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From the Archives - Hayden Meets the Royal Navy
A native of Austria,
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was one of the most notable composers of the eighteenth
century, with a truly international reputation.
As his fame grew, he was often invited to tour various European
countries. His two tours of England,
1791–1792 and 1794–1795, which he spent primarily in London, were outstanding successes, during
which he not only produced some of his most notable work, such as "The
London Symphony", but also made a pile of money.
Years later, Haydn would sometimes regale his friends with
tales of some of his adventures while in England, notably this account of
his transactions with a captain of the Royal Navy, as retold in George
Hogarth's Musical History, Biography, and
Criticism (New York: 1845).
A captain of the navy came to him one morning, and asked him to compose
a march for some troops he had on board, offering him thirty guineas for his
trouble, but requiring it to be done immediately, as the vessel was to sail
next day for Calcutta.
As soon as the captain was gone, Haydn
sat down to the piano-forte, and the march was ready in a few minutes. Feeling some scruples at gaining his money so
very easy, Haydn wrote two other marches, intending first to give the captain
his choice, and then to make him a present of all the three, as a return for
his liberality. Next morning the captain
returned, and asked for his march. "Here
it is," said the composer.
The captain asked to hear it on the piano-forte, and having done so,
laid down the thirty guineas, pocketed the march, and walked away.
Haydn tried to stop him, but in vain—the march was very good. "But I have written two others,"
cried Haydn, "which are better—hear them and take your choice."
"I like the first very well, and that is enough," answered
the captain, pursuing his way down stairs.
Haydn followed, crying out, " But I make you a present of
them."
"I won't have them!" roared the seaman, with a nautical
asseveration, and bolted out at the street door.
Haydn, determined not to be out-done, hastened to the Exchange, and,
discovering the name of the ship and her commander, sent the marches on board
with a polite note, which the captain, surmising its contents, sent back
unopened.
Haydn tore the marches into a thousand pieces, and never forgot this
liberal English humorist as long as he lived.
The
"thirty guineas" Haydn received for the march was about equal to a
month's pay for the captain of a 100 gun ship-of-the-line, so the little tune
cost the officer in question a nice piece of change, especially if he commanded
a smaller vessel. The equivalent sum
today would be sever thousand pounds.
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