Dittersdorf himself, in his biography, narrates another instance of this intimacy. In 1762, he accompanied Gluck to Italy. During his absence, the famous Lolli appeared in Vienna with great success. On his return, he resolved to surpass Lolli’s fame, and feigning sickness he kept his room for an entire week, and practiced incessantly. Then he reappeared and achieved a success. The universal verdict was, that Lolli excited wonder and Dittersdorf too, but that the latter played to the heart also. He adds: “The rest of the summer and the following winter, I was frequently in the society of the gracious Haydn. Every new piece of other composers which we heard we criticised between ourselves, commending what was good and condemning what was bad.”
But let us return to the year 1750. Dies says: “When about twenty-one years of age, Haydn composed a comic opera with German text. It was called ‘Der Krumme Teufel,’ (‘The Devil on Two Sticks’) and originated in a singular way. Kurtz, a theatrical genius, was at that time the manager of the old Karnthnerthor theater, and amused the public as Bernardon. He had heard Haydn very favorably mentioned, which induced him to seek his acquaintance. A happy chance soon furnished the opportunity. Kurtz had a beautiful wife, who condescended to receive serenades from the young artists. The young Haydn (who called this ‘Gassatim gehen,’ and composed a quintet for just such an occasion in 1753) brought her a serenade, whereat not only the lady but Kurtz also felt honored. He sought Haydn’s closer acquaintance, and after this, the following scene occurred in his house. ‘Sit down at the piano,’ said Kurtz, ‘and accompany the pantomime which I will perform for you, with fitting music. Imagine that Bernardon has fallen into the water and is trying to save himself by swimming!’ Kurtz calls an attendant and sprawls across a chair, while it is drawn here and there about the room, flinging out his arms and legs like a swimmer, Haydn meantime imitating the motion of the waves and the action of swimming in 6/8 time. Bernardon suddenly sprang up, embraced Haydn, and, nearly smothering him with kisses, exclaimed: ‘Haydn, you are the man for me. You must write me an opera!’ This was the origin of ‘Der Krumme Teufel.’ Haydn received twenty-five ducats for it, and thought himself very rich. It was brought out twice with great applause and was then prohibited on account of the offensive personality of the text.”
Here, therefore, we have an example of the fruitful germs of invention which Haydn displayed in motives and melodies, showing us, as it were, a personal presence possessing those musical characteristics which Mozart and Beethoven developed with such striking fidelity to life, and which by their efforts again invested dramatic representation with a new language. What the Italian had accomplished only in the way of a certain native grace of melody, and the French, on the other hand, with too partial a study in their dramatic recitative and piano music, German intelligence, and above all, German feeling, accomplished by the unprejudiced acceptance of melody itself. We also observe, mingled with these elements, that vein of German humor which first welled up in complete spontaneity and fullness in Haydn’s music, so that we have, as it were, all the successive steps of development in the building up of his artistic individuality. At this point his youth and the main part of his early education close. We have reached the period of his first original creation, but it may be of interest, before we close this first chapter, to add a few words about the opera itself, in order that we may appreciate the real nature of this first original accomplishment of the artist as it deserves.
We observe, first of all, that in the test of his skill he was to illustrate a storm at sea and the struggle of a drowning man, and that Haydn’s fingers at last involuntarily fell into the movement, (6/8 time), which the comedian wished. In the piece itself, an old, love-sick dotard was to be cured and the good-natured devil must help. The details of this story and many other incidents of that period of art in Vienna may be found in C. F. Pohl’s “Joseph Haydn,” Vol. I (Berlin, 1875). But the principal point to be observed here is the close union of absolute music with the dramatic element, especially with the action, and that it was the perfection of the genuine humor of the popular Vienna comedies of that time which first directed Haydn’s fancy to the expression of pantomime in tones. When the “Krumme Teufel” was finished, Haydn brought it to Kurtz, but the maid would not let him in, so we are told, because her master was “studying.” What was Haydn’s astonishment when looking through a glass door he beheld Bernardon standing before a large mirror, making faces and acting comical pantomime! It was the “free, sprightly comedy” which the Vienna harlequin possessed, and which was now revealed to Haydn in its complete individuality by personal observation. But finally, while this humor was kept down at this time by its own crudeness and narrowness, as soon as the higher dramatic poetry of the German language sprung up in Austria, it reappeared in a nobler form in music, and it is Haydn who represented this genuine German popular humor in our art. The last Vienna harlequin, Bernardon, and his buffoonery disappeared, but the comedy was preserved in full and permanent inheritance by Haydn in his comic opera, “Der Krumme Teufel.” The opera itself we do not possess, but its healthy and noble promise is realized all through Haydn’s instrumental music, to the origin of which we now come.
CHAPTER II.
1754-1781.
AT PRINCE ESTERHAZY’S.
Haydn’s Studies with Porpora—His Italian Operas—Engagement with Count Von Morzin—His First String Quartet—An Unfortunate Marriage—Domestic Troubles without End—Appointment as Capellmeister at Esterhaz—His Orchestra and Chorus—Rapid Musical Growth—His Most Important Earlier Compositions—Development of the Quartet—Personal Characteristics and Anecdotes—The Surprise Symphony—Influence of his Life at Esterhaz upon his Music.
“His hours were occupied with lesson-giving and studies. Music so far monopolized his time that at this period no other than musical books came into his hands. The only exceptions were the works of Metastasio, and these can hardly be called an exception, as Metastasio always wrote for music, and therefore a Capellmeister who had determined to try his powers in opera ought to have been acquainted with his writings,” says Dies. We know from Haydn himself that an Italian singer and opera composer was his last instructor in thorough-bass; and that he had composed much but was not firmly grounded, that is, was not correct and strong until he had the good fortune to study the fundamental principles of composition, with the famous Porpora.
The Neapolitan, Nicolo Porpora was in Vienna from 1753 to 1757. He belonged to that early school of Italian opera which dominated nearly all Europe. The charm of melody predominated at this time and with it, the art of singing. They had reached their highest point. Smoothly flowing melody, however, was considered the main essential, and above all things, clearness and very simple harmonic structure characterized this school. Haydn played the accompaniments when Porpora gave singing lessons to the ten-year-old Martines and to the mistress of an ambassador, and was paid with lessons in composition from the impetuous and supercilious old master. “Ass, vagabond, blockhead,” alternating with blows, greeted this not very accomplished “Tedesco” (German). For three months he filled the position of servant and blacked his master’s shoes. “But I improved in singing, in composition and in Italian very much,” says the modest mechanic’s son, who, plain and simple himself, loved his art above all else. In fact, compared with the German music before him, or even with Philip Emanuel Bach’s sonatas, Haydn’s style at once shows not only that he had abandoned the “Tudesk” (German), of which the Italians complained, but that he had obtained a more refined phrasing of melody and a greater clearness of harmony, whereas the art of Bach had not advanced beyond the intellectual and characteristic. He also gave up embellishments and manifested a strong desire for the pure lines, and above all recognized that symmetry of construction which was rare among the Germans themselves, and yet constitutes an essential feature of modern German instrumental music.