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Haydn had been two years with Frankh when an important piece of
good fortune befell him. At the time of which we are writing the
Court Capellmeister at Vienna was George Reutter, an
inexhaustible composer of church music, whose works, now
completely forgotten, once had a great vogue in all the choirs of
the Imperial States. Even in 1823 Beethoven, who was to write a
mass for the Emperor Francis, was recommended to adopt the style
of this frilled and periwigged pedant! Reutter's father had been
for many years Capellmeister at St Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna,
and on his death, in 1738, the son succeeded to the post. He had
not been long established in the office when he started on a tour
of search for choristers. Arriving at Hainburg, he heard from the
local pastor of Haydn's "weak but pleasing voice," and
immediately had the young singer before him.
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