ethoven, alluding to Haydn's
oratorio, replied: "Oh! dear master, it is far from being a CREATION."
The doubtful sincerity of this remark may be inferred from an anecdote
quoted by Moscheles. Haydn had been told that Beethoven was speaking
depreciatingly of "The Creation." "That is wrong of him," he said. "What
has HE written, then? His Septet? Certainly that is beautiful; nay,
splendid."

Beethoven on Haydn

It is hardly necessary to say who comes out best in these passages
at arms. Yet we must not be too hard on Beethoven. That he recognized
Haydn's genius as a composer no careful reader of his biography can
fail to see. As Pohl takes pains to point out, he spoke highly of
Haydn whenever opportunity offered, often chose one of his themes when
improvising in public, scored one of his quartets for his own use, and
lovingly preserved the autograph of one of the English symphonies. That
he came in the end to realize his true greatness is amply proved by
the story already related which represents him as exclaiming on his
death-bed upon the fact of Haydn having been born in a common peasant's
cottage.

In the meantime, although Beethoven was dissatisfied with his progress
under Haydn, there was no open breach between the two. It is true that
the young musician sought another teacher--one Schenck, a well-known
Viennese composer--but this was done without Haydn's knowledge, out of
consideration, we may assume, for his feelings. That master and pupil
were still on the best of terms may be gathered from their having been
at Eisenstadt together during the summer of 1793. In the January of
the following year Haydn set out on his second visit to England, and
Beethoven transferred himself to Albrechtsberger.

The Haydn Museum

Haydn's life in Vienna during the eighteen months which intervened
between the two London visits was almost totally devoid of incident. His
wife, it will be remembered, had written to him in England, asking for
money to buy a certain house which she fancied for a "widow's home."
Haydn was astute enough not to send the money, but on his return to
Vienna, finding the house in every way to his liking, he bought
it himself. Frau Haydn died seven years later, "and now," said the
composer, speaking in 1806, "I am living in it as a widower." The house
is situated in the suburb of Vienna known as Gumpendorf. It is No. 19
of the Haydngasse and bears a marble memorial tablet, affixed to it in
1840. The pious car