Show handels life saved by turn of swords point had it not been for the large size of if ll 11 lint brass button on the coat ot of george frederick handel the messiah might never liae have been written vi itten when handel was vas of eighteen lateen lie was ft as playing placing tile the harpsichord in the opera house in hamburg germany and directing the performances in the absence of the regular conductor conduct oi rein hard kelser JC elier A coulig arle nd and rival composer named matthieson Hatt Matt lieson hall had written the opera cleopatra which ans being produced tho the composer himself played tile the part of anthony in tile ills opera and after that point in the play piny where the hero dies it had been matthe sons custom to go to the harps leord and conduct the remainder ot of the opera kelser the regular conductor did not object to thle this but young handel was ras more obstinate and refused to she give up ills his place at the keyboard e board mattheson was indignant and ta the I 1 e outcome was a duel in the early hours of 0 the following morning swords were the weapons and mat th esons would surely have pierced the breast of handel had not the point struck the alie aforesaid button the messiah was written 38 years later under intense inspiration in 21 days das Watt mattheson lieson Is best remembered now for his reminiscences of 0 handel ile he wrote rote many anecdotes a bout about ills his friend and fellow duelist among the story of the turned sword point lie ile anil and handel went vent together to compete for the vacant post of organist when iben handel was as seventeen and a fe bev years sears older arrived in lubeck they learned that the successful candidate was ex et pecked to marry many the daughter of the retiring organist the lady Is not described by matthieson AInt Matt lieson but lie he states that lie anti and handel made all husto to flee the town |