was actually composing the regular weekly
services for the church, in addition to playing the organ whenever
Zachau desired to absent himself--yet at this time Handel could not
have been more than eight years old.

It was at the end of three years' hard work that Zachau took his pupil
by the hand, and said: 'You must now find another teacher, for I can
teach you no more.' Well and faithfully indeed had Zachau discharged
his duty toward the pupil for whom, to use his own words, he felt he
could never do enough, and grateful must Handel have been for all his
care and attention. The parting was sad for both master and pupil, but
with both the art which they loved stood before all else, and so
Handel was sent to Berlin to pursue his studies.

It is hardly to be wondered at that the people of Berlin should have
regarded as a prodigy a child of eleven who was capable of composing
music for Church services, as well as of playing the organ and
harpsichord in a masterly fashion. There were two well-known musicians
living in Berlin at the time, named Ariosti and Buononcini, to whom
Handel was of course introduced. The former received the boy very
kindly and gave him every encouragement, but Buononcini took a dislike
to him from the first, and seems to have done his best to injure the
little player's reputation. Under the pretence of testing Handel's
powers he composed a most difficult piece for the harpsichord, and,
setting it before the child, requested him to play it at sight. The
piece bristled with complications, and Buononcini confidently
anticipated that Handel would break down over its performance. To his
chagrin, however, the boy played it through with perfect ease and
correctness, and from that moment Buononcini regarded him as a se