Beethoven--Takes Lessons from Haydn--The Relations of the Two
Composers--The Haydn Museum--Haydn starts for London--His
Servant Elssler--The Salomon Concerts--A "Smart" Drummer--New
Acquaintances--Haydn at Bath--Opera Concerts--Kingly Courtesies--A
Valuable Parrot--Rohrau Reminiscences--Esterhaz once more--The "Austrian
Hymn"--Haydn's Love for It--A Charge of Plagiarism.
Haydn left London some time towards the end of June 1792. He had
intended to visit Berlin, in response to an invitation from King
Frederick William II., but he altered his route in order to meet Prince
Anton Esterhazy, who was at Frankfort for the coronation of the Emperor
Francis II.
Beethoven
A more interesting meeting took place at Bonn. Beethoven, then a young
man of twenty-two, was still living with his people in the Wenzegasse,
but already arrangements had been made by the Elector for his paying a
somewhat lengthened visit to Vienna in order to prosecute his studies
there. Since the death of Mozart, Haydn had become the most brilliant
star in the musical firmament, and it was only natural that the rising
genius should look to him for practical help and encouragement. It so
happened that the Elector's Band, of which Beethoven was a member, gave
a dinner to Haydn at Godesberg. The occasion was opportune. Beethoven
submitted a cantata to the guest of the evening which Haydn "greatly
praised, warmly encouraging the composer to proceed with his studies."
The name of the cantata has not been ascertained, though Thayer
conjectures it to have been on the death of the Emperor Leopold II.
Whatever it was, the fact of Haydn's approval would make it an easy
matter to discuss the subject of lessons, whether now or later.
Beethoven did not start for Vienna until November, and it appears that
immediately before that date some formal communication had been made
with Haydn in reference to his studies. On the 29th of October Count
Waldstein wrote:
"DEAR BEETHOVEN,--You are travelling to Vienna in fulfillment of your
long-cherished wish. The genius of Mozart is still weeping and bewailing
the death of her favourite. With the inexhaustible Haydn she found a
refuge, but no occupation, and is now waiting to leave him and join
herself to someone else. Labour assiduously, and receive Mozart's spirit
from the hands of Haydn."
This was not exactly complimentary to Haydn, but Beethoven doubtless had
the good sense not to repeat the count's words. When the young artist
arrived in Vienna, he found Haydn living at the Hamberger Haus, No.
992 (since demolished), and thither he went for his lessons. From
Beethoven's own notes of expenses we find that his first payment was
made to Haydn on December 12. The sum entered is 8 groschen (about
9 1/2 d.), which shows at least that Haydn was not extravagant in
his charges.
Master and Pupil
Beethoven's studies were in strict counterpoint, and the text-book was
that same "Gradus ad Parnassum" of Fux which Haydn had himself contended
with in the old days at St Stephen's. How many exercises Beethoven wrote
cannot be said, but 245 have been preserved, of which, according to
Nottebohm, Haydn corrected only forty-two. Much ink has been wasted in
discussing the relations of these distinguished composers. There is no
denying that Haydn neglected his young pupil, but one may find another
excuse for the neglect besides that of his increasing age and his
engrossing occupations. Beethoven was already a musical revolutionist:
Haydn was content to walk in the old ways. The two men belonged almost
to different centuries, and the disposition which the younger artist
had for "splendid experiments" must have seemed to the mature musician
little better than madness and licentious irregularity. "He will never
do anything in decent style," was Albrechtsberger's dictum after giving
Beethoven a series of lessons.
Haydn's opinion of Beethoven's future was not so dogmatically expressed;
but he must have been sorely puzzled by a pupil who looked upon even
consecutive fifths as an open question, and thought it a good thing to
"learn occasionally what is according to rule that one may hereafter
come to what is contrary to rule." It is said that Haydn persisted
in regarding Beethoven, not as a composer at all but as a pianoforte
player; and certainly Beethoven regarded Haydn as being behind the age.
That he was unjust to Haydn cannot be gainsaid. He even went so far as
to suspect Haydn of willfully trying to retard him in his studies, a
proceeding of which Haydn was altogether incapable. For many years he
continued to discharge splenetic remarks about his music, and he was
always annoyed at being called his pupil. "I never learned anything from
Haydn," he would say; "he never would correct my mistakes." When, the
day after the production of his ballet music to Prometheus, he met Haydn
in the street, the old man observed to him: "I heard your music last
night; I liked it very well." To which Beethoven, alluding to Haydn's
oratorio, replied: "Oh! dear master, it is far from being a CREATION."
The doubtful sincerity of this remark may be inferred from an anecdote
quoted by Moscheles. Haydn had been told that Beethoven was speaking
depreciatingly of "The Creation." "That is wrong of him," he said. "What
has HE written, then? His Septet? Certainly that is beautiful; nay,
splendid."
Beethoven on Haydn
It is hardly necessary to say who comes out best in these passages
at arms. Yet we must not be too hard on Beethoven. That he recognized
Haydn's genius as a composer no careful reader of his biography can
fail to see. As Pohl takes pains to point out, he spoke highly of
Haydn whenever opportunity offered, often chose one of his themes when
improvising in public, scored one of his quartets for his own use, and
lovingly preserved the autograph of one of the English symphonies. That
he came in the end to realize his true greatness is amply proved by
the story already related which represents him as exclaiming on his
death-bed upon the fact of Haydn having been born in a common peasant's
cottage.
In the meantime, although Beethoven was dissatisfied with his progress
under Haydn, there was no open breach between the two. It is true that
the young musician sought another teacher--one Schenck, a well-known
Viennese composer--but this was done without Haydn's knowledge, out of
consideration, we may assume, for his feelings. That master and pupil
were still on the best of terms may be gathered from their having been
at Eisenstadt together during the summer of 1793. In the January of
the following year Haydn set out on his second visit to England, and
Beethoven transferred himself to Albrechtsberger.
The Haydn Museum
Haydn's life in Vienna during the eighteen months which intervened
between the two London visits was almost totally devoid of incident. His
wife, it will be remembered, had written to him in England, asking for
money to buy a certain house which she fancied for a "widow's home."
Haydn was astute enough not to send the money, but on his return to
Vienna, finding the house in every way to his liking, he bought
it himself. Frau Haydn died seven years later, "and now," said the
composer, speaking in 1806, "I am living in it as a widower." The house
is situated in the suburb of Vienna known as Gumpendorf. It is No. 19
of the Haydngasse and bears a marble memorial tablet, affixed to it in
1840. The pious care of the composer's admirers has preserved it almost
exactly as it was in Haydn's day, and has turned it into a kind of
museum containing portraits and mementoes of the master, the original
manuscript of "The Creation," and other interesting relics.
Starts for London
Haydn started on his journey to England on January 19, 1794, Salomon
having brought him, under a promise to return with six new symphonies
which he was to conduct in person. This time he travelled down the
Rhine, and he had not been many days on the way when news reached him of
the death of Prince Anton Esterhazy, who had very reluctantly given him
leave of absence. On the occasion of the first London visit Salomon had
been his travelling companion; now, feeling doubtless the encumbrance
of increasing years, Haydn took his servant and copyist, Johann Elssler,
along with him.
Honest Elssler
It may be noted in passing that he entertained a very warm regard for
Elssler, whose father had been music copyist to Prince Esterhazy. He was
born at Eisenstadt in 1769, and, according to Pohl, lived the whole of
his life with Haydn, first as copyist, and then as general servant and
factotum. It was Elssler who tended the composer in his last years, a
service recompensed by the handsome bequest of 6000 florins, which he
lived to enjoy until 1843. No man, it has been said, is a hero to his
valet, but "Haydn was to Elssler a constant subject of veneration, which
he carried so far that when he thought himself unobserved he would stop
with the censer before his master's portrait as if it were the altar."
This "true and honest servant" copied a large amount of Haydn's
music, partly in score, partly in separate parts, much of which is now
treasured as the autograph of Haydn, though the handwritings of the two
are essentially different. It is a pity that none of the earlier writers
on Haydn thought of applying to Elssler for particulars of the private
life of the composer. He could have given information on many obscure
points, and could have amplified the details of this second London
visit, about which we know much less than we know about the former
visit.
The Salomon Concerts
Salomon's first concert had been arranged for the 3rd of February, but
Haydn did not arrive until the 4th, and the series accordingly began
upon the 10th. Twelve concerts were given in all, and with the most
brilliant success. The six new symphonies commissioned by Salomon were
performed, and the previous set were also repeated, along with some new
quartets. Of the many contemporary notices of the period, perhaps the
most interesting is that which appears in the Journal of Luxury and
Fashion, published at Weimar in July 1794. It is in the form of a London
letter, written on March 25, under the heading of "On the Present State
and Fashion of Music in England." After speaking of Salomon's efforts
on behalf of classical music and of the praise due to him for his
performance of the quartets of "our old favourite, Haydn," the writer
continues: "But what would you now say to his new symphonies composed
expressly for these concerts, and directed by himself at the piano? It
is truly wonderful what sublime and august thoughts this master weaves
into his works. Passages often occur which render it impossible to
listen to them without becoming excited. We are altogether carried
away by admiration, and forced to applaud with hand and mouth. This is
especially the case with Frenchmen, of whom we have so many here that
all public places are filled with them. You know that they have great
sensibility, and cannot restrain their transports, so that in the midst
of the finest passages in soft adagios they clap their hands in loud
applause and thus mar the effect. In every symphony of Haydn the adagio
or andante is sure to be repeated each time, after the most vehement
encores. The worthy Haydn, whose personal acquaintance I highly value,
conducts himself on these occasions in the most modest manner. He is
indeed a good-hearted, candid, honest man, esteemed and beloved by all."
Several notable incidents occurred at the Salomon Concerts. It has been
remarked, as "an event of some interest in musical history," that Haydn
and Wilhelm Cramer appeared together at one concert, Cramer as leader of
the orchestra, Haydn conducting from the pianoforte. But Cramer was
not a genius of the first rank--his compositions are of the slightest
importance--and there was nothing singular about his appearing along
with Haydn. He had been leader at the Handel Festivals at Westminster
Abbey in 1784 and 1787, and was just the man to be engaged for an
enterprise like that of Salomon's.
A "Smart" Drummer
An anecdote told of Haydn in connection with one of the rehearsals is
better worth noting. The drummer was found to be absent. "Can anyone
here play the drum?" inquired Haydn, looking round from his seat at the
piano. "I can," promptly replied young George (afterwards Sir George)
Smart, who was sitting among the violinists. Smart, who lived to become
the doyen of the musical profession in England, had never handled a
drumstick before, and naturally failed to satisfy the conductor. Haydn
took the drumstick from him and "showed to the astonished orchestra a
new and unexpected attitude in their leader." Then, turning to Smart,
he remarked: "That is how we use the drumsticks in Germany." "Oh, very
well," replied the unabashed youth, "if you like it better in that way
we can also do it so in London."
New Acquaintances
Haydn made several new acquaintances during this visit, the most notable
being, perhaps, Dragonetti, the famous double-bass player, who had
accompanied Banti, the eminent prima donna, to London in 1794. Banti had
been discovered as a chanteuse in a Paris cafe, and afterwards attracted
much notice by her fine voice both in Paris and London. "She is the
first singer in Italy, and drinks a bottle of wine every day," said one
who knew her. In her journeys through Germany, Austria and Italy she won
many triumphs. Haydn composed for her an air, "Non Partir," in E, which
she sang at his benefit. As for "Old Drag," the familiar designation of
the distinguished bassist, his eccentricities must have provided Haydn
with no little amusement. He always took his dog Carlo with him into the
orchestra, and Henry Phillips tells us that, having a strange weakness
for dolls, he often carried one of them to the festivals as his wife!
On his way to Italy in 1798 Dragonetti visited Haydn in Vienna, and was
much delighted with the score of "The Creation," just completed. Several
eminent violinists were in London at the time of Haydn's visit. The most
distinguished of them was perhaps Felice de Giardini, who, at the age of
fourscore, produced an oratorio at Ranelagh Gardens, and even played
a concerto. He had a perfectly volcanic temper, and hated Haydn as the
devil is said to hate holy water. "I don't wish to see the German dog,"
he remarked in the composer's hearing, when urged to pay him a visit.
Haydn, as a rule, was kindly disposed to all brother artists, but to be
called a dog was too much, He went to hear Giardini, and then got even
with him by noting in his diary that he "played like a pig."
The accounts preserved of Haydn's second visit to England are,
as already remarked, far less full than those of the first visit.
Unconnected memoranda appear in his diary, some of which are given by
Griesinger and Dies; but they are of comparatively little interest.
During the summer of 1794 he moved about the country a good deal. Thus,
about the 26th of August, he paid a visit to Waverley Abbey, whose
"Annales Waverliensis" suggested to Scott the name of his first romance.
The ruined condition of the venerable pile--it dates from 1128--set
Haydn moralizing on the "Protestant heresy" which led the "rascal mob"
to tear down "what had once been a stronghold of his own religion."
Haydn at Bath
In the following month he spent three days in Bath with Dr Burney,
and Rauzzini, the famous tenor, who had retired to the fashionable
watering-place after a successful career of thirteen years as a singer
and teacher in London. Rauzzini is little more than a name now, but for
Haydn's sake it is worth recalling his memory. Born at Rome in 1747,
his striking beauty of face and figure had drawn him into certain
entanglements which made it expedient for him to leave his native land.
He was as fond of animals as Dragonetti was of dolls, and had erected a
memorial tablet in his garden to his "best friend," otherwise his dog.
"Turk was a faithful dog and not a man," ran the inscription, which
reminds one of Schopenhauer's cynical observation that if it were not
for the honest faces of dogs, we should forget the very existence of
sincerity. When Haydn read the inscription he immediately proceeded to
make use of the words for a four-part canon. It was presumably at this
time that he became acquainted with Dr Henry Harington, the musician
and author, who had removed to Bath in 1771, where he had founded the
Harmonic Society. Haydn dedicated one of his songs to him in return for
certain music and verses, which explains the following otherwise cryptic
note of Clementi's, published for the first time recently by Mr J. S.
Shedlock: "The first Dr [Harington] having bestowed much praise on
the second Dr [Haydn], the said second Dr, out of doctorial gratitude,
returns the 1st Dr thanks for all favours recd., and praises in his
turn the said 1st Dr most handsomely." The title of Haydn's song was "Dr
Harington's Compliments."
Opera Concerts
The composer returned to London at the beginning of October for the
winter season's concerts. These began, as before, in February, and were
continued once a week up to the month of May. This time they took the
form of opera concerts, and were given at the "National School of Music"
in the new concert-room of the King's Theatre. No fresh symphonies were
contributed by Haydn for this series, though some of the old ones always
found a place in the programmes. Two extra concerts were given on May
21 and June 1, at both of which Haydn appeared; but the composer's last
benefit concert was held on May 4. On this occasion the programme
was entirely confined to his own compositions, with the exception of
concertos by Viotti, the violinist, and Ferlendis, the oboist. Banti
sang the aria already mentioned as having been written expressly for
her, but, according to the composer, "sang very scanty." The main
thing, however, was that the concert proved a financial success, the net
receipts amounting to 400 pounds. "It is only in England," said Haydn,
"that one can make 4000 gulden in one evening."
Haydn did indeed remarkably well in London. As Pohl says, "he returned
from it with increased powers, unlimited fame, and a competence for
life. By concerts, lessons, and symphonies, not counting his other
compositions, he had again made 1200 pounds, enough to relieve him from
all anxiety as to the future. He often said afterwards that it was not
till he had been to England that he became famous in Germany; by which
he meant that although his reputation was high at home, the English were
the first to give him public homage and liberal remuneration."
Kingly Courtesies
It is superfluous to say that Haydn was as much of a "lion" in London
society during his second visit as he had been on the previous occasion.
The attention bestowed on him in royal circles made that certain, for
"society" are sheep, and royalty is their bell-wether. The Prince
of Wales had rather a fancy for him, and commanded his attendance at
Carlton House no fewer than twenty-six times. At one concert at York
House the programme was entirely devoted to his music. George III and
Queen Caroline were present, and Haydn was presented to the King by the
Prince. "You have written a great deal, Dr Haydn," said the King. "Yes,
sire," was the reply; "more than is good for me." "Certainly not,"
rejoined His Majesty. He was then presented to the Queen, and asked to
sing some German songs. "My voice," he said, pointing to the tip of
his little finger, "is now no bigger than that"; but he sat down to
the pianoforte and sang his song, "Ich bin der Verliebteste." He was
repeatedly invited by the Queen to Buckingham Palace, and she tried to
persuade him to settle in England. "You shall have a house at Windsor
during the summer months," she said, and then, looking towards the King,
added, "We can sometimes make music tete-a-tete." "Oh! I am not jealous
of Haydn," interposed the King; "he is a good, honourable German." "To
preserve that reputation," replied Haydn, "is my greatest pride."
Most of Haydn's appearances were made at the concerts regularly
organized for the entertainment of royalty at Carlton House and
Buckingham Palace, and Haydn looked to be paid for his services. Whether
the King and the Prince expected him to give these services in return
for the supposed honour they had conferred upon him does not appear.
At all events, Haydn sent in a bill for 100 guineas sometime after his
return to Vienna, and the amount was promptly paid by Parliament.
A Valuable Parrot
Among the other attentions bestowed upon him while in London, mention
should be made of the present of a talking parrot. Haydn took the bird
with him, and it was sold for 140 pounds after his death. Another gift
followed him to Vienna. A Leicester manufacturer named Gardiner--he
wrote a book on The Music of Nature, and other works--sent him half a
dozen pairs of cotton stockings, into which were woven the notes of the
Austrian Hymn, "My mother bids me bind my hair," the Andante from
the "Surprise" Symphony, and other thematic material. These musical
stockings, as a wit has observed, must have come as a REAL surprise
to Haydn. It was this same Leicester manufacturer, we may remark
parenthetically, who annotated the translation of Bombet's Life of
Haydn, made by his fellow-townsman, Robert Brewin, in 1817.
Haydn's return from London was hastened by the receipt of a
communication from Esterhaz. Prince Anton had been succeeded by his
son Nicolaus, who was as fond of music as the rest of his family, and
desired to keep his musical establishment up to the old standard. During
the summer of 1794 he had written to Haydn, asking if the composer would
care to retain his appointment as director. Haydn was only too glad to
assent; and now that his London engagements were fulfilled, he saw no
reason for remaining longer in England. Accordingly he started for home
on the 15th of August 1795, travelling by way of Hamburg, Berlin and
Dresden, and arriving at Vienna in the early days of September.
Rohrau Reminiscences
Soon after his return he was surprised to receive an invitation to visit
his native Rohrau. When he arrived there he found that a monument, with
a marble bust of himself, had been erected to his honour in a park near
his birthplace. This interesting memorial consists of a square pillar
surmounting three stone steps, with an inscription on each side. The
visit was productive of mingled feelings to Haydn. He took his friends
to see the old thatch-roofed cottage, and, pointing to the familiar
stove, still in its place, modestly remarked that there his career as a
musician began--a reminiscence of the now far-away time when he sat by
his father's side and sawed away on his improvised fiddle.
Esterhaz once more
There is little to say about Haydn's labours as Capellmeister of the
Esterhazy household at this time. Apparently he was only at Eisenstadt
for the summer and autumn. Down to 1802, however, he always had a mass
ready for Princess Esterhazy's name-day in September. These compositions
are Nos. 2, 1, 3, 16, 4 and 6 of the Novello edition. No. 2, Pohl tells
us, was composed in 1796, and called the "Paukenmesse," from the fact
of the drums being used in the Agnus. No. 3 was written in 1797. It
is known in England as the Imperial Mass, but in Germany as "Die
Nelsonmesse," on account of its having been performed during Nelson's
visit to Eisenstadt in 1800. On that occasion Nelson asked Haydn for his
pen, and gave him his own gold watch in exchange.
The Austrian Hymn
It was shortly after his return to Vienna--in January 1797, to be
precise--that he composed his favourite air, "God preserve the Emperor,"
better known as the Austrian Hymn. The story of this celebrated
composition is worth telling with some minuteness. Its inception was
due to Count von Saurau, Imperial High Chancellor and Minister of the
Interior. Writing in 1820, the count said:
I often regretted that we had not, like the English, a national air
calculated to display to all the world the loyal devotion of our people
to the kind and upright ruler of our Fatherland, and to awaken
within the hearts of all good Austrians that noble national pride
so indispensable to the energetic fulfillment of all the beneficial
measures of the sovereign. This seemed to me more urgent at a period
when the French Revolution was raging most furiously, and when the
Jacobins cherished the idle hope of finding among the worthy Viennese
partisans and participators in their criminal designs. [The scandalous
Jacobin persecutions and executions in Austria and Hungary took place
in 1796]. I caused that meritorious poet Haschka to write the words,
and applied to our immortal countryman Haydn to set them to music, for I
considered him alone capable of writing anything approaching in merit
to the English "God save the King." Such was the origin of our national
hymn.
It would not have been difficult to match "God save the King," the
mediocrity of which, especially as regards the words, has been the butt
of countless satirists. Beethoven wrote in his diary that he "must show
the English what a blessing they have" in that "national disgrace." If
Haydn regarded it as a "blessing," he certainly did not take it as a
model. He produced an air which, looking at it from a purely artistic
point of view, is the best thing of the national anthem kind that has
ever been written. The Emperor was enchanted with it when sung on his
birthday, February 12, 1797, at the National Theatre in Vienna, and
through Count Saurau sent the composer a gold box adorned with a
facsimile of the royal features. "Such a surprise and such a mark of
favour, especially as regards the portrait of my beloved monarch," wrote
Haydn, "I never before received in acknowledgment of my poor talents."
Haydn's Love for It
We have several indications of Haydn's predilection for this fine air,
which has long been popular as a hymn tune in all the churches. He
wrote a set of variations for it as the Andante of his "Kaiser Quartet."
Griesinger tells us, too, that as often as the warm weather and his
strength permitted, during the last few years of his life, he used to be
led into his back room that he might play it on the piano. It is further
related by Dies that, during the bombardment of Vienna in May 1809,
Haydn seated himself at his instrument every forenoon to give forth the
sound of the favourite song. Indeed, on May 26, only five days before
his death, he played it over three times in succession, and "with a
degree of expression that astonished himself." As one writer puts it,
the air "seemed to have acquired a certain sacredness in his eyes in an
age when kings were beheaded and their crowns tossed to the rabble."
Haydn's first sketch of the melody was found among his papers after his
death. We reproduce it here, with an improvement shown in small notes.
There are, it will be observed, some slight differences between the
draft and the published version of the air:
[figure: a musical score excerpt from the draft]
[figure: a musical score excerpt from the published version]
The collecting of what Tennyson called "the chips of the workshop"
is not as a rule an edifying business, but the evolution of a great
national air must always be interesting.
Plagiarism or Coincidence?
It might perhaps be added that Dr Kuhac, the highest authority on
Croatian folk-song, asserted in an article contributed to the Croatian
Review (1893) that the Austrian National Hymn was based on a Croatian
popular air. In reviewing Kuhac's collection of Croatian melodies, a
work in four volumes, containing 1600 examples, Dr Reimann signifies his
agreement with Kuhac, and adds that Haydn employed Croatian themes not
only in "God preserve the Emperor," but in many passages of his
other works. These statements must not be taken too seriously. Handel
purloined wholesale from brother composers and said nothing about it.
The artistic morality of Haydn's age was different, and, knowing his
character as we do, we may be perfectly sure that if he had of set
purpose introduced into any of his compositions music which was not his
own he would, in some way or other, have acknowledged the debt. This
hunting for plagiarisms which are not plagiarisms at all but mere
coincidences--coincidences which are and must be inevitable--is fast
becoming a nuisance, and it is the duty of every serious writer to
discredit the practice. The composer of "The Creation" had no need to
borrow his melodies from any source.