Attracting Talent
Joseph Haydn was an important and influential composer for many reasons. I was recently reading an article by Donato Cabrera about him and it had me reminiscing about some of my favorite Haydn creations. Of the many attributes that fascinate me of this classical great, his isolation, his incredible breadth of repertoire, and his later compositions in London are just a few of the moments that stand out. Haydn has been written about, reproduced, and honored in countless writings and performances. No doubt, he has many more coming due to his mazing and illustrious career.
Joseph Haydn worked under four different nobility under the Esterházy Estate in Austria until his eventual retirement, after which he traveled to London and was revered for his additional works described as his “London Symphonies.”. While in truth, he mostly composed for only two of the household heads for the majority of his time there, his contributions during this period of his life were notable, as he was fairly restricted from contact to the outside world of musical influence doe to the nature of his work. His isolation is a puzzle, given the immense creativity and originality that derived from his compositions in this capacity. While he was in communication with the outside providences through the travels of the musicians in his hire, he rarely had the opportunity to understand the impact of the world of music around him, and was not fully aware of the impact of his own work outside of the court that he serviced.
Haydn had worked as an accomplished composer outside of the Esterházy Estate until his hire in 1760, and he was not a prisoner there. However, his work and contract kept him dutifully occupied to the extent that he rarely left. In addition, his compositions, until a renegotiation of his contract in 1779 were considered property of the Estate, and not subject to commission. There are plenty of biographies that can provide detailed information on his time at Esterházy. I have always been intrigued by his fame outside of the estate and his ignorance of it. Haydn was not fully aware of how popular he was, and after his release from the estate, he traveled to London where a fellow musician had implored his to accept work. Johann Peter Solomon had offered Haydn a handsome sum to come compose there, and Haydn created some tremendously important an impressive works from accepting this offer.
When Haydn reached London, he was exposed to the work of George Fredrick Handel. It is said that upon hearing one of his choral works, Haydn responded with tears in his eyes “He is the master of us all.” Handel became an important influence on Haydn, and the fact that Haydn was audience to his work so late in his career is an impressive tribute to his already amazing original style and accomplishment. Haydn would go on to produce choral works of his own in tribute to Handel, while additionally being influenced and introduced to the other great experts in his time period, like Mozart and Beethoven.
Johann Peter Salomon is an interesting and influential figure, as he was also responsible for attracting Domenico Dragonetti, the famed double bass virtuoso to England through a series of offers. Dragonetti would make London his home and become an integral part of the Philharmonic Society. Without Solomon, the British Empire would have missed out on a number of classical treasures. Solomon himself a concert master, oboist, and one of the founding members of the Philharmonic Society in London. Haydn has honored his friend in many ways. For instance, the 96th Symphony includes a piano cadenza marked Salomon solo ma piano.
Haydn, Handel, Salomon, and Dragonetti all have interesting tales of their own, but it is funny how the world of great musicians all seem to intertwine in curious ways. Sure if music connects us through its auditory experience, their creators are connected through conceptual idealisms, as well.
Enjoy today’s listening example from Salomon’s Romance for Violin and Strings in D minor as performed by Daniel Hope.