Haydn's Haus

[Florestan]

Often, when struggling against obstacles of every sort which oppose my labors: often, when the powers of mind and body weakened, and it was difficult to continue the course I had entered on; – a secret voice whispered to me: "there are so few happy and contented peoples here below; grief and sorrow are always their lot; perhaps your labors will once be a source from which the care-worn, or the man burdened with affairs, can derive a few moments rest and refreshment." This was indeed a powerful motive to press onwards, and this is why I now look back with cheerful satisfaction on the labors expended on this art, to which I have devoted so many long years of uninterrupted effort and exertion.

A few monents of rest and refreshment???

JS Bach said as much:

The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.

Can you imagine Berlioz, Wagner, Schoenberg or Boulez subscribing to that? Only if one substituted "restive" for "rest" and "torment" for "refreshment".

[Karl Henning]

A few monents of rest and refreshment???

JS Bach said as much:

Can you imagine Berlioz, Wagner, Schoenberg or Boulez subscribing to that? Only if one substituted "restive" for "rest" and "torment" for "refreshment".

'Tis the season


https://youtu.be/0jYkcJ_giZ0

[Gurn Blanston]

I doubt Haydn had a few moments for rest and refreshment in 1799! I have scratched the surface of the year this time, but plenty left to keep an old man busy (yes, me & Haydn both! ). I called this one 'Alone at the top' because on this, the 50th anniversary of his being a composer, that is exactly where he is, at the pinnacle of his career.

A monster year!

Thanks,

[Karl Henning]

Delightful & informative, as always, O Gurn

[Gurn Blanston]

Delightful & informative, as always, O Gurn

Thanks, Dr. H.. Being Haydn's age now, I can't imagine taking on that work load!       

[PerfectWagnerite]

Yes indeed, Gurn.

Personally, even if you ignore everything else he wrote, from symphony #82 on he wrote 23 symphonies, each one is an undisputed masterpiece (taking nothing away from his earlier works). I don't know of anyone who has had such a run composing.

[Florestan]

even if you ignore everything else he wrote, from symphony #82 on he wrote 23 symphonies, each one is an undisputed masterpiece (taking nothing away from his earlier works). I don't know of anyone who has had such a run composing.

I know, but i'll shush.

[PerfectWagnerite]

I know, but i'll shush.

Spill the beans please !

[Florestan]

Spill the beans please !

Schubert! His final year is an uninterrupted chain of one masterpiece after another. If you count them they might be well over 23.

[Gurn Blanston]

Yes indeed, Gurn.

Personally, even if you ignore everything else he wrote, from symphony #82 on he wrote 23 symphonies, each one is an undisputed masterpiece (taking nothing away from his earlier works). I don't know of anyone who has had such a run composing.

And the symphonies were only a moderate percentage of his output. Taking that time frame, from Symphony 82 on, you have all the quartets from Opus 50 to 77 (& 103), the keyboard trios from 18-45, the keyboard sonatas from 57-62, the last 6 masses, the trumpet concerto, a crackin' good opera and numerous songs and smaller works  of very high quality.  It really is almost freakish how that worked...  

[Gurn Blanston]

Schubert! His final year is an uninterrupted chain of one masterpiece after another. If you count them they might be well over 23.

And the symphonies were only a moderate percentage of his output. Taking that time frame, from Symphony 82 on, you have all the quartets from Opus 50 to 77 (& 103), the keyboard trios from 18-45, the keyboard sonatas from 57-62, the last 6 masses, the trumpet concerto, a crackin' good opera and numerous songs and smaller works  of very high quality.  It really is almost freakish how that worked...  

Cross-posted. I love Schubert's music too, but there is no real comparison...

[Florestan]

Cross-posted. I love Schubert's music too, but there is no real comparison...

I won't go any further in consideration of this:

Being Haydn's age now

[Gurn Blanston]

I won't go any further in consideration of this:

He was 67 that year. I'm 67.  Of course, one day I will be 286 also...  

[Florestan]

He was 67 that year. I'm 67.  Of course, one day I will be 286 also...  

Well, if you make a book out of your Haydn's essays I'm sure in 286 years it'll be a classic. 

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, if you make a book out of your Haydn's essays I'm sure in 286 years it'll be a classic. 

Ah, immortality, just what I always wanted!   

[JBS]

I doubt Haydn had a few moments for rest and refreshment in 1799! I have scratched the surface of the year this time, but plenty left to keep an old man busy (yes, me & Haydn both! ). I called this one 'Alone at the top' because on this, the 50th anniversary of his being a composer, that is exactly where he is, at the pinnacle of his career.

A monster year!

Thanks,

Thanks again for this!

[Gurn Blanston]

Thanks again for this!

Delighted you had an opportunity to read it. Thank you!

[schnittkease]

Great read! I find that AMZ and other contemporaneous journals are sorely underrated (at least by laymen like me) in the amount of valuable information they can bring to light; when I compile composer worklists for IMSLP I always make sure to sift through these journals -- you never know what you can find.

[Gurn Blanston]

Great read! I find that AMZ and other contemporaneous journals are sorely underrated (at least by laymen like me) in the amount of valuable information they can bring to light; when I compile composer worklists for IMSLP I always make sure to sift through these journals -- you never know what you can find.

Thank you.

Problem for me is I can't read German. For a Haydn researcher this is a crucial shortcoming! But the snippets I get here and there are always fascinating in that they put some meat on the bones of an otherwise fairly dry statement of facts. If only they had existed 40 years earlier...

[Madiel]

Thank you.

Problem for me is I can't read German. For a Haydn researcher this is a crucial shortcoming! But the snippets I get here and there are always fascinating in that they put some meat on the bones of an otherwise fairly dry statement of facts. If only they had existed 40 years earlier...

No harm in starting to learn. Try Duolingo.