DICTIONARY OF MUSIC - El Atril

HAYDN HAYDN 367
voice-parts and the instruments. The cheerfulness
which pervades them does not arise from
frivolity, hut rather from the joy of a heai't
devoted to God, and trustiiir^r all things to a
Father's care. He told Carpani that ' at the
thought of God, his heart leaped for joy, and
he could not help his music doing the same.'
And to this day, difficult as it may seem to
reconcile the fact with the true dignity of church
music, Haydn's masses and olfertorics are executed
more frequentl}' than any others in the
Cathoho churches of Germany.
Frequent performances of liis celebrated Oratorios
have familiarised every one with the
charm and freshness of his melody, and his expressive
treatment of the voices, which are invariably
supiiorted without being overpowered
by relined and brilliant orchestration. In these
points none of his predecessors approached him.
With regard to his operas composed for Esterhdz,
we have already quoted his own opinion ;
they
attained their end. Had his project of visiting
Italy been fulfilled, and his facilities been stimu-
lated in this direction by fresh scenes and a
larger sphere, we might have gained some tine
operas, hut we should certainly have lost the
Haydn we all so dearly love.
AVhen we consider what Haydn did for musi?,
and what his feelings with regard to it were
the willing service he rendered to art, and his
delight in ministering to the happiness of others
—we can but express our love and veneration,
and exclaim with gratitude, ' Heaven endowed
him with genius—he is one of the immortals.'
The Haydn literature contains the following
books and pamphlets :
Biographical Sketches by himeelf
(ITTS*. made uaeof by DeLuca
in Das gelehrte Ocsterreich (1778),
also in Forkel'a Afusi/calisrher
Almanach/urBeutschland il7d3\,
:
additions by Silva-LJsboa (Eio
Janeiro, 1820) Estai Tiistorique
*ur la vie de J. Baydn (Stras-
burg, 18121; Carpani's L^ Hau-
(i