fluctuating health and he had to struggle to complete his final works. By about 1802, his condition had declined to the point that he became physically unable to compose. [ 43 ] This was doubtless very difficult for him because, as he acknowledged, the flow of fresh musical ideas waiting to be worked out as compositions did not cease. Haydn was well cared for by his servants, and he received many visitors and public honors during his last years, but they could not have been very happy years for him. During his illness, Haydn often found solace by sitting at the piano and playing " Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser ", which he had composed in 1797 as a patriotic gesture. [ 44 ] Its melody was later used for the Austrian and German national anthems. A final triumph occurred on 27 March 1808 when a performance of The Creation was organized in his honor. The very frail composer was brought into the hall on an armchair to the sound of trumpets and drums and was greeted by Beethoven, Salieri (who led the performance) and by other musicians and members of the aristocracy. Haydn was both moved and exhausted by the experience and had to depart at intermission. [ 45 ] Haydn lived for another year, dying, aged 77, at the end of May 1809. Some of his last words were attempts to calm and reassure his servants as the French army under Napoleon launched an attack on Vienna: [