JOSEPH HAYDN, BERLIN.

Northern Advocate, 21 January 1888, Page 3

JOSEPH HAYDN, BERLIN.

The following aneodote of Joseph Haydn may be of interest to many lovers of music, who, like myself, are outside the profession : In the middle of the last century when almost every green hill in Germany was crowned with its castle, the lord of which ruled over the domain around and beneath him, in the same fashion as the king ruled over the combined Duchies, Electorships and Principalities ( a system of feudalism which prevailed until the union of all these smaller kingdoms into one great and mighty whole) there lived one, Count Esterhazy, whose beauty and accomplishments, added to his ancestral wealth and importance, marked him even among his compeers one of the "elect few." Of all his possessions, however, he was wont to pride himself especially upon that of his court musical director, Joseph Haydn, then in the zenith of his fame and power. At an invitation from the Count, the nobility of the surrounding provinces would flock to his castle to listen an entire evening to music given as only picked musicians under the leadership of a Joseph Haydn could give it. Thus time sped on, the attachment between the Count and his maestro growing stronger and their intimacy closer until troublous times came for Germany, great national interests to be settled, and internal dissensions arising from their settlement threw the country into state of gloom and depression bordering upon panic. All the channels of trade were closed and every effort of the Government to extricte itsself from its difficulties only seemed to add new ones. Money was scarce and money-making an impossibility. As usual, last of all to feed the results of the state of affairs were the nobles, who, finding their revenues diminishing year after year where themselves obliged to retrench and lessen their expenses, first striking off one luxury, then another, until the minimum of expenditure was reached. In his frequent consultations with his house officers andsewards, Count Esterhazy has scrupulously avoided the subject of his orchestra, and my suggestion of practical economy in the direction was coldly received. So they continued to play although with gloomy forbodings of the future. But when at last it became impossible to meet his pet musicians with pay for their labors, the Count drew Haydn aside, and, withtearsinhis eyes, announced that their happy intercourse must cease, and their relations as employer and employe be broken. Haydn, whoes heart was filled with love for the Count, and the recollection of past happy day's, as well as with pity for himself and musicias, could neither express aymathy for the Count nor grief for himself ; but in despair was about to leave his presence when the Count re-

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called him, with a request that before they parted he would like to tender a grand concert to him, and the money to be derive therefrom to be divided between Haydn and his musicians; This being settled to the Count's satisfaction, Haydn left to attend to his duties.

The night of the concert arrived; the lords and ladies in all their splendour of the eighteenth century and the traditional ceremonies and etiquette of the German court, were escorted to thrir respectivo places. As the musicians took their seats and Haydn appeared, a murmur of mingled love and admiration rose from the audience. With a nod from their leader the musicians began, and through a programme of the most varied and beautiful compositions, interspersed here and there with solos from the principal "prima donna" of the time, they made their way to the last number, which announced a new symphony by Haydn. It will seem quite natural that the interest of the audience should centre on this last number. It is the final speech of Haydn to those whom he had known and loved for so mAny years. Attention ! the symphony IS begun, A silence deep and sombre prevails, as through wondrously sweet passages of melody the theme, sad and suggestive of tears and parting occurs ever and again, until the first four movemetits are finished, and the last is reached amidst eager and almost breathless interest. The musicians play as only men with their whole souls intensified and strained to the highest pitch (Jail play, the hearts and souls of the audience with them, feeling for them, and with the tears unconsiouly welling from their eyes. With a few last sad notes the first voilinist has fiinished his score, and is observed to blow out his little light on his desk and disappear. A minute later the second violinist lowers his instrument, blows out his candle and departs, the others playing on, uuconsious of everything save the music. One after another, as eaohis finished they rise, blow out their candles and disappear, the music still continuing, until at last only the kettledrums remain. With deep rolling notes, each one like the knell of earthly hopes and ambitions, they finish and following the example of their companions leave Haydn alone. When with bowed head and blinded vision, he lays down his baton and with I groping footsteps leaves the senses of his I greatest triumphs in deep gloom and darkness, the feelings of the audience, so wrought upon and so long repressed, can be easier imagined than described. Tears and shouts, all tradition and decorum thrown aside for the moment, hearts stirred to the highest pitch of enthusiasm and love find here but slight outlet, while above all is heard the Count s voice calling " Haydn ! Haydn ! " Whenatlast Haydn appears the Count with tears and embraces proclaims to all assembled that they will never part, and the sympathic audience concur with the Court. It is unnecessary to add that the new arrangements, whatever they were, were satisfactory to all parties. This is the origin of the symphony known as Haydn's " Parewell" symphony, and to amateurs it will be a new pleasure to study the work in the light of the pethetic incidents to wMch the composition owes its origin.