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[ Nicolai mentions these three oratorios as well known to him in 1781 (Reise, IV., p. 534). An enthusiastic account of "Judas Maccabæus" after a performance at a Liebhaberconcert in 1774, was given by Reichardt in Briefe e. aufmerks. Reis., I., p. 82. Zelter describes the great effect which a performance of the "Messiah" in 1783 made upon him (Rintel, Zelter, p. 137). The "Messiah" had been performed in Hamburg as early as 1775 (Joh. Heinr. Voss, Briefe, I., p. 295).]
43 ([return])
[ Marpurg, Krit. Briefe, II., p. 141.]
44 ([return])
[ Nicolai, Reise, IV., p. 525.]
45 ([return])
[ Reichardt, A. M. Z., XV., p. 666 (Schletterer, Reichardt, I., p. 325).]
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[ A. M. Z., III., p. 601. It was certainly not to the taste of Frederick the Great. When it was proposed to sing the choruses in Racine's "Athalie," the King put a stop to it with the remark (January 10,1774): "La musique française ne vaut rien, il faut faire déclamer le chour, alors cela revient au même (Preuss, Friedrich der Grosse, III., p. 310).]