1788 – The Year the fortunes of war visited Vienna

 

The Turkish army marching through Bulgaria in 1788

Every so often, as we did in 1776, to help our appreciation of the picture of Greater Vienna, we step back and see what was going on in the world. 1788 is a good year for this, because it is momentous in some ways. That it was the last full year of L'Ancien Régime is but one of them.

• The major event affecting life in Vienna this year was the Austro-Turkish War, which Austria entered in February, 1788. The war was a disaster for Joseph II, his popularity was severely eroded at home, and he would die two years later from diseases contracted down the Danube. We will see some further fallout from this war soon.
• Australia came into being on January 26^th
• The US Constitution went into effect when New Hampshire became the 9^th state to ratify it, on June 21^st
• C.P.E. Bach dies December 14^th. He was 74 years old.
  
• Mozart composes his last three symphonies (apparently for artistic reasons only), but he is unable to find a buyer for his three string quintets (K 515, 516 & 516b) for publication for another year at least.
• Haydn celebrates his 56^th birthday on March 31^st, Prince Nicholas his 74^th on December 18^th .

Other than the birthdays, which were only celebrated peripherally in those days anyway, how does any of this tie in to the story of Haydn? In the small, close-up picture, Haydn was probably more affected by the hard times fallen upon by his friend, Mozart, than by anything else going on, all of which was fairly normal. It is a trick of history that when reading about it, we already know how things turned out. This makes true empathy with the subject quite a difficult accomplishment. In the summer of '88, things must have seemed pretty grim to the Mozart's, it was the height of the time he was being ignored by Vienna, and the hard times brought on by the War, with the gentry fleeing the city to avoid conscription, only made it harder to sell music. This era is often portrayed as a time when Mozart's sins must have caught up with him and thrown him into general disfavor. More enlightened historians, such as Christoph Wolff in his recent book, Mozart at the Gateway to His Fortune: Serving the Emperor, 1788-1791, have revised the quaint notion of paying for his sins, and focused the light where it needs to be; economic conditions brought on by the war, coupled with rather exaggerated reports of just how bad things might have been.

For Haydn, though, things were as stable as only the Esterházy fortune could make them. The opera continued unabated this year, with one-hundred eight productions registered. New works for this season were:

Giunio Bruto	– Domenico Cimarosa	- Dramma tragico
I finti eredi	– Giuseppe Sarti	– Dramma giocoso
I due castellani burlati	– Vincenzo Fabrizi	- Dramma giocoso
La vendetta di Nino	– Alessio Prati	- Dramma giocoso
Orfeo ed Euridice	– Ferdinando Bertoni	– Azione Teatrale per Musica
Il marito disperato	- Domenico Cimarosa	- Dramma giocoso per Musica
Il Tamburo Notturno	– Giovanni Paisiello	- Dramma giocoso

Plus eight operas from previous seasons, including, as always, Haydn's Armida. There do not appear to be any surviving insertion arias though.

There was a theatrical troupe. The Mayer Troupe, who were resident from Easter until year's end. Unfortunately, no record remains of their repertoire.

The music business goes on, ever busier. We discover (in a letter) Haydn selling a copy of his oratorio, Il ritorno di Tobia, to Prince Oettingen-Wallerstein, who we saw earlier, purchasing the Opus 33 quartets and many other Haydn works. For those who still think last year's adventure with Opus 50 must have been a relationship-breaker with Artaria, I present this, the letter which Haydn wrote primarily to line up the copy of …Tobia to send to the Prince:

[To ARTARIA & Co., VIENNA. in German]

Estoras, 16^th February 1788.

Nobly born, Most highly respected Sir !

Please don't take it amiss that through lack of time I couldn't write to you myself recently about the Oratorio. Should the Oratorio be copied already (which I trust is the case), please give it to our porter, from whom I shall receive it safely. Send him the bill for the copying costs at the same time, which I shall repay at the first available opportunity.

By the way, I am very much obliged to you for the excellent cheese you sent me, and also for the sausages, for which I am your debtor; But I shall not fail to return the obligation, when an opportunity offers.

Please also send me C. P. Emanuel Bach's last two pianoforte works*.

Meanwhile I remain, Sir, most respectfully,

Your most obedient servant,

Joseph Haydn.

*C.P.E. Bach, who died in December 1788, published only one work with Artaria: Six Sonatas for Harpsichord (pi. no. 181). Haydn, however, probably referred to the recent German editions of the 5^th and 6^th collections of Clavier-Sonaten (1785 and 1787 - Wotquenne (Wq) 59 and 61), or the Sechs neue Sonatinen, 1787 (Wq 63). (Robbins-Landon)

Naturally, The Opus 50 affair doesn't conclude just because Artaria is mollified. Meanwhile, over in London, Artaria's partner, Longman & Broderip, are equally disturbed by Forster's publication of the opus. So we now see Haydn telling an entirely different story, although still using the same tactic on Forster which he used on Artaria; it is, as I call it, the 'you cheap bastard' ploy. Hey, if it worked once…:

[To WILLIAM FORSTER, LONDON. in German]

Estoras, 28^th February 1788.

My very dear Mons. Forster!

Don't be angry at me that you have disagreeableness with Herr Langmann [recte: Longman]. I shall make it up to you another time. It's not my fault but the usurious practices of Herr Artaria. This much I can promise you: that as long as I live neither Artaria nor Langmann shall have anything from me, directly or indirectly.

I am too honest and straightforward to want to hurt your feelings or to damage you. But you certainly must realize that whoever wants to have the exclusive rights for 6 new pieces of mine must pay more than 20 guineas. In fact I have recently signed a contract with someone who pays me 100 and more guineas for each 6 works. I shall write you more about this another time. Meanwhile I am, with great respect,

Your wholly obedient servant,

Joseph Haydn.

 [envelope signed]

To Mr. Forster

Musical Instrument-Macker [sic] to the Prince of Wales.

N^ro . 348 in the Strand, a London.

*sigh*

All was not work and tap-dancing around music publishers though, for we see in May, when 'only' 11 opera performances were scheduled, Haydn was able to nip off to Vienna, where he was present for the premiere performance of the Vienna version of Mozart's Don Giovanni on May 7^th. 

The original playbill from the Vienna premiere - May 7, 1788

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 [To ARTARIA & Co., VIENNA in German]

Estoras, 10^th August 1788.

Well born, Most highly respected Sir!

My manifold affairs have prevented me from writing my long overdue answer to your last letter. I repeat that it will always be a pleasure to supply you with my works. Since I am now in a position where I need a little money, I propose to write for you, by the end of December, either 3 new Quartets or 3 new pianoforte Sonatas with accompaniment of a violin and violoncello. I would ask you, for your part, to send me an a conto [on account] of 25 gold ducats next Wednesday by our outgoing Hussars. You can leave the letter and the money with our porter Wednesday morning. Meanwhile the present letter should serve as your security. You shall have the receipt on the coming Monday. Of course it is understood that I shall then complete the other 3 Quartets, or pianoforte Sonatas, so that the edition will comprise half-a-dozen, as usual. NB. For 6 Quartets the previous sum of one hundred ducats, for 6 pianoforte Sonatas 300 fl. In the hope of a favorable answer,

I am Sir, most respectfully,

Your most obedient servant,

Josephus Haydn.

And a week later:

[To ARTARIA & Co., VIENNA in German]

Estoras, 17^th August 1788.

Well born, Most highly respected Sir !

Many thanks for the 25 ducats which you sent me. The zeal I shall bestow on the 3 pianoforte Sonatas with accompaniment of a violin and violoncello which you want, shall be a guarantee of my wish to retain your friendship in the future.

Meanwhile I am, Sir, most respectfully,

Your most obedient servant,

Josephus Haydn.

It is interesting to see Artaria opting for the Keyboard Trios (which, in the event, were Hob. 15:11, 12 & 13) rather than the String Quartets. One must suppose it is not for the difference in price, but rather because he anticipates a much larger sale. This will be a reflection on the ongoing growth of the middle class Hausmusik revolution, and of course, the continuing audience in the ever-popular salons of the more privileged classes.

Although it is continuing to be a very busy year (as we previously saw, Haydn was also pursuing the Tost investigation), I will only put out one more item before moving on to another topic.

[To ARTARIA & Co., VIENNA in German]

Estoras, 26^th October 1788.

Well born, Most highly respected Sir!

In order to compose your 3 pianoforte Sonatas particularly well, I had to buy a new fortepiano. Now since no doubt you have long since realized that scholars are sometimes short of money and that is my situation at present I should like to ask you, Sir, if you would be kind enough to pay 31 gold ducats to the organ and instrument maker Wenzl Schanz, who lives on the Leimgruben at the Blauen Schif[f] N^o. 22; which 31 ducats I shall repay to you, with thanks, by the end of January of the coming year 1789. To convince you that I shall keep my word, I have enclosed a small promissory note which I have recalled today. But should you have any doubts of my integrity, I shall send you on the next post-day a bond for a thousand Gulden signed by my Prince himself. I don't like to be in debt to tradesmen, and thank God! I am free of such burdens; but since great people keep me waiting so long for payment, things have come to a standstill. Meanwhile this letter should be your security, and shall be valid in any court. I will pay off the interest in cash. I am [so] confident that you will not refuse my request [that] I wrote to the organ-builder, who will quite certainly come to get his money. Please excuse this liberty: it is bestowed on a man who is grateful, and will ever remain,

Your most obedient servant,

Joseph Haydn

Capell Meister.

P.S. I shall have the pleasure of seeing you in Vienna towards the end of December.

And the next:

[To ARTARIA & Co., VIENNA in German]

Estoras, 16^th November 1788.

Well born, Most highly respected Sir!

Many thanks for the correct payment which you made in my name to Herr Schanz. I shall keep my word punctually, not only as to the repayment but also as to the 3 new Sonatas, of which one and one-half are already completed.

Meanwhile I remain, respectfully,

Your most obedient servant,

Joseph Haydn

So, Haydn finally has a documented fortepiano. Of course, he has had one all along, probably before we ever know about it. But this particular one will show up fairly often over the next two years, and will forever be the one historically associated with Haydn and Vienna.

This will be a busy year for composing, as we will see two more symphonies, six more string quartets, a good start on the keyboard trios promised to Artaria, and also the beginning, at least, of the second commission for the King of Naples, the Notturnos. It was also a year which saw Haydn and Mozart building their friendship even closer.

A bit of an oddity
The relationship between Haydn and Mozart seems to have confounded scholars ever since the turn of the 19^th century. That two men of such genius could have such a mutually admiring acceptance of each other seems unbelievable, and so there have been many, fruitless attempts to present the 'real' story.

One of the stumbling blocks to defining things more closely is the lack of documentary evidence. The following letter is frequently quoted, for example. It is from Niemetschek's Life of Kapellmeister Wolfgang Mozart, (dedicated to Haydn) of 1798:

[To FRANZ ROTT (Roth), 1 Oberverpflegs-Verwalter, PRAGUE. in German]

December 1787

.... You ask me for an opera buffa. Most willingly, if you want to have one of my vocal compositions for yourself alone. But if you intend to produce it on the stage at Prague, in that case I cannot comply with your wish, because all my operas are far too closely connected with our personal circle (Esterhaz [sic], in Hungary), and moreover they would not produce the proper effect, which I calculated in accordance with the locality. It would be quite another matter if I were to have the great good fortune to compose a brand new libretto for your theatre. But even then I should be risking a good deal, for scarcely any man can brook comparison with the great Mozart.

If I could only impress on the soul of every friend of music, and on high personages in particular, how inimitable are Mozart's works, how profound, how musically intelligent, how extraordinarily sensitive! (for this is how I understand them, how I feel them) why then the nations would vie with each other to possess such a jewel within their frontiers. Prague should hold him fast but should reward him, too; for without this, the history of great geniuses is sad indeed, and gives but little encouragement to posterity to further exertions; and unfortunately this is why so many promising intellects fall by the wayside. It enrages me to think that this incomparable Mozart is not yet engaged by some imperial or royal court !

Forgive me if I lose my head: but I love the man so dearly.

I am, &c.

Joseph Hayden [sic].

N.S.: My respectful compliments to the Prague Orchestra and all the virtuosi there.

And while I don't mean to imply here that it is anything less than authentic, let it be noted that the original of the letter no longer exists, nor anything else to support it. It does, however, sound like Haydn, and thus it is accepted.

Also from Niemetschek, we get a few quotes which he probably got from Constanze Mozart, who collaborated with him on the biography. Ones such as this tend to demonstrate the reciprocity of feeling;

…Mozart… became a most sincere admirer of the great and incomparable Joseph Haydn, who had already become the pride of music, and now, since Mozart's death, remains our favorite and our delight. Mozart often called him his teacher.

Or;

(About the Quartets dedicated to Haydn)… not only does the homage of an artist like Mozart enhance Haydn's fame, but it is also to Mozart's credit and makes us realize the tenderness of his feelings, considering that he himself had such wonderful talent.

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    Certainly Mozart could not have honored Haydn with a better work than with these quartets, which contain a mine of precious thoughts and which are, indeed, models of composition.

    In the eyes of the connoisseur this work is of importance equal to any of his operatic compositions. Everything in it has been carefully thought out and perfected. One can see he has taken the trouble to deserve Haydn's praise…

Or;

We can judge what fine sensibility he had, and how keen his artistic feeling was, when we hear that he was wont to be moved to tears during the performance of good music; particularly when listening to something composed by the two great Haydns.

 

Mozart's Quintets published by Imbault of Paris - date unknown

It would be interesting to know just how much of Mozart's music was familiar to Haydn. Of the things beyond doubt, the three Da Ponte operas (Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Così fan Tutte), the 'Haydn' Quartets, the later string quintets, very likely some of the Viennese piano concertos, and almost certainly many of the later little keyboard pieces, such as the Adagio & Fugue in c (K 546), coincidentally, a work of 1788. Other works of 1788, which he probably never heard but certainly would have known, were the last three symphonies, composed during that special summer when Mozart's muse was especially active.

While we already know about the performance with Dittersdorf and Vanhal, vividly described by Michael Kelly, it is also reliably reported, by Abbé Stadler, that Haydn and Mozart played Mozart's late quintets together with friends. They took the two viola parts, no surprise there!

I certainly won't attempt to point out the numerous places where one influenced the other, I'm not entirely sure I believe in the entire concept anyway. If I was a brilliant writer, and so were you, and I read something of yours and saw an idea I liked, I would find a way to work a personalized version of it into my work. It is an expansion of a shared language; if composers didn't share thoughts and ideas, then there would be no such thing as a 'Viennese School'!

There will be many more things which crop up in the next few years concerning these two, and we will discuss them when the time comes, but for now, it would be remiss on the part of anyone providing context for Haydn's life and works to avoid mentioning his best friend, for I believe this was exactly what Mozart meant in his dedication of the quartets. I take him at his word!

Next time we will look at the two symphonies for the year. Once again, they are dedicated to the Count d'Ogny. No pun intended, but Haydn will be cutting it close to get that set delivered before the ax falls!

Thanks for reading!