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The same success which attended Haydn's first concert marked the
rest of the series. The Prince of Wales's presence at the second
concert no doubt gave a certain "lead" to the musical public. We
read in one of the Gallic newspapers: "It is truly wonderful what
sublime and august thoughts this master weaves into his works.
Passages often occur which it is impossible to listen to without
becoming excited--we are carried away by admiration, and are
forced to applaud with hand and mouth. The Frenchmen here cannot
restrain their transports in soft adagios; they will clap their
hands in loud applause and thus mar the effect."
In the midst of all this enthusiasm the factionists were keeping
up their controversy about the opening of Gallini's Theatre.
Gallini had already engaged the services of Haydn, together with
an orchestra led by Salomon, but nothing could be done without
the Lord Chamberlain's license for the performance of operas. To
prevent the issue of that license was the avowed object of the
Pantheon management and their friends. The fight was rendered all
the more lively when the Court divided itself between the
opposing interests. "The rival theatre," wrote Horace Walpole,
"is said to be magnificent and lofty, but it is doubtful whether
it will be suffered to come to light; in short the contest will
grow political; 'Dieu et mon Droit' (the King) supporting the
Pantheon, and 'Ich dien' (the Prince of Wales) countenancing the
Haymarket. It is unlucky that the amplest receptacle is to hold
the minority."
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