“Listen, Graun. We must let old Bach hear some good music of our own time. What have we to offer him from the opera repertory?”
“If Your Majesty please, we have Hasse’s ‘Artaxerxes,’ Porpora’s ‘Annibale’ and ‘Mitridate,’ Handel’s ‘Faramondo’—”[44]
“No, no! We must have something of our own.”
“Perhaps one of Agricola’s pieces.”
“But, still better, why not one of Graun’s?” said the King, laughing.
Graun bowed. “In that case, and in obedience to Your Majesty, I make bold to suggest the ‘Galatea.’”
“Oh! because I myself stumbled around a little in that pastoral music?[45] Ah! ah! Graun, have you also begun to be a courtier? What will become of my band? No, no, we will not have ‘Galatea.’ We will have ‘Demofoonte’ or ‘Caius Fabricius.’ What do you think of those?”
“We have well practised both, Your Majesty, but ‘Cinna’ is completely ready. If Your Majesty is so disposed, we can give Herr Bach the first act of that.”
“Good, good, we can manage it; but we will talk about it later. As to the rest, I wish—”
At that moment the door opened and the lackey announced, “Herr Bach, of Leipsic, is in the anteroom and at Your Majesty’s service.”