on of his musicians and other dependants.
These eccentricities must have given some annoyance to Haydn, who,
notwithstanding his love of quiet and seclusion, often longed for
the change and variety of city life. It is said that he was specially
anxious to make a tour in Italy about this time, but that ambition had,
of necessity, to be abandoned.

A Busy Life

There was certainly plenty for him to do at Esterhaz--more than he
had ever been required to do at Eisenstadt. Royalties, nobles and
aristocrats were constantly at the palace; and music was one of the
chief diversions provided for them. The prince was very proud of his
musical establishment, and desired to have it considered the best of its
kind in Europe. The orchestra of the opera was formed of members of the
Capelle; "the singers were Italian for the most part, engaged for one,
two, or more years, and the books of the words were printed. Numerous
strolling companies were engaged for shorter terms; travelling virtuosi
often played with the members of the band. Special days and hours were
fixed for chamber music, and for orchestral works; and in the interval
the singers, musicians and actors met at the cafe, and formed, so to
speak, one family." Something more than creative genius was obviously
required to direct the music of an establishment of this kind. A talent
for organization, an eye for detail, tact in the management of players
and singers--these qualities were all indispensable for the performance
of duties such as Haydn had undertaken. That he possessed them we may
fairly assume from more than one circumstance. In the first place,
his employer was satisfied with him. He raised his salary, listened
attentively to all his suggestions, and did everything that he could
to retain his services. In the second place, his band and singers
were sincerely attached to him. They saw that he had their interests,
personal and professional, at heart, and they "loved him like a father."
The prince paid them well, and several of them were sufficiently capable
to receive appointments afterwards in the Imperial Chapel. Pohl gives a
list of the names about this time, but, with one or two exceptions, they
are quite unfamiliar. J. B. Krumpholtz, the harpist, was engaged from
1773 to 1776, and Andreas Lidl, who played in London soon after leaving
the band, was in the service of the prince from 1769 to 1774.

The sum paid to Haydn at this date was not large as we should now
co