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One curious story is told of a journey to Mariazell, in Styria.
This picturesquely-situated village has been for many years the
most frequented shrine in Austria. To-day it is said to be visited
by something like 100,000 pilgrims every year. The object of
adoration is the miraculous image of the Madonna and Child,
twenty inches high, carved in lime-wood, which was presented to
the Mother Church of Mariazell in 1157 by a Benedictine priest.
Haydn was a devout Catholic, and not improbably knew all about
Mariazell and its Madonna. At any rate, he joined a company of
pilgrims, and on arrival presented himself to the local
choirmaster for admission, showing the official some of his
compositions, and telling of his eight years' training at St
Stephen's. The choirmaster was not impressed. "I have had enough
of lazy rascals from Vienna," said he. "Be off!" But Haydn, after
coming so far, was not to be dismissed so unceremoniously. He
smuggled himself into the choir, pleaded with the solo singer of
the day to be allowed to act as his deputy, and, when this was
refused, snatched the music from the singer's hand, and took up
the solo at the right moment with such success that "all the
choir held their breath to listen." At the close of the service
the choirmaster sent for him, and, apologizing for his previous
rude behaviour, invited him to his house for the day. The
invitation extended to a week, and Haydn returned to Vienna with
money enough--the result of a subscription among the choir--to
serve his immediate needs.
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