account of "Il Ritorno di Tobia" in The Musical
Times for September 1901, p. 600.]

Some of our musical societies in search of novelties might do worse
than revive this almost completely forgotten oratorio. The airs
are exceedingly melodious, and the choruses bold and tuneful, with
well-developed fugue subjects. The "Insanae" already referred to is
frequently performed.

Opponents

In 1776 Haydn composed "La Vera Costanza" for the Court Theatre of
Vienna, but owing to certain intrigues it was declined by the management
and produced at Esterhaz instead. The opera was subsequently staged
at Vienna in 1790, and six of its airs and a duet were published by
Artaria. This incident makes it sufficiently plain that Haydn had
his opponents among the musicians and critics of Vienna as well as
elsewhere. Burney says a friend in Hamburg wrote him in 1772 that "the
genius, fine ideas and fancy of Haydn, Ditters and Filitz were praised,
but their mixture of serious and comic was disliked, particularly as
there is more of the latter than the former in their works; and as for
rules, they knew but little of them." If we substitute "humorous" for
"comic," this may be allowed to fully represent the views of the critics
and amateurs of Vienna in regard to Haydn's music.

And, unfortunately, the incident just mentioned was not a solitary one.
In 1778 Haydn applied for membership to the Tonkunstler Societat, for
whom he had in reality written his "Il Ritorno di Tobia." One would have
expected such a body to receive him with open arms, but instead of that
they exacted a sum of 300 florins on the ground of his non-residence
in Vienna! Not only so, but they would fain have brought him under a
promise to compose for them whenever they chose to ask him. This latter
condition Haydn felt to be impossible in view of his engagement at
Esterhaz, and he withdrew his admission fee. That the society were not
ashamed of themselves is obvious from a further episode. Some years
after this they desired Haydn to rearrange his "Tobia" for a special
performance, and when he demanded payment for his trouble they promptly
decided to produce Hasse's "Elena" instead. Everything comes to the man
who waits. After his second visit to London the Tonkunstler Societat
welcomed Haydn at a special meeting, and with one voice appointed him
"Assessor Senior" for life. In return for this distinction he presented
the society with "The Creation" and "The Seasons," to which