Francis Berger
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Haydn Was Here

5/27/2020

10 Comments

 
I often refer to the small village I now call home as unimpressive and nondescript, and I suppose in many ways it is, but whenever I mull about how un-special my little village is, I quickly remember Eszterháza Palace and its famous court composer, Joseph Haydn.

The Esterházy family constructed Eszterháza a mere two-and-a-half kilometers from where my home now stands. A grand structure partially modeled after the Palace of Versailles, Esterháza was home to Haydn for a great portion of his composing life. As kapellmeister for the Esterházy family, Haydn divided his time between the family's palaces in Eszterháza (now known as Fertod in Hungary) and Kismarton (now known as Eisenstadt in Austria). The amount of time Haydn spent at these 'remote' estates - remember this is the eighteenth century and anything ten kilometers from Vienna was considered remote - isolated him from other composers and trends, forcing him, as he put it, "to become an original." 
Picture
Eszterháza Palace (photo by Civertan Grafikai Stúdió)
​Sometimes I wonder if Haydn ever happened to pass through my small, nondescript  village, which must have been much smaller and much more nondescript in his day. I imagine he must have. As I mentioned above, the palace is very close by. But even if he didn't, I imagine Haydn must have experienced many of the same sights, sounds, and scenery I experience today - the calling of the cuckoos, the red flecks of poppies, the strong spring breezes, the sight of the Alps on the western horizon. I imagine some of these things must have inspired his music in much the same way they inspire me. Of course, Haydn's inspiration led to masterpieces, whereas mine leads to non-masterpieces and feelings of contentment and wellbeing. 
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The statue of Haydn at Eszterháza, which my son affectionately refers to as "Hot Dog Haydn" because the sheet music in the hand resembles a hot dog.
Thinking of Haydn has reminded me that I have not visited Eszterháza Palace since December or January. I believe I will take my son this week, and we'll walk through the garden the same way we did after we first moved here, with a sense of awe and wonder. My little village may appear unimpressive and nondescript, but it sits in the middle of a region that is anything but. After all, Haydn was here. And in many ways, he still is. 

I'll sign off this post by leaving a link to one of my favorite Haydn pieces - Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major. If you happen to give it a listen now, try to visualize the composer walking the garden at Eszterháza, and you'll have the chance to spend a little time in the area I call home.   
10 Comments
bruce charlton
5/28/2020 13:36:55

Haydn occupies an interesting place in my musical scheme. I like almost everything he wrote - and have sung in the chorus of two of his masses (Drum roll and Nelson) - very enjoyable. He is more consistent than Mozart or Beethoven.

Yet I don't *love* any piece of his; none would make to to the Desert Island.

Well... not quite none; there is this aria:

https://charltonteaching.blogspot.com/2014/12/is-this-most-beautiful-baritone-aria.html

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Francis Berger
5/28/2020 17:48:54

@ Bruce - That aria is wonderful!

Yes, I am inclined to agree with you. I began listening to Haydn more intensively after I discovered his connection to the region in which I live. Like you, I like everything I have listened to thus far, but it hasn't had the same effect as some other composers' music.

Having said that, I really do like the Trumpet Concerto, and I was genuinely 'surprised' when I first heard Haydn's Surprise Symphony. In fact, I literally jumped out of my chair when the 'surprise' came.

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bruce charlton
5/28/2020 19:07:12

Actually I am very fond of the Farewell Symphony - especially the first and last movements; which is brilliantly done here - the fun starts at about 21:20 minutes

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Francis Berger
5/28/2020 19:32:36

Bruce, the link is missing.

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bruce charlton
5/28/2020 22:40:50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpD9ofCm6Ak

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Francis Berger
5/29/2020 08:00:20

@ Bruce - Ah, that is absolutely brilliant! This was the first time I had listened to the Farewell Symphony - I might have a new Haydn favorite. Thanks for that!

I am sure you know the back story to the symphony. I didn't, and was pleasantly surprised to learn of the connection to Eszterháza Palace, which is close to my home. I'll paste the story below for those who may not know it.

At that time, Haydn's patron Nikolaus I, Prince Esterházy was resident, together with all his musicians and retinue, at his favorite summer palace at Eszterháza in rural Hungary. The stay there had been longer than expected, and most of the musicians had been forced to leave their wives back at home in Eisenstadt, about a day's journey away. Longing to return, the musicians appealed to their Kapellmeister for help. The diplomatic Haydn, instead of making a direct appeal, put his request into the music of the symphony: during the final adagio each musician stops playing, snuffs out the candle on his music stand, and leaves in turn, so that at the end, there are just two muted violins left (played by Haydn himself and his concertmaster, Luigi Tomasini). Esterházy seems to have understood the message: the court returned to Eisenstadt the day following the performance.

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William wildblood
5/31/2020 16:26:51

I can listen to just about anything Haydn wrote with pleasure but he is unusual in that he actually got better in old age. His last symphonies are his best I think and The Creation and The Seasons are wonderful.

Reply
Francis Berger
5/31/2020 18:23:02

@ William - Thanks for the suggestions. The Creation and The Seasons are two pieces I have not listened to yet. Both you and Bruce have really pointed me in the right direction as far as great Haydn pieces go.

As for Haydn getting better with age, I wonder how much of it had to do with his eventual 'return' to Vienna (spending more time in the Austrian capital rather than spending most of his time at the Esterházy properties in Kismarton (Eisenstadt, Austria) and Esterháza (Hungary). Perhaps the extra time he spent in Vienna inspired new levels of creativity despite the advance of age?

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william wildblood
5/31/2020 19:38:23

If you like the Surprise symphony there's a nice little surprise in the Spring section of The Seasons!

Reply
Francis Berger
5/31/2020 21:02:33

@ William - Thanks. I'll be sure to keep my ears alert when I listen to it.

I've only recently become aware of Haydn's ingenuity; it's been a great deal of fun exploring it.

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