"Take me home, dear ones," he said, faintly, "sing on, my 'Creation'; my soul will remain with you, but my body can no longer stay. Old age has broken its strength. Farewell, farewell, all of you! My soul will always be among you when you sing my music; my body will go, but the soul will remain. Farewell!"And the votaries of art who had conveyed him to the hall now placed the maestro's chair again on their shoulders, and carried it slowly through the hall toward the entrance.
The audience stood in silent reverence and looked up to Haydn's passing form, and durst not break this profound stillness by uttering a sound. They bade farewell to the universally beloved and revered maestro only by bowing their heads to him and shedding tears of emotion--farewell for evermore!
The solemn procession had now arrived at the door. Joseph Haydn lifted his weary head once more; his spirit gleamed once more in his eyes; an expression of unutterable love beamed from his mild face;he stretched out his arms toward the orchestra as if to bless it, and greeted it with his smile, with the nodding of his head, and the tears which filled his eyes. [Footnote: "Zeitgenossen," third series, vol iv., p. 33]
A low rustling and sobbing passed through the hall; no one was courageous enough to clap his hands; all hearts were profoundly moved, all eyes filled with tears.
But now he disappeared, and the door closed behind Joseph Haydn. The German maestro had to-day celebrated his apotheosis amidst the enthusiastic people of Vienna. Life had dedicated to him the laurel-wreath which usually only death grants to poets and artists.
The Audience was still silent, when all at once a powerful voice exclaimed: "Let us sing the second verse of Haydn's favorite hymn--the second verse of 'Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser!'""Yes, yes," shouted all, enthusiastically, "the second verse! the second verse!"And hundreds of voices shouted to the orchestra beseechingly, imperiously, thunderingly, that it should play the accompaniment;and the musicians complied with this tumultuous request.
The audience expressed their gratitude by an outburst of applause, and sang thereupon the second verse:
"Lass von seiner Fahne Spitzen Strahlen Sieg and Furchtbarkeit Lass in seinem Rathe sitzen Weisheit, Klugheit, Redlichkeit, Und mit seiner Hoheit Blitzen Schalten our Gerechtigkeit.
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser, Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!"[Footnote:
"Before his banner floating high Let victory shout and foemen fly!
In his connsels let preside Wisdom, prudence, noble pride!
Homely justice delling find!
God preserve the emperor, Francis, our good emperor!"]
The emperor bowed his thanks to the audience, the orchestra commenced again playing the air, and the audience sang anew:
"Lass von seiner Fahne Spitzen Strahlen Sieg und Furchtbarkeit!"And arms and hands were lifted here and there beseechingly toward the emperor; in vain the orchestra tried to play on; the audience, with rare unanimity, as if seized with one sentiment and one wish, sang again and again:
"Lass von seiner Fahne Spitzen Strahlen Sieg und Furchtbarkeit!"And then all shouted loudly, beseechingly, and withal angrily and courageously, "War! war! Lass von seiner Fahne Spitzen strahlen Sieg and Furchtbarkeit!"The excitement of the audience grew constantly bolder and more impetuous. The men left their seats and crowded around the imperial bog, repeating again and again the words "Lass von seiner Fahne Spitzen Strahlen Sieg and Furchtbarkeit!"The emperor withdrew in confusion into the background of his box, and whispered quickly a few words to the Archduke John. The archduke advanced to the railing of the box, and commanded silence by waving his hand to the audience.
The singers paused immediately, and amidst the breathless silence which ensued, the Archduke John shouted in a loud and powerful voice: "The emperor announces to his dear Viennese that he is determined to submit no longer to the arrogance of France, and that war is irrevocably resolved on."A cry of rapture burst from all lips; all shouted exultingly, "War!
war! We shall at length bid defiance to the arrogance of the French emperor! We shall have war with France; we shall avenge the wrongs which we have suffered so long, and set bounds to the encroachments of France!"And friends and acquaintances greeted each other with radiant eyes and glowing cheeks; neighbors, entirely unknown to each other, shook hands and said, smilingly: "Now at length we shall have war! At length we shall remove from our German honor the stains with which France has sullied it. At length we shall have war, and God will grant us--"The ringing notes of the orchestra interrupted the animated conversation of the excited audience. Salieri had taken his seat again, he raised his baton, and the second part of "The Creation"commenced.
