DICTIONARY OF MUSIC - El Atril

1762— HAYDN -1790 353
a piece for four violins and two
six string-trios ;
celli, called ' ' Echo ; a concerto for the French
horn (1762) ; twelve minuets for orchestra ; con-
certos, trios, sonatas, and variations for clavier.
In vocal music—a Salve Regina for soprano and
alto, two violins, and organ ; a Te Deum(1764)
four Italian Operettas (1762) ; a pastoral, ' Acide
e Galatea ' (the action identical with that of
Handel's cantata), performed Jan. 11, 1763, on
the marriage of Count Anton, eldest son of
Prince Nicolaus ;
and a grand cantata, in honour
of the Prince's return from the coronation of the
Archduke Josepli as King of the Romans (1761).
[In 1765 he wrote the charming little string
quartet in D minor, afterwards iiublished as
op. 42, and between this year and 1776 increased
tlie number of his symplionies to about fifty,
and added to his quartets those which are pirinted
in the Paris and Loudon editions as op. 9, op. 17,
and op. 20.]
Soon after 'Werner's death an event took
place, which greatly affected the music, viz. the
establishment of a new palace near Stittor, at
the southern end of the Xeusiedler-See, where
the Prince rebuilt an old hunting-place, turned
it into a spleiidid summer residence, and gave
it the name of Esterhaz. Here the chapel
(except a small portion left to carry on the
church service at Eisenstadt) were located for
the greater pjart of the year, during which they
were expected to redouble their exertions.
Esterhaz— described by a Frencli traveller as
' having no place but Versailles to compare to it
for magnificence'— stands in the nnddle of an unhealthy
marsh, quite out of the world. The erection
of such a building in such a neighbourhood,
at a cost amounting, it is said, to 11,000,000
gulden, was one of the caprices of Prince Nicolaus.
The canals and dykes he constructed were,
however, substantial improvements to the neighbourhood.
The dense wood behind the castle
'was turned into a delightful grove, containing
a deer-park, flower-gardens, and hot -houses,
elaborately furnished summer-houses, grottoes,
hermitages, and temples. Near the castle stood
an elegant theatre, for operas, dramas, and
comedies ; also a second theatre, brilliantly
ornamented, and furnished with large artistic
marionettes, excellent scenery and appliances.
The orchestra of the opera was formed of members
of the cliapel, under Haydn's direction ; the
singers were Italian for the most part, engaged
for one, two, or more years, and the books of
the words were printed. Numerous strolling
companies were engaged for shorter terms ;
travelling virtuosi often played with the members
of the band ; special days and hours were fixed
for chamber-music and for orchestral works ;
and
in the intervals the singers, musicians, and actors
met at the cafe, and formed, so to speak, one
family. The castle itself was fitted up in exquisite
taste, and stored with numerous and
costly collections of works of art. Royal and
VOL. II
noble personages, home and foreign, formed a
constant stream of guests ; at whose disposal
tlie Prince placed his beautiful carriages, and to
wliom he proved the most attentivcand charming
of hosts. He became so much attached to this
]'lace of his own creation, as often to stay there
till quite the end of autumn, and return with
tlie first days of spring. Eisenstadt he visited
very rarely, and Vienna he disliked more and
more, often cutting short his visits in the most
abrupt manner. Hence his singers and musicians
were increasingly tied to this one spot— a fate
all the harder, since very few were allowed to
bring their wives and families. Here Haydn
composed nearly all his operas, most of his
arias and songs, the music for the marionette
theatre—of wliich he was particularly fond
and the greater part of his orchestral and
chamber works. He was satisfied with his position,
and though he sometimes conrplained of the
disadvantages of such a seclusion, and often expressed
his wish to visit Italy, he also acknow-
ledged its compensating advantages. In his own
words :
' II}' Prince was always satisfied with
my works ; I not only had the encouragement
of constant approval, but as conductor of an
orchestra I could make expieriments, observe
what produced an effect and what weakened it,
and was thus in a position to impirove, alter,
make additions or omissions, and be as bold as I
pleased ; I was cut off' from the world, there was
no one to confuse or torment me, and I was
forced to become (yi'iginal.'
Vith the band and singers Haydn was on
the best of terms. They vied with each other
in carrying out his intentions, simply to show
their gratitude and affection for him. He was
constantly endeavouring to improve their lot, was
invariably a warm advocate with the Prince on
their behalf, and they all loved him like a father.
The Prince gave unusually high salaries, and
several of the musicians jlayed two instruments
— generally the violin and a wind instrument.
A good many of them afterwards entered the
Imperial chapel.
The principal and best-paid members of the
chapel during the period spoken of (1767-90)
w^ere :— female singers, "Weigl, Cellini, Jermoli,
Rippamonti.i Valdesturla, Tavecchia, Maria and
Matilda Bolognia, Raimondi, Nencini, Benve-
malesingers—Friberth, Bianchi, Gherardi,
nuti ;
Jermoli, Moratti, Morelli, Totti (2), Peschi ;
violins—Tomasini, Rosetti, Rippamonti, Mes-
trino, Mraw ; violoncellists — Weigl, Kurt'el,
Marteau, Kraft ; flute— Hirsch ; clarinets—
Griesbacher (2) ; oboi—Columbazzo (2), Poschwa,
Czerwenka ; bassoons— Schiringer, Peczival ;
horns—Steinmiiller, Karl Franz (also played the
baryton), Stamitz, Oliva, Pauer, Lendway. Besides
Franz there was another performer on the
Prince's own instrument, the baryton—Andreas
1 Afterwards married to Schioht, Cantor of the Thomaaschule at
Leipzig.
2 A