July 26, 2025 • 39 mins
Dive into the captivating life story of Joseph Haydn, as told by German music scholar, Ludwig Nohl. From his humble beginnings to his rise to international acclaim, Nohl paints a vivid picture of Haydns journey, complete with intriguing insights and humorous anecdotes. Explore the complexities of Haydns musical compositions, and discover how his work was both influenced by, and influential to, his contemporaries, including his close relationship with Mozart. Known affectionately as Papa Haydn, he is hailed as the Father of the symphony and the string quartet. (Summary by mkirkpat)
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section two of Life of Heiden by Ludvignol, translated by
George p Upton. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain,
Chapter one, seventeen thirty two, seventeen fifty three. His youth
in early studies see my Dear Hommel, the house in
which Haydn was born. To think that so great a
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man should have first seen the light in a peasant's
wretched cottage. Such were the words of Beethoven upon his
death bed in eighteen twenty seven, as he spoke of
the father of the symphony and quartette, both of which
he himself brought to their highest perfection. Joseph Hayden was
born March thirty first, seventeen thirty two, at the market
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town of Rorau Yarbruk, on the River Leitha, which at
that point separates Lower Austria from Hungary. The little place
belonged to the Count's Harach, who erected a memorial to
his honor in their park upon his return from his
London triumphs in seventeen ninety five. Heidn's father was a wheelwright,
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and the craft had long been followed by the family.
He had traveled as a master workman, and in his
wanderings had been it is said, as far as frankfort Unmine.
His marriage was blessed, but twelve children, six of whom
died very young. They were brought up religiously in the
Catholic faith, and as they were poor, they were also
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accustomed to economy and industry. In his old age, Heiden said,
my parents were so strict in their lessons of neatness
and order, even in my earliest youth, that at last
these habits became a second nature. His mother watched over
him most tenderly, but his father alone lived to enjoy
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the recompense of such care when his son was installed
as Capellmeister. The manner in which he remembered his mother's
grave many years later in his will, reveals the strength
of her influence. His father, who was by nature a
great love of music, had a fair tenor voice, and
during his travels, accompanied himself on the harp without knowing
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a note. After the day's toil, the family sang together,
and even when an old man Hayden recalled with much
emotion these musical pleasures of his boyhood, the little separrel,
as he was called, astonished them all with the correctness
of his ear and the sweetness of his voice, and
always sang his short simple pieces to his father in
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a correct manner. More than this, he closely imitated the
handling of a violin bow with a little stick, and
upon one such occasion a relative from the neighborhood observed
the remarkable feeling for strict tone and time in the
five year old boy. This relative, who was a schoolmaster
inquire leader in the neighboring town of Hamburg, took the
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lad who was intended for the priesthood, to that place
that he might study the art, which it was thought
would undoubtedly open a way to the accomplishment of this purpose.
After this, Haydn only returned home as a visitor, but
that he remembered it and his poor relatives all his
life with esteem and affection is evidenced by this remark
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in his old age, I lived not so much for
myself as for my poor relatives, to whom I would
leave something after my death. His biographical notices say he
was so little ashamed of his humble origin that he
often spoke of it himself. In his will, he remembers
the parish priest and school teacher as well as the
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poor children of his humble birthplace. In seventeen ninety five,
when he revisited it upon the occasion of the dedication
of the Hairack Memorial before alluded to, he knelt down
in the familiar old sitting room, kissed its threshold, and
pointed out the settle where he had once displayed in
sport that childish musical skill which was the indication of
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his subsequent grand artistic career. The young may learn from
my example that something may come out of nothing. What
I am is entirely the result of the most pressing necessity,
he once said, as he recalled his humble antecedents and Hainburg.
Heiden learned the musical rudiments and studied other branches necessary
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to youth with his cousin Matthias Frank. In an autobiographical
sketch about the year seventeen seventy six, which may be
found in the Music of Briefe Leipzig, eighteen seventy three,
second edition, he says, Almighty God, to whom I give
thanks for all his unnumbered mercies, bestowed upon me such
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musical facility that even in my sixth year I sang
with confidence several masses in the church choir, and could
play a little on the piano and violin. Besides this,
he learned there the nature of all the ordinary instruments,
and can play upon most of them. I thank this man,
even in his grave, for making me work so hard,
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though I used to get more blows than food run
as one of his later humorous confessions. Unfortunately, the latter
complaint corresponded to the rest of his treatment in his
cousin's house. I could not help observing, much to my distress,
that I was getting very dirty, and though I was
quite vain of my person, I could not always prevent
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the spots upon my clothes from showing, of which I
was greatly ashamed. In fact, I was a little urchin,
he says at another time, even at that time, he
wore a wig for the sake of cleanliness, without which
it is almost impossible to imagine Papa Haydn of the
style of musical instruction in Hamburg, we have at least
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one example. It was in Passion week, a time of
numerous processions. Frank was in great trouble owing to the
death of his kettle drummer, but a spined little separle
he bethought himself that he could quickly learn. He showed
him how to play, and then left him. The lad
took a basket such as the peasants used for whole
in flour in their baking, covered it over with a cloth,
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placed it upon a finely upholstered chair, and drummed away
with so much spirit that he did not observe the
flower had sifted out and ruined the chair. He was
reprimanded as usual, but his teacher's wrath was appeased when
he noticed how quickly Joseph had become a skillful drummer.
As he was at that time very short in stature,
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he could not reach up to the man who had
been accustomed to carry the drum, which necessitated the employment
of a smaller man, and as unfortunately he was a hunchback,
it excited much laughter in the procession. But Heidn in
this manner gained a thoroughly practical knowledge of the instrument, and,
as is well known, the drum parts in his symphonies
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are of special importance. He was the first to give
to this instrument a thorough individuality and a separate artistic purpose.
In instrumental music. He was very proud of his skill,
and as we shall see farther on, his ideas were
of great assistance to a kettle drummer in London. This
first practical result convinced his teacher that Haydn was destined
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for a musical career. His systematic industry was universally praised,
and his agreeable voice was his best personal recommendation. The
result was that, after two years of study, he went
to Vienna under happy we may even say, the happiest
of auspices. The Hainburg pastor was a warm friend of
Hopkappelmeister Reuter. It happened that the latter, journeying from Vienna
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on business, passed through Hamburg and made the pastor a
short visit. During his stay, he mentioned the purpose of
his journey, namely the engagement of boys with sufficient talent
as well as good voices for choir service. The pastor
at once thought of Joseph Reuter desired to see this
clever lad. He made his appearance. Reuter said to him,
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can you trill my little man? Joseph, thinking perhaps that
he ought not to know more than people above him,
replied to the question, my teacher even cannot do that
look here, said Reuter, I will trill for you. Pay
attention and see how I do it. He had scarcely
finished when Haydn stood before him with the utmost competence,
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and after two attempts, trilled so perfectly that Reuter, in astonishment,
cried out Bravo, drew out of his pocket a seventeen
Kreutzer piece and presented it to the little virtuoso. This
incident is related by Diese, the painter, who was intimate
with Heidn from eighteen o five until his death, and
who published in eighteen ten the very interesting biographical notices
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of him. The little fellow meanwhile, devoted himself to vocal
practice until his eighth year, when he was to enter
the chapel for the Hope. Kapellmeister had made this stipulation
when he promised the father to advance his son. As
he could find no teacher who was versed in the rules,
he studied by himself, and, following the natural method, learned
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to sing the scales, and made such rapid progress that
when he went to Vienna, Reuter was astonished at his facility.
The chapel was that of Saint Stephen. In addition, to
frequent religious services. The boys were also obliged to work
at various kinds of outside labor, so that their musical
improvement was considerably hindered. In spite of this, Heyden says
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that besides his vocal practice, he studied the piano and
violin with very good masters, and received much praise for
his singing both the church and court. The general course
of studies included only the scantiest instruction in religion, writing, ciphering,
and Latin and art, the most important of all to
him was so much worse off that at last he
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became his own teacher again. Reuter troubled himself very little
about his chapel scholars and was a very imperious master besides,
And yet said Heidn afterwards, I was not a complete
master of any intstrument, but I knew the quality and
action of all. I was no mean pianist and singer,
and could play violin concertos. Singing chiefly occupied his time
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and strength, for he contended that a German instrumental composer
must first master vocal study in order to write melodies.
He considered this all his life as of the greatest importance,
and often complained because so few composers understood it. Among
all the results of his youthful artistic training secured in
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his ten years chapel service in Vienna, these two were
the most important. He continually heard a cappella, that is,
pure choral music with this contrapuntal texture, and also learned
all forms of solo singing and instrumental music, and so
thoroughly also that he was at home in all of them.
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And yet, honest Reuter had only given him two lessons
in musical theory. Dius relates other characteristic anecdotes of his
youthful time. Notwithstanding his advancement had been neglected, Joseph was
contented with his position, and for this reason only that
Reuter was so delighted with his talent that he told
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his father, if he had twelve sons, he would take
care of all of them. Two of his brothers indeed
came to the chapel, one of them Michael Hayden, afterward
Kapellmeister at Salzburg, with whom Mozart's biography has made us acquainted,
and Joseph had the infinite pleasure of being compelled to
instruct them. Even under such circumstances, he busily occupied himself
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with composition. Every piece of paper that came into his
hands he covered with staves, though with much trouble, and
stuck them full of notes, for he imagined it was
all right if he only had his paper full at
one time. Reuter surprised him just at the moment when
he had stretched out before him a paper more than
a yard long, with a salver regina for twelve voices
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sketched upon it. Ha, what are you doing, my little fellows?
Said he. But when he saw a long paper he
laughed heartily at the plentiful rose of salavas, and still
more at the ridiculous idea of a boy writing for
twelve voices, and exclaimed, oh, you silly youngster, are not
two voices sufficient for you? These curt rebuffs were profitable
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to Heiden. Reuter advised him to write variations to his
own liking upon the pieces he heard in church, and
this practice gave him fresh and original ideas, which Reuter corrected.
I certainly had talent, and by dint of hard work
I managed to get on. When my comrades were at
their sports, I went to my own room, where there
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was no danger of disturbance. And practiced, says Haydn These
speaking further of this time in Haydn's youth, says, I
must guess at many details, For Heiden always spoke of
his teacher with a reserve and respect, which did honor
to his heart feelings. All the more to his credit
when we consider the following statements from the same authority.
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What was very embarrassing to him, and at his age
must have been painful, was the fact that it looked
as if they were trying to starve him soul and body.
Joseph's stomach observed a perpetual fast. He went to the
occasional academies where refreshments were provided as compensation for the
choir boys, and once having made this valuable discovery, his
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propensity to attend was irresistible. He tried to sing as
beautifully as he could that he might acquire a reputation
and thus secure invitations which would give him the opportunity
of appeasing his gnawing hunger. At such times, when not observed,
he would fill his pockets with nadalen or other delicacies.
Reuter himself had very little income from which to pay
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his choir boys, so they had to famish. Notwithstanding, he
sensitively felt the misery of his condition, Heidn's youthful buoyancy
did not desert him, Diaz says. At the time the
Court was building the summer palace at Schumbourne. Heyden had
to sing there with the church musicians in the whitsuntide holidays.
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When not engaged in the church, he joined the other
boys climbing the scaffolding and made considerable noise on the boards.
One day, the boys suddenly perceived the lady. It was
Maria Theresa herself, who at once ordered someone to drive
away the noisy youngsters and threaten them with a whipping
if they were caught there again. On the very next day,
urged on by his temerity, Heidn climbed the scaffolding alone,
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was caught and received the promised punishment, which he deserved.
Many years afterwards, when Heidn was engaged in Prince esther
Hausie's service, the Empress came to esterhaus Heiden presented himself
and offered his humble thanks for the punishment received on
that occasion. He had to relate the whole story, which
occasioned much merriment at that time. We behold our hero
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in an exalted and dignified position. But how thorny was
the upward course. The beautiful voice with which he had
so often satisfied his hunger, suddenly became untrue and commenced
to break, says Dias. The Empress was accustomed to attend
the festival of Saint Leopold at the neighboring monastery of
Closten Neuburg. She had already intimated to Reuter in Sport
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that Haidn could not sing any more. He crowed at
this festival. Therefore he selected the younger brother Michael for
the singing. He pleased the Empress so much that she
sent him twenty four ducats. As Heiden was no longer
of any service to Ruyter in a pecuniary way, and
particularly as his place was now filled, he decided to
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dismiss his superfluous border. Heidn's boyish folly accelerated his departure.
One of the other choir boys wore his hair in
a cue contrary to the style, and Haydn had cut
it off. Reuter decided that he should be fair rult.
The time of punishment came. Heidn, now eighteen years of age,
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sought in every way to escape, and at last declared
that he would not be a choir boy any longer
if he were punished. That will not help you. You
shall first be punished. In then March, Reuter kept his word,
but he counseled his dismissed singer to become a soprano,
as they were very well paid at that time. Haidn,
with genuine manliness, would not consent to the tempting proposal,
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and late in the autumn of seventeen forty nine he
started out in the great world in which he was
such a stranger, helpless without money, with three poor shirts
and a threadbare coat. After wandering about the streets, distressed
with hunger, he threw himself down on the nearest bench
and spent his first night in the damp November are
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under the open heavens. He was lucky enough to meet
an acquaintance, also a choir singer, and an instructor as well.
Though he and his wife and child occupied one small chamber,
he gave the helpless wanderer shelter a trait of that
Austrian humanity which at a later period was reflected and
the exquisites of Heiden's art. His parents were very much distressed,
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says these again. His poor mother especially expressed her solicitude
with tearful eyes. She begged her son to yield to
the wishes and prayers of his parents and devote himself
to the church. She gave him no rest, but Haydn
was immovable. He would give them no reasons, he thought.
He expressed himself clearly enough when he compressed his feelings
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into the few words I can never be a priest.
In his seventy sixty year he said to the choir
boys who were presented to him, be really honest and industrious,
and never forget God. It is evident therefore, that it
was not the lack of sincere piety that kept him
from the priesthood. He felt that he was called to
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another and more fitting sphere. And we now know that
his feelings and impulses did not deceive him. Necessity, however,
came near forcing him into the life he had so
resolutely refused, For he got little money from the serahades
inquire work in which he took part, though at other
times it left him the wish for leisure, for study
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and composition. The quiet loneliness in that little dark garret
under the tiles. The complete lack of those things which
can entertain an unoccupied mind, and the utter piteousness of
his condition at times led him into such unhappy reveries
that he was driven to his music to chase away
his troubles. At one time, says these, his thoughts were
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so gloomy, or, more likely, his hunger was so keen
that he resolved, in spite of his prejudices, to join
the servite order so that he could get sufficient to eat. This, however,
was only a fleeting impulse, for his nature would never
allow him to really take such a step. His disposition
happily inclined to joyousness and saved him from any serious
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outbreaks of melancholy. When the summer rain or the winter
snow leaking through the cracks of the roof awoke him,
he regarded such little accidents as natural and made sport
of them. For some time, he was not positively sure,
but course to pursue, and he projected a thousand plans,
which were abandoned almost as soon as they were formed.
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For the most part, hunger was a motive that urged
him on to rash resolves. For instance, a pilgrimage to
the Maria Cloister in Styria. There he went at once
to the choir master, announced himself as a chapel scholar,
produced some of his musical sketches, and offered his services.
The choir master did not believe his story and dismissed
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him as he became more importunate, saying there are too
many ragmuffins coming here from Vienna, claiming to be chapel
boys who can't sing a note. Another day, Haydn went
to the choir, made the acquaintance of one of the singers,
and begged of him his music book. The young man
excused himself on the ground that it was against the rules.
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Heiden pressed a piece of money into his hand and
stood by him until the music commenced. Suddenly, he seized
the book out of his hands and sang so beautifully
that the chorus master was amazed, and afterward apologized to him.
The priests also inquired about him and invited him to
their table. Haiden remained there eight days, and, as he said,
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pilled his stomach for a long time to come, and
afterward was presented with a little purse made up for
him among the bequests in Haydn's will of eighteen o
two is the following to the maiden Anna Bookholtz one
hundred Florence, because her grandfather, in my youth and at
a time of urgent necessity, lent me one hundred and
fifty florins without interest, which I repaid fifty years ago.
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This for him a considerable loan, enabled him for the
first time to have a room of his own where
he could work quietly. This was not far from the
year seventeen fifty. Relates. In the year eighteen o five,
chance placed in Haydn's hands a short time before one
of his youthful compositions, which he had utterly forgotten, short
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four voiced mass with two obligato soprano parts. The discovery
of this lost child, after fifty two years of absence
was the occasion of true joy to the parent. What
particularly pleases me in this little work, said, he is
its malady and positive, youthful spirit, and he decided to
give it a modern dress. The mass was by this
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means preserved and may be regarded as his first large work.
We are thus enabled to date it at the beginning
of the year seventeen fifty. At that time Heiden lived
in the Mikhayeler House, which is still preserved in the
Coal Market, one of the choicest sections of the city,
but was again under the roof and exposed to the
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inclemency of the weather. At one time the room had
no stove. In winter mornings he had to bring water
from the well, as that in his wash basin was frozen.
There with some distinguished occupants in the house, the Princess Esterhazi,
whose son Paul Anton became Heiden's first patron, and the
famous and talented poet Metastasio, who not long after confided
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to him his little friend Marianna Martinez as a piano scholar,
and paid his board as compensation. The child must have
been well grounded in music. For thirty years later, Mozart
frequently played four handed pieces with her. Her instruction after
the style of the time, obliged Hayden to write little compositions.
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These early pieces circulated freely, but they have all been lost.
He considered it a compliment for people to accept them,
and did not know that the music dealers were doing
a flourishing business with them. Many a time he stopped
with delight before the windows to gaze at one or
another of the published copies. That this work, however, was
very distasteful to him, is evident from his own words.
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After my voice was absolutely gone, I dragged myself through
eight miserable years teaching the young. It is this wretched
struggle for bread which crushes so many men of genius,
taking the time they should devote to study. It was
my own bitter experience, and I should have accomplished little
or nothing if I had not zealously worked at night
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upon my compositions. Urgent as his necessity was, he declined
to take a permanent and good paying position in a
Vienna band, and thereby sell his entire time freedom. What
more can one ask for, said Beethoven. Heidn insisted upon
having it, at least for his genius. Many times in
his life he gave expression to this feeling. In his
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old age, he said to Grissinger, when I sat in
my old worm eaten piano, I envied no king his happiness.
We shall see that he had more of real inward
happiness as a composer than as a pianist. With such
a disposition, he easily retained his good humor and equanimity,
and many of his youthful traits clearly reflect the heden
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of the genial minuets and humorous finales. For the entertainment
of his comrades, who were never lacking. He once tied
a check estnant roaster's hand cart to the wheels of fiacra,
and then called to the driver of the latter to
go on while he quietly made off, followed by the
curses of the two victims. At another time, he conceived
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the idea of inviting several musicians at a specified hour
to a pretended serenade. The rendezvous was in the Tiefenngraben,
where Beethoven lived for a few years after his arrival
in Vienna. They were instructed to distribute themselves before different
houses and at the street corners. Even in the high
Bridge Street, where Mozart lived at a later period, stood
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a kettle drummer. Very few of the musicians knew why
they were there, and each had permission to play what
he pleased. Diaz concludes his description of this roguish trick
as follows. Scarcely had the horrible concert begun when the
astonished occupants threw open their windows and commenced to curse
the infernal music. In the meantime the watchmen approached. The
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players scampered off at the right time, except the drummer
and one violinist, who were arrested as they would not
name the ringleader. They were discharged after a few days imprisonment.
It was at this time of his early struggles that
he went out one day to purchase some piano work
suitable for study, and, acting upon the advice of the
music dealer, took a volume of the Sonatas of Philip
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Immanuel Bach, the composer who first placed piano music upon
an independent and so to speak, poetical foundation. It appears
to me, says this gifted son of the great Bach
in an autobiographical sketch, that it is the special province
of music to move the heart to such and one
the genial and imaginative nature of our genuine Austrian musician
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did involuntary homage from the very first. I never left
my piano until I played the Sonatas through said Haydn,
when old, with all the enthusiasm of youth, and HUGHO
knows me thoroughly, cannot but find that I owe very
much to Bach, for I understand and studied him for fondly. Indeed,
upon one occasion he complimented me upon it. Bach once
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said that he was the only one who completely understood
him and could make good use of his knowledge. Rochlitz
informs us that Hayden said, I played these sonatas innumerable times,
especially when I felt troubled, and I always left the
instrument refreshed and in cheerful spirits. A sketch of this
sein Bach, dated seventeen sixty four, says, always rich in invention,
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attractive and spirited in melody, bold and stately in harmony.
We know him already by a hundred masterpieces, but not
as yet do we fully know him in reality. Instrumental
music was now, for the first time, entering with self
confidence and strength upon the rear path of the opera.
The end of that path, though far distant, was individual characterization.
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Locke himself once wrote a preface to a trio for strings.
He says in it that he has sought to express
something which otherwise would require voices and words. It may
be regarded as a conversation between a sanguine and a
melancholy person who dispute with one another through the first
and second movements until the melancholy man accepts the assertion
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of the other. At last they are reconciled. In the finale,
the melancholy man commences the movement with a certain feeble
chearfulness mixed with sadness, which at last threatens to become
actual grief, but after a pause is dissipated in a
figure of lively triplets. The sanguine man follows steadily along
out of courtesy, and they strengthen their agreement, while the
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one imitates the other even to his identity. From such
germs in which the intellectual idea is more than its
artistic expression, Haiden evolved that which made him the founder
of modern instrumental music, the extreme limit of which is
the representation of the world's vital will. Melody and other words,
the vital will illuminated by reason, also begins at this
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point to assert its sure mastery. As the song and
the dance were then the essential type of this modern
instrumental music, key, accent, rhythm, even the rests now become
the conscious means of fixed color and tone, in which
every emotion, every aspiration, every exertion of our powers has
its full value. Harmonic modulations help to maintain and to
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deepen the given tone color above all else. The disonance
is no longer a matter of mere chance or transient
charm to the ear, but the road to an absolute
effect designed by the composer. Bach many a time sought
for it, but Heiden gave it poetical effect. He does
not hesitate, for example, in the finale of the great
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e flat major Sonata, to introduce the augmented triad, which
Richard Wagner uses in such a strikingly characteristic manner, bringing
it in as a prepared dissonance, but at the same
time allowing it to enter freely. And still more, they
before them the boundless Treasures of Sebastian Bach, which Mozart
and Beethoven at a later period opened so fully, in
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which they emphasized with such heart stirring power. The difference
of keys moreover became recognized as of greater value, and
the ground color of pieces is more individual. It does
not follow, however, on this account, that the marvelous gifts
of native counterpoint were thrown aside. On the other hand, Haidn,
in his treatment of the so called thematic development in
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the second part of the First Movement and in the
finale of the sonata brings them out according to their
proper intellectual value, so that this music also must be
heard with the understanding. Finally, the salient points of the
whole style, which was called the gallant because it did
not belong to the church or to the erudite, but
to the salon, is, as we may say, the grand
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architectural gradations and building up of the whole, which gives
to it an arrangement of parts like the symmetry of
the Renaissance art. The same similarity, modern music in general
holds to the Gothic of the German counterpoint. Heiden, by
nature and every vital function belonged to active life, with
its manifold forms of thought and change in mental conditions,
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and therefore found the sonata form the very best for
the depositing of his musical wealth and for the magnifying
of his own inner powers and capacities by its further development.
It was for this reason that he played the bax
sonatas for students and amateurs with such delight, and sat
at his piano so gladly, for it aroused in him
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a freer activity of fancy and heartfelt emotions. Of similar
form Philip Emmanuel Bach's instruction book The Ersuch Ubert dibara
Art dosklavier such Spilin, published in Berlin in seventeen fifty three,
with which Heidn became acquainted shortly afterwards, was in his judgment,
the best, most thorough and useful work which had ever
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appeared as an instruction book, and Mozart as well as
Beethoven expressed the same opinion. And yet the ridiculous accusation
was made after this that Heiden had copied and caricatured
Bach because Bach was not on good terms with him.
The story may perhaps have arisen from the fact that Bach,
in his autobiography seventeen seventy three, sought to attribute the
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decline of the music of his day to the comedian
so popular just now. This, however, referred to something entirely different,
and in seventeen eighty three Bach publicly wrote, I am
constrained by news I have received from Vienna to believe
that this worthy man, whose works give me more and
more pleasure, is as truly my friend as I am.
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His work alone praises or condemns its masters, and I
therefore measure everyone by that standard. Dias even declares that Heiden,
in seventeen ninety five returned from London by way of
Hamburg to make the personal acquaintance of Bach, but arrive
too late, for he was dead. Bach died in seventeen
eighty eight, and could it be possible that Heiden was
(32:03):
not aware of it? The journey by way of Hamburg
at another purpose, Heiden still kept up his violin practice
and received further instruction from his countryman and friend Dittersdorff afterward.
The composer of The Doctor and Apothecary, Diaz, says, once
they strolled through the streets at night and stopped before
a common beer house, in which some half drunk and
(32:25):
sleeping musicians were wretchedly scraping away on a Heiden minuet.
Let us go in, said Heiden. They entered the drinking room.
Heiden stepped up to the first fiddler and very coolly asked,
whose menuet is this? The fiddler replied, still more coolly
and even fiercely Heiden's. Heiden strode up to him, saying,
with a feigned anger, it is a worthless thing. What what?
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Shrieked the interrupted fiddler, in his wrath, springing up from
his seat, the rest of the players imitated their leaders
and would have beaten Heiden over the head with their instruments,
had not Dinner's door, who is of larger stature, seized
him in his arms and shoved him out of doors.
Dittersdorf himself, in his biography narrates another instance of this intimacy.
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In seventeen sixty two, he accompanied Grook to Italy. During
his absence, the famous Loli appeared in Vienna with great success.
On his return, he resolved to surpass Lowly's fame, and,
feigning sickness, he kept his room for an entire week
and practiced incessantly. Then he reappeared and achieved a success.
(33:33):
The universal verdict was that Lowly excited Wonder and Dietersdorf too,
but that the latter played to the heart also. He
adds the rest of the summer and the following winter,
I was frequently in the society of the gracious Heighten.
Every new piece of other composers which we heard, we
criticized between ourselves, commending what was good and condemning what
(33:54):
was bad. But let us return to the year seventeen fifty.
Diaz says, when about twenty one years of age, Heiden
composed a comic opera with German text. It was called
Der krum Teufel The Devil on Two Sticks and originated
in a singular way. Courtz, a theatrical genius, was at
that time the manager of the Old count Neertor Theater
(34:16):
and amused the public as Bernardon. He had heard heidenbery
favorably mentioned, which induced him to seek his acquaintance. A
happy chance soon furnished the opportunity. Courtz had a beautiful
wife who condescended to receive serenades from the young artists.
The young Heyden, who called this casatam Gayan and composed
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a quintet for just such an occasion, as seventeen fifty
three brought her a serenade whereat. Not only the lady,
but Courtz also felt honored. He sought Heiden's closer acquaintance,
and after this the following scene occurred in his house.
Sit down at the piano, said Courtz, and accompanied the pantomime,
which I will perform for you with fitting music. Imagine
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that Nadaun has fallen into the water and is trying
to save himself by swimming. Courtz calls an attendant and
sprawls across a chair while it is drawn here and
there about the room. Flinging out his arms and legs
like a swimmer, Heiden meantime imitating the motion of the
waves and the action of swimming. In six eight time,
Bernadon suddenly sprang up, embraced Heiden, and nearly smothering him
(35:23):
with kisses. Exclaimed Heiden, you are the man from me.
You must write me an opera. This was the origin
of Der Kruminteufel. Heiden received twenty five ducats for it
and thought himself very rich. It was brought out twice
with great applause, and was then prohibited on account of
the offensive personality of the text. Here therefore we have
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an example of the fruitful germs of invention which Heiden
displayed in motifs and melladies, showing us, as it were,
a personal presence possessing those musical characteristics which Mozart and
Beethoven developed with such striking fidelity to life, and which
by their efforts again invested dramatic representation with a new
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language what the Italian had accomplished only in the way
of a certain native grace of melody, and the French
on the other hand, with too partial a study in
their dramatic, recipative and piano music, German intelligence, and above
all German feeling accomplished by the unprejudiced acceptance of melody itself.
We also observe, mingled with these elements, that vein of
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German humor which first welled up in complete spontaneity and
fullness in Haydn's music, so that we have, as it were,
all the successive steps of development in the building up
of his artistic individuality at this point his youth in
the main part of his early education close. We have
reached the period of his first original creation. But it
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may be of interest before we close this first chapter
to add a few words about the opera itself, in
order that we may appreciate the real nature of this
first original accomplishment of the artists as it deserves. We observed,
first of all that in the test of his skill,
he was to illustrate a storm at sea and the
struggle of a drowning man, and that Heiden's fingers at
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last involuntarily fell into the movement six, a time which
the comedian wished, and the piece itself an old love
sick Daughtard was to be cured, and the good natured
devil must help the Details of this story and many
other incidents of that period of art and Vienna, may
be found in C. F. Poll's Joseph Heiden, Volume one, Berlin,
(37:32):
eighteen seventy five. But the principal point to be observed
here is a close union of absolute music with the
dramatic element, especially with the action, and that it was
the perfection of the genuine humor of the popular Vienna
comedies of that time, which first directed Heyden's fancy to
the expression of pantomime and tones. When the Kroma Teuphot
(37:53):
was finished, Heiden brought it to courts, but the maid
would not let him in, so we are told as
her master was studying. What was Heiden's astonishment when looking
through a glass door he beheld Bernardon standing before a
large mirror, making faces and acting comical pantomime. It was
the free, spritely comedy which the Vienna harlequin possessed, and
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which was now revealed to Heiden in its complete individuality
by personal observation. But finally, while this humor was kept
down at this time by its own crudeness and narrowness,
As soon as the higher dramatic poetry of the German
language sprung up in Austria, it reappeared in a nobler
form in music, and it is Heiden who represented this
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genuine German popular humor in our art. The last Vienna, Harlequin,
Bernadon and his buffoonery disappeared, but the comedy was preserved
in full and permanent inheritance by Heiden in his comic
opera De Chromatoiphel. The opera itself we do not possess,
but its healthy and noble promise is realized all through
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Haydn's instrumental music, to the origin of which we now come.
End of Section two.
Section two of Life of Heiden by Ludvignol, translated by
George p Upton. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain,
Chapter one, seventeen thirty two, seventeen fifty three. His youth
in early studies see my Dear Hommel, the house in
which Haydn was born. To think that so great a
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man should have first seen the light in a peasant's
wretched cottage. Such were the words of Beethoven upon his
death bed in eighteen twenty seven, as he spoke of
the father of the symphony and quartette, both of which
he himself brought to their highest perfection. Joseph Hayden was
born March thirty first, seventeen thirty two, at the market
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town of Rorau Yarbruk, on the River Leitha, which at
that point separates Lower Austria from Hungary. The little place
belonged to the Count's Harach, who erected a memorial to
his honor in their park upon his return from his
London triumphs in seventeen ninety five. Heidn's father was a wheelwright,
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and the craft had long been followed by the family.
He had traveled as a master workman, and in his
wanderings had been it is said, as far as frankfort Unmine.
His marriage was blessed, but twelve children, six of whom
died very young. They were brought up religiously in the
Catholic faith, and as they were poor, they were also
(01:24):
accustomed to economy and industry. In his old age, Heiden said,
my parents were so strict in their lessons of neatness
and order, even in my earliest youth, that at last
these habits became a second nature. His mother watched over
him most tenderly, but his father alone lived to enjoy
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the recompense of such care when his son was installed
as Capellmeister. The manner in which he remembered his mother's
grave many years later in his will, reveals the strength
of her influence. His father, who was by nature a
great love of music, had a fair tenor voice, and
during his travels, accompanied himself on the harp without knowing
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a note. After the day's toil, the family sang together,
and even when an old man Hayden recalled with much
emotion these musical pleasures of his boyhood, the little separrel,
as he was called, astonished them all with the correctness
of his ear and the sweetness of his voice, and
always sang his short simple pieces to his father in
(02:29):
a correct manner. More than this, he closely imitated the
handling of a violin bow with a little stick, and
upon one such occasion a relative from the neighborhood observed
the remarkable feeling for strict tone and time in the
five year old boy. This relative, who was a schoolmaster
inquire leader in the neighboring town of Hamburg, took the
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lad who was intended for the priesthood, to that place
that he might study the art, which it was thought
would undoubtedly open a way to the accomplishment of this purpose.
After this, Haydn only returned home as a visitor, but
that he remembered it and his poor relatives all his
life with esteem and affection is evidenced by this remark
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in his old age, I lived not so much for
myself as for my poor relatives, to whom I would
leave something after my death. His biographical notices say he
was so little ashamed of his humble origin that he
often spoke of it himself. In his will, he remembers
the parish priest and school teacher as well as the
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poor children of his humble birthplace. In seventeen ninety five,
when he revisited it upon the occasion of the dedication
of the Hairack Memorial before alluded to, he knelt down
in the familiar old sitting room, kissed its threshold, and
pointed out the settle where he had once displayed in
sport that childish musical skill which was the indication of
(03:57):
his subsequent grand artistic career. The young may learn from
my example that something may come out of nothing. What
I am is entirely the result of the most pressing necessity,
he once said, as he recalled his humble antecedents and Hainburg.
Heiden learned the musical rudiments and studied other branches necessary
(04:18):
to youth with his cousin Matthias Frank. In an autobiographical
sketch about the year seventeen seventy six, which may be
found in the Music of Briefe Leipzig, eighteen seventy three,
second edition, he says, Almighty God, to whom I give
thanks for all his unnumbered mercies, bestowed upon me such
(04:38):
musical facility that even in my sixth year I sang
with confidence several masses in the church choir, and could
play a little on the piano and violin. Besides this,
he learned there the nature of all the ordinary instruments,
and can play upon most of them. I thank this man,
even in his grave, for making me work so hard,
(04:59):
though I used to get more blows than food run
as one of his later humorous confessions. Unfortunately, the latter
complaint corresponded to the rest of his treatment in his
cousin's house. I could not help observing, much to my distress,
that I was getting very dirty, and though I was
quite vain of my person, I could not always prevent
(05:20):
the spots upon my clothes from showing, of which I
was greatly ashamed. In fact, I was a little urchin,
he says at another time, even at that time, he
wore a wig for the sake of cleanliness, without which
it is almost impossible to imagine Papa Haydn of the
style of musical instruction in Hamburg, we have at least
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one example. It was in Passion week, a time of
numerous processions. Frank was in great trouble owing to the
death of his kettle drummer, but a spined little separle
he bethought himself that he could quickly learn. He showed
him how to play, and then left him. The lad
took a basket such as the peasants used for whole
in flour in their baking, covered it over with a cloth,
(06:03):
placed it upon a finely upholstered chair, and drummed away
with so much spirit that he did not observe the
flower had sifted out and ruined the chair. He was
reprimanded as usual, but his teacher's wrath was appeased when
he noticed how quickly Joseph had become a skillful drummer.
As he was at that time very short in stature,
(06:24):
he could not reach up to the man who had
been accustomed to carry the drum, which necessitated the employment
of a smaller man, and as unfortunately he was a hunchback,
it excited much laughter in the procession. But Heidn in
this manner gained a thoroughly practical knowledge of the instrument, and,
as is well known, the drum parts in his symphonies
(06:46):
are of special importance. He was the first to give
to this instrument a thorough individuality and a separate artistic purpose.
In instrumental music. He was very proud of his skill,
and as we shall see farther on, his ideas were
of great assistance to a kettle drummer in London. This
first practical result convinced his teacher that Haydn was destined
(07:08):
for a musical career. His systematic industry was universally praised,
and his agreeable voice was his best personal recommendation. The
result was that, after two years of study, he went
to Vienna under happy we may even say, the happiest
of auspices. The Hainburg pastor was a warm friend of
Hopkappelmeister Reuter. It happened that the latter, journeying from Vienna
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on business, passed through Hamburg and made the pastor a
short visit. During his stay, he mentioned the purpose of
his journey, namely the engagement of boys with sufficient talent
as well as good voices for choir service. The pastor
at once thought of Joseph Reuter desired to see this
clever lad. He made his appearance. Reuter said to him,
(07:55):
can you trill my little man? Joseph, thinking perhaps that
he ought not to know more than people above him,
replied to the question, my teacher even cannot do that
look here, said Reuter, I will trill for you. Pay
attention and see how I do it. He had scarcely
finished when Haydn stood before him with the utmost competence,
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and after two attempts, trilled so perfectly that Reuter, in astonishment,
cried out Bravo, drew out of his pocket a seventeen
Kreutzer piece and presented it to the little virtuoso. This
incident is related by Diese, the painter, who was intimate
with Heidn from eighteen o five until his death, and
who published in eighteen ten the very interesting biographical notices
(08:40):
of him. The little fellow meanwhile, devoted himself to vocal
practice until his eighth year, when he was to enter
the chapel for the Hope. Kapellmeister had made this stipulation
when he promised the father to advance his son. As
he could find no teacher who was versed in the rules,
he studied by himself, and, following the natural method, learned
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to sing the scales, and made such rapid progress that
when he went to Vienna, Reuter was astonished at his facility.
The chapel was that of Saint Stephen. In addition, to
frequent religious services. The boys were also obliged to work
at various kinds of outside labor, so that their musical
improvement was considerably hindered. In spite of this, Heyden says
(09:24):
that besides his vocal practice, he studied the piano and
violin with very good masters, and received much praise for
his singing both the church and court. The general course
of studies included only the scantiest instruction in religion, writing, ciphering,
and Latin and art, the most important of all to
him was so much worse off that at last he
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became his own teacher again. Reuter troubled himself very little
about his chapel scholars and was a very imperious master besides,
And yet said Heidn afterwards, I was not a complete
master of any intstrument, but I knew the quality and
action of all. I was no mean pianist and singer,
and could play violin concertos. Singing chiefly occupied his time
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and strength, for he contended that a German instrumental composer
must first master vocal study in order to write melodies.
He considered this all his life as of the greatest importance,
and often complained because so few composers understood it. Among
all the results of his youthful artistic training secured in
(10:30):
his ten years chapel service in Vienna, these two were
the most important. He continually heard a cappella, that is,
pure choral music with this contrapuntal texture, and also learned
all forms of solo singing and instrumental music, and so
thoroughly also that he was at home in all of them.
(10:50):
And yet, honest Reuter had only given him two lessons
in musical theory. Dius relates other characteristic anecdotes of his
youthful time. Notwithstanding his advancement had been neglected, Joseph was
contented with his position, and for this reason only that
Reuter was so delighted with his talent that he told
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his father, if he had twelve sons, he would take
care of all of them. Two of his brothers indeed
came to the chapel, one of them Michael Hayden, afterward
Kapellmeister at Salzburg, with whom Mozart's biography has made us acquainted,
and Joseph had the infinite pleasure of being compelled to
instruct them. Even under such circumstances, he busily occupied himself
(11:33):
with composition. Every piece of paper that came into his
hands he covered with staves, though with much trouble, and
stuck them full of notes, for he imagined it was
all right if he only had his paper full at
one time. Reuter surprised him just at the moment when
he had stretched out before him a paper more than
a yard long, with a salver regina for twelve voices
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sketched upon it. Ha, what are you doing, my little fellows?
Said he. But when he saw a long paper he
laughed heartily at the plentiful rose of salavas, and still
more at the ridiculous idea of a boy writing for
twelve voices, and exclaimed, oh, you silly youngster, are not
two voices sufficient for you? These curt rebuffs were profitable
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to Heiden. Reuter advised him to write variations to his
own liking upon the pieces he heard in church, and
this practice gave him fresh and original ideas, which Reuter corrected.
I certainly had talent, and by dint of hard work
I managed to get on. When my comrades were at
their sports, I went to my own room, where there
(12:37):
was no danger of disturbance. And practiced, says Haydn These
speaking further of this time in Haydn's youth, says, I
must guess at many details, For Heiden always spoke of
his teacher with a reserve and respect, which did honor
to his heart feelings. All the more to his credit
when we consider the following statements from the same authority.
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What was very embarrassing to him, and at his age
must have been painful, was the fact that it looked
as if they were trying to starve him soul and body.
Joseph's stomach observed a perpetual fast. He went to the
occasional academies where refreshments were provided as compensation for the
choir boys, and once having made this valuable discovery, his
(13:20):
propensity to attend was irresistible. He tried to sing as
beautifully as he could that he might acquire a reputation
and thus secure invitations which would give him the opportunity
of appeasing his gnawing hunger. At such times, when not observed,
he would fill his pockets with nadalen or other delicacies.
Reuter himself had very little income from which to pay
(13:42):
his choir boys, so they had to famish. Notwithstanding, he
sensitively felt the misery of his condition, Heidn's youthful buoyancy
did not desert him, Diaz says. At the time the
Court was building the summer palace at Schumbourne. Heyden had
to sing there with the church musicians in the whitsuntide holidays.
(14:02):
When not engaged in the church, he joined the other
boys climbing the scaffolding and made considerable noise on the boards.
One day, the boys suddenly perceived the lady. It was
Maria Theresa herself, who at once ordered someone to drive
away the noisy youngsters and threaten them with a whipping
if they were caught there again. On the very next day,
urged on by his temerity, Heidn climbed the scaffolding alone,
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was caught and received the promised punishment, which he deserved.
Many years afterwards, when Heidn was engaged in Prince esther
Hausie's service, the Empress came to esterhaus Heiden presented himself
and offered his humble thanks for the punishment received on
that occasion. He had to relate the whole story, which
occasioned much merriment at that time. We behold our hero
(14:49):
in an exalted and dignified position. But how thorny was
the upward course. The beautiful voice with which he had
so often satisfied his hunger, suddenly became untrue and commenced
to break, says Dias. The Empress was accustomed to attend
the festival of Saint Leopold at the neighboring monastery of
Closten Neuburg. She had already intimated to Reuter in Sport
(15:13):
that Haidn could not sing any more. He crowed at
this festival. Therefore he selected the younger brother Michael for
the singing. He pleased the Empress so much that she
sent him twenty four ducats. As Heiden was no longer
of any service to Ruyter in a pecuniary way, and
particularly as his place was now filled, he decided to
(15:34):
dismiss his superfluous border. Heidn's boyish folly accelerated his departure.
One of the other choir boys wore his hair in
a cue contrary to the style, and Haydn had cut
it off. Reuter decided that he should be fair rult.
The time of punishment came. Heidn, now eighteen years of age,
(15:54):
sought in every way to escape, and at last declared
that he would not be a choir boy any longer
if he were punished. That will not help you. You
shall first be punished. In then March, Reuter kept his word,
but he counseled his dismissed singer to become a soprano,
as they were very well paid at that time. Haidn,
with genuine manliness, would not consent to the tempting proposal,
(16:18):
and late in the autumn of seventeen forty nine he
started out in the great world in which he was
such a stranger, helpless without money, with three poor shirts
and a threadbare coat. After wandering about the streets, distressed
with hunger, he threw himself down on the nearest bench
and spent his first night in the damp November are
(16:40):
under the open heavens. He was lucky enough to meet
an acquaintance, also a choir singer, and an instructor as well.
Though he and his wife and child occupied one small chamber,
he gave the helpless wanderer shelter a trait of that
Austrian humanity which at a later period was reflected and
the exquisites of Heiden's art. His parents were very much distressed,
(17:04):
says these again. His poor mother especially expressed her solicitude
with tearful eyes. She begged her son to yield to
the wishes and prayers of his parents and devote himself
to the church. She gave him no rest, but Haydn
was immovable. He would give them no reasons, he thought.
He expressed himself clearly enough when he compressed his feelings
(17:25):
into the few words I can never be a priest.
In his seventy sixty year he said to the choir
boys who were presented to him, be really honest and industrious,
and never forget God. It is evident therefore, that it
was not the lack of sincere piety that kept him
from the priesthood. He felt that he was called to
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another and more fitting sphere. And we now know that
his feelings and impulses did not deceive him. Necessity, however,
came near forcing him into the life he had so
resolutely refused, For he got little money from the serahades
inquire work in which he took part, though at other
times it left him the wish for leisure, for study
(18:06):
and composition. The quiet loneliness in that little dark garret
under the tiles. The complete lack of those things which
can entertain an unoccupied mind, and the utter piteousness of
his condition at times led him into such unhappy reveries
that he was driven to his music to chase away
his troubles. At one time, says these, his thoughts were
(18:29):
so gloomy, or, more likely, his hunger was so keen
that he resolved, in spite of his prejudices, to join
the servite order so that he could get sufficient to eat. This, however,
was only a fleeting impulse, for his nature would never
allow him to really take such a step. His disposition
happily inclined to joyousness and saved him from any serious
(18:51):
outbreaks of melancholy. When the summer rain or the winter
snow leaking through the cracks of the roof awoke him,
he regarded such little accidents as natural and made sport
of them. For some time, he was not positively sure,
but course to pursue, and he projected a thousand plans,
which were abandoned almost as soon as they were formed.
(19:12):
For the most part, hunger was a motive that urged
him on to rash resolves. For instance, a pilgrimage to
the Maria Cloister in Styria. There he went at once
to the choir master, announced himself as a chapel scholar,
produced some of his musical sketches, and offered his services.
The choir master did not believe his story and dismissed
(19:33):
him as he became more importunate, saying there are too
many ragmuffins coming here from Vienna, claiming to be chapel
boys who can't sing a note. Another day, Haydn went
to the choir, made the acquaintance of one of the singers,
and begged of him his music book. The young man
excused himself on the ground that it was against the rules.
(19:53):
Heiden pressed a piece of money into his hand and
stood by him until the music commenced. Suddenly, he seized
the book out of his hands and sang so beautifully
that the chorus master was amazed, and afterward apologized to him.
The priests also inquired about him and invited him to
their table. Haiden remained there eight days, and, as he said,
(20:14):
pilled his stomach for a long time to come, and
afterward was presented with a little purse made up for
him among the bequests in Haydn's will of eighteen o
two is the following to the maiden Anna Bookholtz one
hundred Florence, because her grandfather, in my youth and at
a time of urgent necessity, lent me one hundred and
fifty florins without interest, which I repaid fifty years ago.
(20:39):
This for him a considerable loan, enabled him for the
first time to have a room of his own where
he could work quietly. This was not far from the
year seventeen fifty. Relates. In the year eighteen o five,
chance placed in Haydn's hands a short time before one
of his youthful compositions, which he had utterly forgotten, short
(21:00):
four voiced mass with two obligato soprano parts. The discovery
of this lost child, after fifty two years of absence
was the occasion of true joy to the parent. What
particularly pleases me in this little work, said, he is
its malady and positive, youthful spirit, and he decided to
give it a modern dress. The mass was by this
(21:21):
means preserved and may be regarded as his first large work.
We are thus enabled to date it at the beginning
of the year seventeen fifty. At that time Heiden lived
in the Mikhayeler House, which is still preserved in the
Coal Market, one of the choicest sections of the city,
but was again under the roof and exposed to the
(21:42):
inclemency of the weather. At one time the room had
no stove. In winter mornings he had to bring water
from the well, as that in his wash basin was frozen.
There with some distinguished occupants in the house, the Princess Esterhazi,
whose son Paul Anton became Heiden's first patron, and the
famous and talented poet Metastasio, who not long after confided
(22:05):
to him his little friend Marianna Martinez as a piano scholar,
and paid his board as compensation. The child must have
been well grounded in music. For thirty years later, Mozart
frequently played four handed pieces with her. Her instruction after
the style of the time, obliged Hayden to write little compositions.
(22:25):
These early pieces circulated freely, but they have all been lost.
He considered it a compliment for people to accept them,
and did not know that the music dealers were doing
a flourishing business with them. Many a time he stopped
with delight before the windows to gaze at one or
another of the published copies. That this work, however, was
very distasteful to him, is evident from his own words.
(22:48):
After my voice was absolutely gone, I dragged myself through
eight miserable years teaching the young. It is this wretched
struggle for bread which crushes so many men of genius,
taking the time they should devote to study. It was
my own bitter experience, and I should have accomplished little
or nothing if I had not zealously worked at night
(23:08):
upon my compositions. Urgent as his necessity was, he declined
to take a permanent and good paying position in a
Vienna band, and thereby sell his entire time freedom. What
more can one ask for, said Beethoven. Heidn insisted upon
having it, at least for his genius. Many times in
his life he gave expression to this feeling. In his
(23:31):
old age, he said to Grissinger, when I sat in
my old worm eaten piano, I envied no king his happiness.
We shall see that he had more of real inward
happiness as a composer than as a pianist. With such
a disposition, he easily retained his good humor and equanimity,
and many of his youthful traits clearly reflect the heden
(23:52):
of the genial minuets and humorous finales. For the entertainment
of his comrades, who were never lacking. He once tied
a check estnant roaster's hand cart to the wheels of fiacra,
and then called to the driver of the latter to
go on while he quietly made off, followed by the
curses of the two victims. At another time, he conceived
(24:12):
the idea of inviting several musicians at a specified hour
to a pretended serenade. The rendezvous was in the Tiefenngraben,
where Beethoven lived for a few years after his arrival
in Vienna. They were instructed to distribute themselves before different
houses and at the street corners. Even in the high
Bridge Street, where Mozart lived at a later period, stood
(24:35):
a kettle drummer. Very few of the musicians knew why
they were there, and each had permission to play what
he pleased. Diaz concludes his description of this roguish trick
as follows. Scarcely had the horrible concert begun when the
astonished occupants threw open their windows and commenced to curse
the infernal music. In the meantime the watchmen approached. The
(24:57):
players scampered off at the right time, except the drummer
and one violinist, who were arrested as they would not
name the ringleader. They were discharged after a few days imprisonment.
It was at this time of his early struggles that
he went out one day to purchase some piano work
suitable for study, and, acting upon the advice of the
music dealer, took a volume of the Sonatas of Philip
(25:19):
Immanuel Bach, the composer who first placed piano music upon
an independent and so to speak, poetical foundation. It appears
to me, says this gifted son of the great Bach
in an autobiographical sketch, that it is the special province
of music to move the heart to such and one
the genial and imaginative nature of our genuine Austrian musician
(25:42):
did involuntary homage from the very first. I never left
my piano until I played the Sonatas through said Haydn,
when old, with all the enthusiasm of youth, and HUGHO
knows me thoroughly, cannot but find that I owe very
much to Bach, for I understand and studied him for fondly. Indeed,
upon one occasion he complimented me upon it. Bach once
(26:05):
said that he was the only one who completely understood
him and could make good use of his knowledge. Rochlitz
informs us that Hayden said, I played these sonatas innumerable times,
especially when I felt troubled, and I always left the
instrument refreshed and in cheerful spirits. A sketch of this
sein Bach, dated seventeen sixty four, says, always rich in invention,
(26:28):
attractive and spirited in melody, bold and stately in harmony.
We know him already by a hundred masterpieces, but not
as yet do we fully know him in reality. Instrumental
music was now, for the first time, entering with self
confidence and strength upon the rear path of the opera.
The end of that path, though far distant, was individual characterization.
(26:53):
Locke himself once wrote a preface to a trio for strings.
He says in it that he has sought to express
something which otherwise would require voices and words. It may
be regarded as a conversation between a sanguine and a
melancholy person who dispute with one another through the first
and second movements until the melancholy man accepts the assertion
(27:15):
of the other. At last they are reconciled. In the finale,
the melancholy man commences the movement with a certain feeble
chearfulness mixed with sadness, which at last threatens to become
actual grief, but after a pause is dissipated in a
figure of lively triplets. The sanguine man follows steadily along
out of courtesy, and they strengthen their agreement, while the
(27:38):
one imitates the other even to his identity. From such
germs in which the intellectual idea is more than its
artistic expression, Haiden evolved that which made him the founder
of modern instrumental music, the extreme limit of which is
the representation of the world's vital will. Melody and other words,
the vital will illuminated by reason, also begins at this
(28:01):
point to assert its sure mastery. As the song and
the dance were then the essential type of this modern
instrumental music, key, accent, rhythm, even the rests now become
the conscious means of fixed color and tone, in which
every emotion, every aspiration, every exertion of our powers has
its full value. Harmonic modulations help to maintain and to
(28:24):
deepen the given tone color above all else. The disonance
is no longer a matter of mere chance or transient
charm to the ear, but the road to an absolute
effect designed by the composer. Bach many a time sought
for it, but Heiden gave it poetical effect. He does
not hesitate, for example, in the finale of the great
(28:44):
e flat major Sonata, to introduce the augmented triad, which
Richard Wagner uses in such a strikingly characteristic manner, bringing
it in as a prepared dissonance, but at the same
time allowing it to enter freely. And still more, they
before them the boundless Treasures of Sebastian Bach, which Mozart
and Beethoven at a later period opened so fully, in
(29:07):
which they emphasized with such heart stirring power. The difference
of keys moreover became recognized as of greater value, and
the ground color of pieces is more individual. It does
not follow, however, on this account, that the marvelous gifts
of native counterpoint were thrown aside. On the other hand, Haidn,
in his treatment of the so called thematic development in
(29:28):
the second part of the First Movement and in the
finale of the sonata brings them out according to their
proper intellectual value, so that this music also must be
heard with the understanding. Finally, the salient points of the
whole style, which was called the gallant because it did
not belong to the church or to the erudite, but
to the salon, is, as we may say, the grand
(29:51):
architectural gradations and building up of the whole, which gives
to it an arrangement of parts like the symmetry of
the Renaissance art. The same similarity, modern music in general
holds to the Gothic of the German counterpoint. Heiden, by
nature and every vital function belonged to active life, with
its manifold forms of thought and change in mental conditions,
(30:15):
and therefore found the sonata form the very best for
the depositing of his musical wealth and for the magnifying
of his own inner powers and capacities by its further development.
It was for this reason that he played the bax
sonatas for students and amateurs with such delight, and sat
at his piano so gladly, for it aroused in him
(30:35):
a freer activity of fancy and heartfelt emotions. Of similar
form Philip Emmanuel Bach's instruction book The Ersuch Ubert dibara
Art dosklavier such Spilin, published in Berlin in seventeen fifty three,
with which Heidn became acquainted shortly afterwards, was in his judgment,
the best, most thorough and useful work which had ever
(30:57):
appeared as an instruction book, and Mozart as well as
Beethoven expressed the same opinion. And yet the ridiculous accusation
was made after this that Heiden had copied and caricatured
Bach because Bach was not on good terms with him.
The story may perhaps have arisen from the fact that Bach,
in his autobiography seventeen seventy three, sought to attribute the
(31:20):
decline of the music of his day to the comedian
so popular just now. This, however, referred to something entirely different,
and in seventeen eighty three Bach publicly wrote, I am
constrained by news I have received from Vienna to believe
that this worthy man, whose works give me more and
more pleasure, is as truly my friend as I am.
(31:41):
His work alone praises or condemns its masters, and I
therefore measure everyone by that standard. Dias even declares that Heiden,
in seventeen ninety five returned from London by way of
Hamburg to make the personal acquaintance of Bach, but arrive
too late, for he was dead. Bach died in seventeen
eighty eight, and could it be possible that Heiden was
(32:03):
not aware of it? The journey by way of Hamburg
at another purpose, Heiden still kept up his violin practice
and received further instruction from his countryman and friend Dittersdorff afterward.
The composer of The Doctor and Apothecary, Diaz, says, once
they strolled through the streets at night and stopped before
a common beer house, in which some half drunk and
(32:25):
sleeping musicians were wretchedly scraping away on a Heiden minuet.
Let us go in, said Heiden. They entered the drinking room.
Heiden stepped up to the first fiddler and very coolly asked,
whose menuet is this? The fiddler replied, still more coolly
and even fiercely Heiden's. Heiden strode up to him, saying,
with a feigned anger, it is a worthless thing. What what?
(32:48):
Shrieked the interrupted fiddler, in his wrath, springing up from
his seat, the rest of the players imitated their leaders
and would have beaten Heiden over the head with their instruments,
had not Dinner's door, who is of larger stature, seized
him in his arms and shoved him out of doors.
Dittersdorf himself, in his biography narrates another instance of this intimacy.
(33:11):
In seventeen sixty two, he accompanied Grook to Italy. During
his absence, the famous Loli appeared in Vienna with great success.
On his return, he resolved to surpass Lowly's fame, and,
feigning sickness, he kept his room for an entire week
and practiced incessantly. Then he reappeared and achieved a success.
(33:33):
The universal verdict was that Lowly excited Wonder and Dietersdorf too,
but that the latter played to the heart also. He
adds the rest of the summer and the following winter,
I was frequently in the society of the gracious Heighten.
Every new piece of other composers which we heard, we
criticized between ourselves, commending what was good and condemning what
(33:54):
was bad. But let us return to the year seventeen fifty.
Diaz says, when about twenty one years of age, Heiden
composed a comic opera with German text. It was called
Der krum Teufel The Devil on Two Sticks and originated
in a singular way. Courtz, a theatrical genius, was at
that time the manager of the Old count Neertor Theater
(34:16):
and amused the public as Bernardon. He had heard heidenbery
favorably mentioned, which induced him to seek his acquaintance. A
happy chance soon furnished the opportunity. Courtz had a beautiful
wife who condescended to receive serenades from the young artists.
The young Heyden, who called this casatam Gayan and composed
(34:38):
a quintet for just such an occasion, as seventeen fifty
three brought her a serenade whereat. Not only the lady,
but Courtz also felt honored. He sought Heiden's closer acquaintance,
and after this the following scene occurred in his house.
Sit down at the piano, said Courtz, and accompanied the pantomime,
which I will perform for you with fitting music. Imagine
(34:59):
that Nadaun has fallen into the water and is trying
to save himself by swimming. Courtz calls an attendant and
sprawls across a chair while it is drawn here and
there about the room. Flinging out his arms and legs
like a swimmer, Heiden meantime imitating the motion of the
waves and the action of swimming. In six eight time,
Bernadon suddenly sprang up, embraced Heiden, and nearly smothering him
(35:23):
with kisses. Exclaimed Heiden, you are the man from me.
You must write me an opera. This was the origin
of Der Kruminteufel. Heiden received twenty five ducats for it
and thought himself very rich. It was brought out twice
with great applause, and was then prohibited on account of
the offensive personality of the text. Here therefore we have
(35:44):
an example of the fruitful germs of invention which Heiden
displayed in motifs and melladies, showing us, as it were,
a personal presence possessing those musical characteristics which Mozart and
Beethoven developed with such striking fidelity to life, and which
by their efforts again invested dramatic representation with a new
(36:04):
language what the Italian had accomplished only in the way
of a certain native grace of melody, and the French
on the other hand, with too partial a study in
their dramatic, recipative and piano music, German intelligence, and above
all German feeling accomplished by the unprejudiced acceptance of melody itself.
We also observe, mingled with these elements, that vein of
(36:27):
German humor which first welled up in complete spontaneity and
fullness in Haydn's music, so that we have, as it were,
all the successive steps of development in the building up
of his artistic individuality at this point his youth in
the main part of his early education close. We have
reached the period of his first original creation. But it
(36:48):
may be of interest before we close this first chapter
to add a few words about the opera itself, in
order that we may appreciate the real nature of this
first original accomplishment of the artists as it deserves. We observed,
first of all that in the test of his skill,
he was to illustrate a storm at sea and the
struggle of a drowning man, and that Heiden's fingers at
(37:10):
last involuntarily fell into the movement six, a time which
the comedian wished, and the piece itself an old love
sick Daughtard was to be cured, and the good natured
devil must help the Details of this story and many
other incidents of that period of art and Vienna, may
be found in C. F. Poll's Joseph Heiden, Volume one, Berlin,
(37:32):
eighteen seventy five. But the principal point to be observed
here is a close union of absolute music with the
dramatic element, especially with the action, and that it was
the perfection of the genuine humor of the popular Vienna
comedies of that time, which first directed Heyden's fancy to
the expression of pantomime and tones. When the Kroma Teuphot
(37:53):
was finished, Heiden brought it to courts, but the maid
would not let him in, so we are told as
her master was studying. What was Heiden's astonishment when looking
through a glass door he beheld Bernardon standing before a
large mirror, making faces and acting comical pantomime. It was
the free, spritely comedy which the Vienna harlequin possessed, and
(38:16):
which was now revealed to Heiden in its complete individuality
by personal observation. But finally, while this humor was kept
down at this time by its own crudeness and narrowness,
As soon as the higher dramatic poetry of the German
language sprung up in Austria, it reappeared in a nobler
form in music, and it is Heiden who represented this
(38:38):
genuine German popular humor in our art. The last Vienna, Harlequin,
Bernadon and his buffoonery disappeared, but the comedy was preserved
in full and permanent inheritance by Heiden in his comic
opera De Chromatoiphel. The opera itself we do not possess,
but its healthy and noble promise is realized all through
(39:00):
Haydn's instrumental music, to the origin of which we now come.
End of Section two.
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