During the thirty years of Haydn's quiet life with the Esterhazys he
had been gradually acquiring an immense reputation in France, England
and Spain, of which he himself was unconscious. His great symphonies
had stamped him world-wide as a composer of remarkable creative
genius. Haydn's modesty prevented him from recognising his own
celebrity. Therefore, we can fancy his astonishment when, shortly
after the death of Prince Nicholas Esterhazy, a stranger called on him
and said, "I am Salomon, from London, and must strike a bargain with
you for that city immediately."
Haydn was dazed with the suddenness of the proposition, but the old
ties were broken up, and his grief needed recreation and change.
Still, he had many beloved friends, whose society it was hard to
leave. Chief among these was Mozart. "Oh, papa," said Mozart, "you
have had no training for the wide world, and you speak so few
languages." "Oh, my language is understood all over the world," said
Papa Haydn, with a smile. When he departed for England, December 15,
1790, Mozart could with difficulty tear himself away, and said, with
pathetic tears, "We shall doubtless now take our last farewell."
Haydn and Mozart were perfectly in accord, and each thought and did
well towards the other. Mozart, we know, was born when Haydn had just
reached manhood, so that when Mozart became old enough to study
composition the earlier works of Haydn's chamber music had been
written; and these undoubtedly formed the studies of the boy Mozart,
and greatly influenced his style; so that Haydn was the model, and, in
a sense, the instructor of Mozart. Strange is it then to find, in
after-years, the master borrowing (perhaps with interest!) from the
pupil. Such, however, was the fact, as every amateur knows. At this we
can hardly wonder, for Haydn possessed unbounded admiration not only
for Mozart, but also for his music, which the following shows. Being
asked by a friend at Prague to send him an opera, he replied:--
"With all my heart, if you desire to have it for yourself alone, but
if you wish to perform it in public, I must be excused; for, being
written specially for my company at the Esterhazy Palace, it would not
produce the proper effect elsewhere. I would do a new score for your
theatre, but what a hazardous step it would be to stand in comparison
with Mozart! Oh, Mozart! If I could instil into the soul of every
lover of music the admiration I have for his matchless works, all
countries would seek to be possessed of so great a treasure. Let
Prague keep him, ah! and well reward him, for without that the history
of geniuses is bad; alas! we see so many noble minds crushed beneath
adversity. Mozart is incomparable, and I am annoyed that he is unable
to obtain any court appointment. Forgive me if I get excited when
speaking of him, I am so fond of him."
Mozart's admiration for Haydn's music, too, was very marked. He and
Herr Kozeluch were one day listening to a composition of Haydn's which
contained some bold modulations. Kozeluch thought them strange, and
asked Mozart whether he would have written them. "I think not,"
smartly replied Mozart, "and for this reason: because they would not
have occurred either to you or me!"
On another occasion we find Mozart taking to task a Viennese professor
of some celebrity, who used to experience great delight in turning to
Haydn's compositions to find therein any evidence of the master's want
of sound theoretical training--a quest in which the pedant
occasionally succeeded. One day he came to Mozart with a great crime
to unfold. Mozart as usual endeavoured to turn the conversation, but
the learned professor still went chattering on, till at last Mozart
shut his mouth with the following pill--"Sir, if you and I were both
melted down together, we should not furnish materials for one Haydn."
It was one of the most beautiful friendships in the history of art,
full of tender offices, and utterly free from the least taint of envy
or selfishness.