Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Haydn: Paris Symphonies, Rasiermesser Quartet
In 1781 a Frenchman from Paris, Le Gros, wrote to Haydn, expressing his gratitude for the Stabat Mater Haydn had composed for him and he asked if Haydn could compose more music for him. (HaydnÂs star was rising in French too. In 1784 another French society, Les Concerts de la Loge Olympique in Paris ordered 6 symphonies. In the years 1785-1786 Haydn composed the series we know as the Paris symphonies, such as the symphonies No. 82 in C, 83 in g minor and 85 in B flat. The great popularity of the works led to an order for three more symphonies, No. 90, 91 and 92, composed in 1788). In 1781 the British ambassador in Vienna, General Jermingham, arranged a meeting between Haydn and a London publisher named William Forster. Forster had asked the British ambassador his permission to publish Haydn's compositions in England (which led to the issue of some of Haydn's symphonies and other works in England). Other London publishers followed. One of them, John Bland,traveledd in 1789 to Eszterhaza to obtain new works. An anecdote tells that the string quartet op. 55 No. 2 got its name Rasiermesser (razor) this way. Haydn had trouble with shaving the morning John Bland arrived in Eszterhaza. Haydn told Bland "You may have my best string quartet if you will give me a good razor." John Bland immediately gave him his razor of English steel. Haydn gave him a manuscript of the string quartet.
