Story Lives of Great Musicians Part 7

Whilst music-lovers were descanting on the beauties of the 'Creation,'

Haydn was busily composing a second oratorio founded upon Thomson's famous poem, 'The Seasons.' The desire for work was as strong as ever, but his health was declining, and the strain involved by so great an undertaking proved too much for his strength. '"The Seasons" gave me my finishing stroke,' was Haydn's often-repeated remark to his friends after the oratorio had left his hands. But no trace of diminished power is visible in the work itself, and the success which attended its production was such as to place it on a level with the 'Creation.'

With these two great works the flow of composition from the master's pen fittingly closed. Upon the subject of his life-work as a whole we may not dwell in this brief story. The history of music has accorded to Haydn the high position which his works ent.i.tled him to occupy, and the feeling of grat.i.tude for those great gifts having been vouchsafed to us is one that has grown deeper and deeper with the pa.s.sing years.

Musicians and music-lovers all the world over give expression to this grat.i.tude by pointing to what he has accomplished for the symphony, the quartet, and the sonata--to mention the three branches of composition to which his genius was specially directed. Acknowledged on every hand as the father of instrumental music, Haydn compels our admiration by 'his inexhaustible invention as shown in the originality of his themes and melodies; the life and spontaneity of the ideas; the clearness which makes his compositions as interesting to the amateur as to the artist; the child-like cheerfulness and drollery which charm away trouble and care.' His insistence on the importance of melody was a marked characteristic. 'It is the air which is the charm of music,'

he once remarked to the composer Kelly, 'and it is that which is most difficult to produce. The invention of a fine melody is a work of genius.'

The honourable peace which should have been the companion of his old age was marred by much physical suffering, through which, however, at intervals his genial nature forced its way like sunshine through clouds. Nor were his declining years without the solace of numerous friends--indeed, by none to whom his great gifts and kindly personality had brought pleasure and instruction was the old composer forgotten, and nothing gave him keener delight than to gather his friends about him to talk over the chief events of his life, and to exhibit his collection of diplomas, souvenirs, and other mementoes, which had been presented to him by his royal and n.o.ble patrons.

Perhaps no more touching example could be given of the affectionate esteem in which Haydn was held by all cla.s.ses of music-lovers than that afforded by the last occasion on which he appeared in public. He had been for a long time living in retirement in the house which he purchased on the outskirts of Vienna, but having expressed a wish to be present at a performance of the 'Creation' at the University on March 27, 1808, he was carried to the hall in his arm-chair. The enthusiasm evoked by the spectacle of the aged composer being borne into the arena was in itself a convincing proof that his popularity had not lessened. But the emotions of the audience were more deeply stirred when, at the pa.s.sage 'And there was light,' Haydn lifted his hand and, pointing upwards, exclaimed, 'It came from thence!' At this point his agitation was so great that it was deemed prudent to remove him to his home; and as the carriers lifted him up and bore him towards the door, the people flocked about his chair to touch his hand and bid him farewell. At the door itself the crowd was denser than ever, and pressing through the throng came Beethoven, who, bending over his old master, kissed him fervently on the hand and forehead. As he pa.s.sed through the exit Haydn turned to take a last look at those who were standing and waving their farewells, and as he did so he raised his hands as if in the act of blessing them. The next moment the heavy portiere fell, and Haydn pa.s.sed for ever from the public sight.

A year later the old musician lay stretched upon his bed listening to the booming of the French cannon, which were bombarding the city.

Presently the crash of a ball which fell close to his house caused the servants to utter a cry of fear, whereupon their master called out to them, 'Children, don't be frightened. No harm can happen to you while Haydn is by.'

One day, shortly after this event, when Vienna was in the occupation of the French, the faithful Elssler reported that a French officer desired to pay his respects to the composer whom France held in such veneration. The interview was granted, and the officer, before taking his leave, sang 'In Native Worth,' from the 'Creation,' with so much feeling and expression that Haydn's eyes filled with tears, and he embraced the singer with warmth and tenderness.

[Ill.u.s.tration: '_Haydn's eyes filled with tears._']

The end was now very near, and Haydn awaited the dread summons with the resignation that was born of his implicit and child-like faith in G.o.d. On May 26, 1809, he summoned the members of his household to his presence, and, having been carried to the piano, he played his favourite composition, 'The Emperor's Hymn,' three times over, with great solemnity. There was something inexpressibly touching in the master's selection of this air, which had been inspired by his love of country and his loyalty to his Sovereign; for none knew better than they who now stood around his chair how deeply he had suffered by reason of the indignities which had been offered to his country. These faithful friends realised that this solemn expression of devotion to his King was intended to be a personal farewell, and as the familiar strains of their n.o.ble anthem rang through the apartment, their silent tears gave expression to the love and reverence in which the master was held. Five days later, as dawn hovered on the sable fringe of night, Haydn sank to rest.

Owing to the fact that Vienna at the time of Haydn's death was in the hands of the French, his funeral was conducted without the ostentation by which, under happier circ.u.mstances, it would have been marked.

Nevertheless, there were many mourners, and amongst them a number of French officers of high rank, whilst a guard of honour was formed around the coffin by the French soldiers. A performance of Mozart's 'Requiem' was given in his honour at the Schotten-Kirche, and as the news of his death spread abroad funeral services were held in all the princ.i.p.al cities of Europe. The burial took place in the Hundsthurm churchyard, near the suburb in which he lived; but in 1820 Prince Esterhazy commanded the remains to be exhumed and reinterred, with fitting ceremonial, in the upper parish church at Eisenstadt, where 'a simple stone with a Latin inscription is inserted in the wall over the vault, to inform the pa.s.ser-by that a great man rests below.'

FOOTNOTES:

[7] The drums on which Haydn performed on this occasion are still preserved in the choir of the church at Hainburg.

[8] Since included in the building of the First Avenue Hotel.

[9] The house has since been rebuilt to form the warehouse of Messrs.

Chatto and Windus.

[10] See story of Beethoven, p. 233.

HAYDEN'S PRINc.i.p.aL COMPOSITIONS

OPERAS: The Devil on Two Sticks. 1752 (?) Acis und Galatea. 1762.

La Vera Costanza. 1776.

Orfeo ed Euridice. 1793.

ORATORIOS: Il Ritorno di Tobia. 1775.

[The well-known motet 'Insanae et vanae curae' is taken from this oratorio.]

The Seven Words from the Cross. 1794.

[Originally composed as a series of pieces for orchestra in 1787.]

The Creation. 1798.

The Seasons. 1801.

Ma.s.sES: Ma.s.s in F (Novello, No. 11). 1751 (?) Ma.s.s of B.V.M. in E-flat (No. 12). 1766.

Ma.s.s of St. Nicholas in G (No. 7). 1772.

Ma.s.s of St. John in B-flat (No. 8). 1778.

Ma.s.s of St. Cecilia in C (No. 5). 1780.

Ma.s.s of Mariazell in C (No. 15). 1782.

Ma.s.s in C (No. 2). 1790.

Ma.s.s in B-flat (No. 1). 1796.

Imperial Ma.s.s in D (No. 3). 1798.

[Known in Germany as the 'Nelson Ma.s.s.']

Ma.s.s in B-flat (No. 4). 1801.

Ma.s.s in B-flat (No. 6). 1801.

Ma.s.s in B-flat (No. 16).

Two other Ma.s.ses not printed.

The four Ma.s.ses, No. 9 (in C), No. 10 (in C minor), No. 13 (in C), and No. 14 (Kyrie and Gloria only, in D), are not authentic.

Stabat Mater. 1773.

2 Te Deums.

12 Canzonets. 1790.

142 Symphonies.

[It will be sufficient to mention the 12 'Grand' Symphonies, composed for Salomon's concerts, and a few others with distinguishing names.]

Grand No. 1 in C. 1791-1792.

Grand No. 2 in D. 1791.

Grand No. 3 in G (The Surprise). 1791.

Grand No. 4 in B-flat. 1791-1792.

Grand No. 5 in C minor. 1791.

Grand No. 6 in D. 1791.

Grand No. 7 in D minor. 1795.

Grand No. 8 in E-flat. 1795 (?) Grand No. 9 in B-flat. 1795.

Grand No. 10 in E-flat. 1793.

Grand No. 11 in D minor (The Clock). 1794.

Grand No. 12 in G (Military). 1794.

Symphony in C (Le Midi). 1761.

Symphony in G (Le Soir). 1761 (?) Symphony in D (Le Matin). 1767 (?) Symphony in A (The Farewell--Letter B). 1772.

Symphony in E minor (Trauer-symphonie--Letter I). 1772 (?) Symphony in D minor (Lamentations). 1772.

Symphony in C (Maria Theresa). 1773.

Symphony in E-flat (The Schoolmaster). 1774.

Symphony in A (Feuer-symphonie). 1774.

Symphony in C (Roxelane). 1777 (?) Symphony in D (La Cha.s.se). 1781 (?) Symphony in C (L'Ours). 1784-1786.

Symphony in G minor (La Poule). 1784-1786.

Symphony in B-flat (La Reine de France). 1786 (?) Symphony in G (Letter V). 1787.

Symphony in C (Letter R). 1788.

Symphony in G (Letter Q--The Oxford). 1788 (?) Symphony in C (Toy Symphony). 1788 (?) 83 Quartets for strings.

[The earliest were composed in 1753. The quartet including variations on Haydn's 'Emperor's Hymn' (Op. 76, No. 3) was composed in 1797.]

21 Trios for strings.

31 Trios for clavier and strings.

3 Concertos for pianoforte and orchestra. 1790.

9 Concertos for violin and orchestra.

22 Concertos for other instruments.

8 Sonatas for clavier and violin.

34 Sonatas for clavier solo.