installed 2015 courtesy of Haydn Society of Great Britain
[To MARIA ANNA VON GENZINGER, VIENNA. in German]
London, 8th January 1791.
Nobly born, Gracious Lady !
I hope that you will have received my last letter from Calais. I should have written you immediately after my arrival in London, but I wanted to wait a few days so as to be able to write about several things at once. So I can tell you that on the 1st inst., New Year's Day, after attending early mass, I boarded the ship at 7:30 a.m. and at 5 in the afternoon I arrived, thank God!, safe and sound in Dower [sic recte; Dover].
At the beginning, for the first 4 whole hours, we had almost no wind, and the ship went so slowly that in these 4 hours we didn't go further than one single English mile, and there are 24 between Calais and Dower. Our ship's captain, in an evil temper, said that if the wind did not change, we should have to spend the whole night at sea. Fortunately, however, towards 11:30 o'clock a wind arose and blew so favorably that by 4 o'clock we covered 22 miles. Since the tide, which had just begun to ebb, prevented our large vessel from reaching the pier, 2 smaller ships came out to meet us as we were still fairly far out at sea, and into these we and our luggage were transferred, and thus at last, though exposed to a medium gale, we landed safely. The large vessel stood out to sea five hours longer, till the tide turned and it could finally dock. Some of the passengers were afraid to board the little boats and stayed on board, but I followed the example of the greater number. I remained on deck during the whole passage, so as to gaze my fill at that mighty monster, the ocean. So long as it was calm, I wasn't afraid at all, but towards the end, when the wind grew stronger and stronger, and I saw the monstrous high waves rushing at us, I became a little frightened, and a little indisposed, too. But I overcame it all and arrived safely, without vomiting, on shore. Most of the passengers were ill, and looked like ghosts, but since I went on to London, I didn't feel the effects of the journey right away; but then I needed 2 days to recover.
[big snip for now]
Meanwhile I am, with kindest regards to your husband, Fraulein Pepi and all the others, most respectfully,
Your Grace's most sincere and obedient servant,
Joseph Haydn.
[PS] My address is as follows:
Mon : Haydn
Nro.18 great Pulteney Street.
Way back in 1752, we were treated to this little vignette by Haydn's biographer, Greisinger. The twenty-year-old musician, would-be composer, is in the apartment of the famous actor, Johann Joseph Felix Kurz (= Bernardon = Hanswurst);
…You sit down at the Flügel (said Kurz) and accompany the pantomime I will act out for you with some suitable music. Imagine now Bernardon has fallen into the water and is trying to save himself by swimming.' Then he calls his servant, throws himself flat on the stomach across a chair, makes the servant pull the chair to and fro around the room, and kicks his arms and legs like a swimmer, while Haydn expresses in six-eight time the play of waves and swimming. Suddenly Bernardon springs up, embraces Haydn, and practically smothers him with kisses. 'Haydn, you're the man for me! You must write me an opera!' So began Der krumme Teufel (The Lame Devil). Haydn received twenty-five ducats for it and counted himself rich indeed…
by Carl Röhling
The Strand Magazine April 1904
It was the closest he had ever been to the ocean. One wonders if this forty-year-old memory played through his mind that New Year Day in 1791 as he stood on deck and watched the play of the "monstrous high waves" for the first time in his life. He was a long way from that 'first big break'.
For those who are long-time readers (you know who you are, bless you!), you will detect a different approach to my presentation from now forward. The reason is both a blessing and otherwise: once Haydn reaches England, our situation suddenly becomes rather different. Instead of a sad lack of data, we are overcome by a deluge of facts and documents, whereby virtually every day is accounted for! The situation has now become the ideal model of being careful what you wish for! On the other hand, the sheer volume of music being produced is actually much more manageable, and since we now know when it is being produced, and why, it is no longer advantageous for us to look at a brief chronicle followed by several musical entries. So I will continue to attempt to edify and entertain you, and I hope the new way of telling the story pleases you.
To continue the Genzinger letter from January 8:
My arrival caused a great sensation throughout the whole city, and I went the round of all the newspapers for 3 successive days. Everyone wants to know me. I had to dine out 6 times up to now, and if I wanted, I could dine out every day; but first I must consider my health, and 2nd my work. Except for the nobility, I admit no callers till 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and 4 o'clock I dine at home with Mon. Salomon…
William Marlow
If his first experience of the ocean was a bit of a shock for Haydn, one can only imagine what his reception in London did for him! Not being a Londoner myself, I can hardly feature what the hubbub was like. But the beginning of the modern Press Corps is plainly visible, and the racket of the City was nearly more than he could tolerate. Various authors, like Landon and Hogwood, call him overly sensitive to the noise, but I think they are underrating the fact he spent the past sixty years living either in the country or in a city a mere fraction the size of London. I submit that he is appropriately sensitive.
We will get a good feel for his thoughts, since all the while he is in England he keeps a journal of sorts which is filled with a quite fascinating and very eclectic group of observations. These London Notebooks, of which there were four originally, but with one now missing, are also translated by Landon and are in the same volume as the collected correspondence. As always, unless otherwise noted, all letters and Notebook observations produced here are courtesy of Landon's The Collected Correspondence and London Notebooks of Joseph Haydn.
We have just two letters from Haydn to the folks at home in this January, but they effectively describe his first weeks in London. This first was to Genzinger, who was preeminent in his thoughts for the last year or so. But the second letter is the one which actually tells us something which was important to Haydn's music of the time. It is to Anton Prince Esterházy, and also dated January 8:
[To PRINCE ANTON ESTERHAZY, VIENNA. in German]
Most noble Prince of the Holy Roman Empire !
I report respectfully that, despite unpleasant weather and a great many bad roads throughout the whole trip, I arrived in London this 2nd of January, happy and in good health. My arrival created a great stir, and forced me to take larger quarters that same evening: I received so many calls that I shall hardly be able to repay them in 6 weeks. Both the ambassadors, i.e. Prince Castelcicala of Naples and Herr Baron von Stadion [called]; and I had the pleasure of lunching with both of them at 6 o'clock in the evening. The new opera libretto which I am to compose is entitled Orfeo, in 5 acts, but I shall not receive it for a few days. It is supposed to be entirely different from that of Gluck. The prima donna is called Madame Lops, from Munich she is a pupil of the famous Mignotti. Seconda donna is Madam Capelletti. Primo homo [sic] is the celebrated Davide. The opera contains only 3 persons, viz. Madam Lops, Davide, and a castrato, who is not supposed to be very special. Incidentally, the opera is supposed to contain many choruses, ballets and a lot of big changes of scenery : the first opera, Pino by Paisiello, will be given in a fortnight. The concerts will begin next month on the 11th of February, and I shall dutifully write Your Highness more about that later. Meanwhile I remain, Your Serene Highness' submissive and obedient,
Joseph Haydn [m.p.] ria.
London, 8th January 1791.
[PS] I take the liberty of respectfully kissing the hands of the loveliest Princess, Your Highness' most charming wife, and also the Princess Marie and Her Highness' husband.
My address is, unofficially,
Nr°. 18 Great Pulteney Street
Golden Square
London
Suddenly when we see this, we begin to realize the great chunk of work which Haydn has bit off when he agreed to come to London. The concert season lasts from early February through early June, and his agreement to provide music, lead the orchestra, write an opera and endlessly promote the whole affair is quite suddenly looming large over his head, like the Sword of Damocles!
Because of the fact that Anton discharged the orchestra and turned Haydn loose, as well as having other interests than music, over the years he has been portrayed as a rather unsympathetic figure. There is little cause for this though. Haydn certainly didn't seem to be at all put off by him, the overall tone of this letter is much more relaxed than any existing "Dread Lord" document to his father. Clearly Haydn felt that he would take enough interest in the opera project to go to the trouble of describing it in some detail. And in recent years, Anton's reply has been discovered in the Esterházy archives;
[from PRINCE ANTON ESTERHAZY, VIENNA. in German]
Well and nobly born, much respected Herr Kapellmeister,
With great pleasure I have received your letter of 8th January and the news contained therein that you arrived safely in London on the 2nd, and were so well received. I share most heartily in all this news and also in your future plans, not only about the opera which you are in the process of composing but all the other projects of which you inform me. I remain with great respect,
Your most willing
Anton Prince Esterházy.
Vienna, 3rd February 1791
Actually, he sounds surprisingly deferential to me, possibly since he has known Haydn for thirty years now, long enough to develop some respect, even for an underling!
To continue Haydn's letter to Genzinger, extracts will show what life was like in those first hectic weeks:
Now, however, I am fresh and well again, and occupied in looking at this endlessly huge city of London, whose various beauties and marvels quite astonished me. I immediately paid the necessary calls, such as to the Neapolitan Ambassador and to our own; both called on me in return 2 days later, and 4 days ago I lunched with the former N.B. at 6 o'clock in the evening, as is the custom here.
…I have nice and comfortable, but expensive, lodgings. My landlord is Italian, and also a cook, and serves me 4 very respectable meals; we each pay 1 fl. 30 kr. a day excluding wine and beer, but everything is terribly expensive here.
Yesterday I was invited to a grand amateur concert1 [at The Academy of Ancient Music!] …they opened the door, and I was conducted, on the arm of the entrepreneur, up the center of the hall to the front of the orchestra, amid universal applause, and there I was stared at and greeted by a great number of English compliments. I was assured that such honors had not been conferred on anyone for 50 years. After the concert I was taken to a handsome adjoining room, where a table for 200 persons, with many places set, was prepared for all the amateurs; I was supposed to be seated at the head of the table, but since I had dined out on that day and had eaten more than usual, I declined this honor, with the excuse that I was not feeling very well, but despite this I had to drink the harmonious health, in Burgundy, of all the gentlemen present; they all returned the toast, and then allowed me to be taken home. All this, my gracious lady, was very flattering to me, and yet I wished I could fly for a time to Vienna, to have more quiet in which to work, for the noise that the common people make as they sell their wares in the street is intolerable. At present I am working on symphonies2, because the libretto of the opera3 is not yet decided on, but in order to have more quiet I shall have to rent a room far from the center of town. I would gladly write you in more detail, but I am afraid of missing the mail-coach. Meanwhile I am, with kindest regards to your husband, Fraulein Pepi and all the others, most respectfully,
Your Grace's most sincere and obedient servant,
Joseph Haydn.
[PS] Now I have a request to make of Your Grace. I don't know whether I left the Symphony in E flat4, which Your Grace returned to me, in my apartments at home, or whether it has been stolen from me en route. I missed it yesterday and need it urgently, and so I beg you to get it from my kind friend, Herr von Kees, and to copy it in your own home on small-sized paper for mailing, and send it here in the mail as soon as possible. Should Herr von Kees hesitate about this, which I don't think likely, Your Grace can always send him this letter.
The greatest charm in naïveté comes from the person not realizing his state. It speaks well of Haydn to see how completely unprepared he was for all of this, and how uncomfortable he is with it. I'm sure he came to London expecting to be applauded in the concert hall, but nothing in his previous 58 years on Earth had prepared him for the deluge of praise which was heaped on him from the moment of his arrival. All the while he is thinking of work; how am I going to work in all this? As we see, he will manage it though, and quite nicely indeed!
I hope this brief look at January will have given you a taste of what Haydn was up against. Even though in future I will dwell on events and music more than on daily life, we will inevitably see that this constant furor surrounding him never stopped the whole time he was there. The entire trip is a non-stop social whirl. Next time we will look at the story of L'Anima del Filosofo, Haydn's first major work for England, and its sad fate.
Thanks for reading!