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We have several indications of Haydn's predilection for this fine
air, which has long been popular as a hymn tune in all the
churches. He wrote a set of variations for it as the Andante of
his "Kaiser Quartet." Griesinger tells us, too, that as often as
the warm weather and his strength permitted, during the last few
years of his life, he used to be led into his back room that he
might play it on the piano. It is further related by Dies that,
during the bombardment of Vienna in May 1809, Haydn seated
himself at his instrument every forenoon to give forth the sound
of the favourite song. Indeed, on May 26, only five days before
his death, he played it over three times in succession, and "with
a degree of expression that astonished himself." As one writer
puts it, the air "seemed to have acquired a certain sacredness
in his eyes in an age when kings were beheaded and their crowns
tossed to the rabble."
Haydn's first sketch of the melody was found among his papers
after his death. We reproduce it here, with an improvement
shown in small notes. There are, it will be observed, some slight
differences between the draft and the published version of the air.
The collecting of what Tennyson called "the chips of the
workshop" is not as a rule an edifying business, but the
evolution of a great national air must always be interesting.
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