‘With friends like Matheson, who needs enemies?’ These words might have been on Handel’s mind in 1704, when he was nearly killed by his friend Johann Matheson, during a quarrel at the premiere of one of Matheson’s operas. Were it not for a large button that saved Handel’s life, we may have heard fewer Hallelujahs – but luck would have it that these two composers reconciled and became the fastest of friends. Matheson and Handel would go on to continued success in their careers and stayed in correspondence for life. Hear all about this intriguing and colourful composer on this morning’s Vox Nostra, from the Sunday Sonata to the Morning Motet, with some of Matheson’s most beautiful vocal works on display. We’ll celebrate his birthday this day in 1681, and we may even hear some of his 1710 opera version of Boris Godunov!
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 28th September, 7am-10am
