Part 8 (1/2)
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” Druly Courtesies--A Valuable Parrot--Rohrau Reminiscences--Esterhaz once e of Plagiarism
Haydn left London some time towards the end of June 1792 He had intended to visit Berlin, in response to an invitation fro Frederick William II, but he altered his route in order to meet Prince Anton Esterhazy, as at Frankfort for the coronation of the Ewith his people in the Wenzegasse, but already arrange a sothened visit to Vienna in order to prosecute his studies there Since the death of Mozart, Haydn had become the most brilliant star in the enius should look to hiement It so happened that the Elector's Band, of which Beethoven was aThe occasion was opportune Beethoven subreatly praised, war the composer to proceed with his studies”
The nah 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 fulfillenius 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 noaiting 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 coood sense not to repeat the count's words When the young artist arrived in Vienna, he found Haydn living at the Haer Haus, No
992 (since demolished), and thither he went for his lessons From Beethoven's own notes of expenses we find that his first payroschen (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 co pupil, but one lect 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 ed almost to different centuries, and the disposition which the younger artist had for ”splendid experiments” must have seemed to the mature ularity ”He will never do anything in decent style,” was Albrechtsberger's dictu 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 hiether incapable For e splenetic re 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 ht; I liked it very well” To which Beethoven, alluding to Haydn's oratorio, replied: ”Oh! deara 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 coes at arnized Haydn's genius as a coraphy can fail to see As Pohl takes pains to point out, he spoke highly of Haydn whenever opportunity offered, often chose one of his the in public, scored one of his quartets for his own use, and lovingly preserved the autograph of one of the English syreatness is amply proved by the story already related which represents hi been born in a coh Beethoven was dissatisfied with his progress under Haydn, there was no open breach between the two It is true that the young ht another teacher--one Schenck, a well-known Viennese coe, out of consideration, we s That athered fro the su year Haydn set out on his second visit to England, and Beethoven transferred hier
The Haydn Museuhteen months which intervened between the two London visits was almost totally devoid of incident His wife, it will be re for money to buy a certain house which she fancied for a ”'s hoh not to send thethe house in every way to his liking, he bought it himself Frau Haydn died seven years later, ”and now,” said the co in it as a er” The house is situated in the suburb of Vienna known as Guasse 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 ofportraits and inalrelics
Starts for London
Haydn started on his journey to England on January 19, 1794, Saloht 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 hen 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 Salo doubtless the encu years, Haydn took his servant and copyist, Johann Elssler, along with hi that he entertained a very warard 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, raph 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 coiven 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 Saloed 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 perfor with some new quartets Of the many conte is that which appears in the Journal of Luxury and Fashi+on, published at Weimar in July 1794 It is in the for of ”On the Present State and Fashi+on 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 ould you now say to his new symphonies composed expressly for these concerts, and directed by hiust thoughts this es often occur which render it i excited We are altogether carried away by admiration, and forced to applaud with hand and mouth This is especially the case with Frenchmen, of e have so many here that all public places are filled with thereat sensibility, and cannot restrain their transports, so that in the ios they clap their hands in loud applause and thus io 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 ood-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 ether at one concert, Cra froenius of the first rank--his cohtest i along with Haydn He had been leader at the Handel Festivals at Westaged 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 dru round froe (afterwards Sir George) S the violinists Smart, who lived to becoland, 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 hoe use the drumsticks in Germany” ”Oh, very well,” replied the unabashed youth, ”if you like it better in that e can also do it so in London”