The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-22
lLENDELSSOHN AND HA YDN.
Haydn,s Aooount of HIs Own Llfe.

Haydn's Account OF HIS Own Life.
The Lonlou house of Longmaus has pub
lished Lady Wallace's translation OF Letters of
Distinguished Musicians from Ludwig Noeps
collections. The letters OF Gluck, Haydn, Z. g.
Bach, Weber and Meudelssohn lorm the con-
tents OF tins volume. The letters from Mendels-
sohn have not before been published. In one of
them he says:-"IJ may possibly be con-
nected with my individuality, that IN artistic
works which have once captivated me, | cannot
bear the slightest alteration, and l have had
much controversy with musicians on this very
subject; but it is a feeling cannot conquer"
A letter from Haydn, addressed to a young
lady, gives short and simple sketch of his own
lie 1t is followed by biographical sketch
taken from the Vienna Journal Of Fashion for
May, 1905, to which 1t was contributed by a
correspondent who said that he noted IT down
'fIom the lips of the supplemented patriarch
hImself.n Its recollections include more detail
than is given in the letter, and some OF II is very
intercsting:-
pHaydn's father poor common wheelwrlght,
had learned to play the harp during his travel
ling years Mt FranE fort Nam. On sun
days 1t was his custom TO play over his songs,
while Haydn's mother sang them. Even now
l805), seventy-twO years afterwards, Haydn
still knows almost all these songs by heart. As
child OF FIVE years our Sepperl Cutie Joseph)
used to sit beside his parents, aud taking
piece of wood in his right hand, scrape away at
his left shoulder, pretending to play the violin.
sChoolmaster from tie neighborng little
town OF Hamburg, distant relation of Haydn,
was once present by chance at a concert Of this
kind and observed that little Joseph mark ed
the time with great eXactness This seemed a
good omen, and he advised the father to devote
his boy to music. The father, who greatly
venerated the Church, earnestly wished to
consecrate his son to that calling, and to learn
music was one of the first steps to wards it. In
his needy condition he could not, however,
afford to spend much on the education of his
children. The more, then, was he rpioiced when
the school rector OF Hamburg took the little
six year old Joseph with him, TO instruct him In
school. tn nd
write; he also received religious instruction
and applied himself to learn singing, the VIOLIN
the kettle-dIum, and other instruments. He
used to say that he had cause to thank his
schoolmaster, now in his grave, for having made
him begin so many different thing@ though he
got more blows than victuals from him.
"Haydn bad been about two yeaIs in Hahn
burg when the Court Capcllmeister Reuter-, who
also directed the music of st. Stephens Church
in Vienna, came TO visit his friend the dean, in
Hamburg Reuter- told the dean that he must
try to replace some Of his former choir. boys
who were beginning to lose their voices, aud
that he was in search of new oues. The dean
proposed little Haydn, at that time eight years
old and Reuter- Immediately sent for him and
his schoolmaster. Haydn, according to the Gus
tom OF the day, and for the sake of cleanliness
wore, bot, wig, and his dress was as poor as
possible; i was queer little urchin, says
Hadyn himself, There happened to be some
cherries on the dean's table; the scantily fed
Haydn could not take his eyes Off them. Reut-
ter, who observed this, gave him several
Latin and Italian strophes, the meaning of
which Hadyn did not in the least understand.
Reuter- seemed satisfied, but asked him if he
could execute shake? Mop ans Eered Haydn;
nor eau my cousin here ether The school
master looked annoyed and Reuter- burst ont
laughing. Reuter- then howed him how to
press his tongue against his teeth, aud gave him
many other hints. Haydn imitatei him, and
succeeded at the third attempt You shall
remain with me- said Reuter-; and thus Joseph
HAYDN, at the age OF eight became a chorister
in StpOhpn'S IluTph n
"HeTe he was instructed by Grst-rpt - teo ochers
in singing and in different Inst uments, as well
as IN the tneoreIic@. part of music. He also
1earo p,at many fine musicians, and his own
,.nCy was already so fertile that he even at
tempted eight and sixteen part composition;
AT that time says he, | thought II was all
right if the paper was well filled. Reuter- gave
me many hearty sc9idung g ior N.Y. my unFiPe ti pro pro
| teen-part when ! did not even understand
| two.part composition When Haydn was six
| teen, he received his discharge from the choir
| OF st. StCphens Church, his voice having given
| way. He contrived to maintain himself though
| poorly enough, during succession OF years In
| Vienna. He lived in a sixth story, and his
| room in the garret had neither stove nor win
dow; in winter his breath lroze on his coyerlet
| and the water that he fetched himself from the
| spring in the morning for washing was ire
quently changed into Jumps of ice before his ar
rival in these elevated regions. Haydn gave
lessons, and played in orchesras, by which he
earned something, but his poverty estranged
him from other people, and his sole happiness
consisted IN an old wOrm-eaten piano. He con-
tir ued TO compose bravely on 1t, nevertheless,
for his genius would not let him rest. He gave
lessons in singing and playing to certain Frau
lein Martinez, connection of Metastaso (the
celebrated poet), and in return he boarded with
her gratis for three years. Subsequently he
removed to the Vorstadt. At this period he
received sixty guldens year for conducting the
music at the Brothers OF Mercy in the Leo
poldstadt, which obliged him to be in church at
| s O'Clock in the morning on Sundays and fete-
days; at 10 O'Clock he played the organ in Count
| Haupwitz's chapel, and at IL o'clock he sang in
ST. Stephens church, this religious service being
| paid by seventeen kreuzers.n