See supra, p. 19. Bach himself certainly was the challenger.
When Handel was at Venice in 1708, Domenico Scarlatti, hearing a stranger touching the Harpsichord at a masquerade, exclaimed, “That must either be the famous Saxon or the Devil” (Rockstro's George Frederick Handel, p. 48). Streatfield (p. 145) mentions a similar event which took place in 1737. Hearing a stranger playing a Fugue in one of the Flemish churches, the organist embraced him, saying, “You can be no other but the great Handel.”
Heinrich Lorenz Hurlebusch was organist of three churches in Brunswick. His visit to Bach took place in 1730, seemingly. See Schweitzer, i. 154.
Schweitzer prints an appreciation of Hurlebusch which suggests that he was a man of distinct ability and “a paragon of politeness.”
Antonio Caldara, b. circ. 1670; vice-Kapellmeister at Vienna, 1716-36; d. 1736.
Johann Adolph Hasse, b. 1699, d. 1783; Kapellmeister and Director of the Opera, Dresden.
Johann Gottlieb Graun, b. circ. 1698, d. 1771; conductor of the royal Kapelle, Berlin.
Carl Heinrich Graun, b. 1701, d. 1759; like his brother, in Frederick the Great's service.
Georg Philipp Telemann, b. 1681, d. 1767; Cantor and Musik-direktor in Hamburg.
Johann Dismas Zelenka, b. 1679 or 1681, d. 1745; Court Composer at Dresden.