DICTIONARY OF MUSIC - El Atril

360 1795 HAYDN 1795
country, first staying at Sir Charles Rich's
house near "Waverley Abbey, in Surrey. In
September he went with Dr. Burney to see
Rauzzini at Bath, where ho passed three pleasant
days, and wrote a canon to the inscription
which Rauzzini had put in his garden to ' his
best friend' — 'Turk was a faith tul dog, and
not a man.' (See Turk.) He also went to
Taplow with Shield, and with Lord Abingdon
visited Lord Aston at Preston. An anecdote of
this time shows the humour which was so native
to Haydn, and so often pervades his compositions.
He composed an apparently easy sonata for
pianoforte and violin, called it ' Jacob's Dream,'
and sent it anonymously to an amateur who
professed himself addicted to the extreme upper
notes of the violin. The unfortunate performer
was delighted with the opening ; here was a
composer who thoroughly understood the instrument
! but as he found himself compelled to
mount the ladder higher and higher without
any chance of coming down again, the perspiration
burst out upon his forehead, andhe exclaimed,
' What sort of composition do you call this ?
the man knows nothing whatever of the violin.'
In 1795 Salomon announced his concerts
under a new name and place, the ' National
School of Music,' in the King's Concert-room,
recently added to the King's Theatre. Haydn
•was again engaged as composer and conductor
of his own symphonies, and Salomon had col-
lected an unprecedented assemblage of talent.
The music was chiefly operatic, but one or even
two of Haydn's symphonies were given regularly,
the ' Surprise ' being a special favourite. With
regard to this symphony Haydn confessed to
Gyrowetz, who happened to call when he was
composing the Andante, that he intended to
startle the audience. ' There all the women
will scream,' he said with a laugh, pointing to
the well-known explosion of the drums. The
first concert was on Feb. 2, and two extra ones
were given on May 21 and June 1, the latter
being Haydn's last appearance before an English
audience.^ His last benefit was on May 4,
when the programme consisted entirely of his
works, except the concertos of Viotti and of
Ferlendis the oboist. Banti sang his aria for
the first time, but according to his diary ' she
sang very scanty.' He was greatly pleased
with the success of this concert ; the audience
was a distinguished one, and the net receipts
amounted to £400. ' It is only in England
that one can make such sums,' he remarked.
J. B. Cramer and Mme. Dussek gave concerts
soon after, at which Haydn conducted his own
symphonies.
During the latter months of his stay in
London Haydn was much distinguished by the
Court. At a concert at York House the programme
consisted entirely of his compositions,
1 Till 1799. when the undertaking failed. Salomon continued to
perform Haydn'e sympboniea, with his permission, at these opera
concerts.
he presided at the pianoforte, and Salomon was
leader. The King and Queen, the Princesses,
the Prince of Wales, and the Dukes of Clarence
and Gloucester were present, and the Prince of
Wales presented Haydn to the King, who, in
spite of his almost exclusive preference for
Handel, expressed great interest in the music,
and jiresented the composer to the Queen, who
begged him to sing some of his own songs. He
was also repeatedly invited to tile Queen's concerts
at Buckingham House ; and both King and
Queen expressed a wish that he should remain
in England, and spend the summer at Windsor.
Haydn replied that he felt hound not to desert
Prince Esterhazy, and was not inclined entirely
to forsake his own country. As a j>articular
mark of esteem the Queen presented him with a
copy of the score of Handel's Passion-music to
Brockes's words. He was frequently at Carlton
House, where the Prince of Wales (a pupil of
Crosdill's on the violoncello, and fond of taking
the bass in catches and glees) had a regular
concert-room, and often played his part in the
orchestra with the Dukes of Cumberland (viola)
and Gloucester (violin). In 1795 he gave many
musical parties, and at one which took place
soon after his marriage (iVpril 8) the Princess
of Wales played tiie pianoforte and sang with
Haydn, who not only conducted but sang some
of his own songs. He attended at Carlton
House twenty-six times in all, but like other
musicians found much difficulty in getting paid.
After waiting long in vain he sent in a bill
for 100 guineas from Vienna, which was immediately
discharged by Parliament. It must
be admitted that the demand was moderate.
Encouraged by the success of the 'Storm,'
Haydn undertook to comjiose a larger work to
English words. Lord Abingdon suggested Xeedham's
' Invocation of Keptune,' an adaptation
of some poor verses prefixed to Selden's ' Mare
Clausum,' but he made little progress, probably
findinghisacquaintance with English too limited.
The only finished numbers are, a bass solo, ' Nor
can I think my suit is vain,' and a chorus, ' Thy
great endeavours to increase.' The autograph
is in the British Museum. Haydn received
parting gifts from dementi, Tattersall, and
many others, one being a talking jjarrot, which
realised 1400 florins after his death. In 1804
he received from Gardiner of Leicester six pairs
of cotton stockings, into which were worked
favourite themes from his music.—His return
was now inevitable, as Prince Esterhazy had
written some time before that he wished his
chapel reconstituted, with Haydn again as its
conductor.
The second visit to London was a brilliant
success. He returned from it with increased
powers, unlimited fame, and a competence for
life. By concerts, lessons, and symphonies, not
counting his other compositions, he had again
—as before—made £1200, enough to relieve him