cite Haydn to perpetrate a joke at his expense. He therefore wrote a
seemingly simple sonata for piano and violin, which he called 'Jacob's
Dream,' and dispatched it anonymously to the conceited violinist. The
player was charmed with the manner in which the piece began. It was
apparent that the composer thoroughly understood the instrument! As he
proceeded, however, the notes rose higher and higher, like the steps
of a ladder, and at length, seeing that there was no prospect of their
ever descending again, the perspiration broke out on his forehead,
and, flinging the music from him with disgust, he declared that the
writer knew nothing whatever of the violin!

* * * * *

Haydn was now sixty-five, but the crowning work of his life had yet to
be achieved. Whilst in London Salomon had shown him a poem, founded
upon 'Paradise Lost,' which had been written many years before, in the
hope that Handel would have set it to music. Haydn carried the poem
home, and later on conceived the idea of writing an oratorio on the
subject. From the moment of its inception the task of composing the
'Creation,' as the new work was called, became a labour of increasing
love with Haydn. 'Never was I so pious,' he writes, 'as when composing
the "Creation." I knelt down every day and prayed God to strengthen
me for the work.' The oratorio was first publicly performed in Vienna
on March 19, 1799, and created a profound impression. Haydn himself
was almost overcome by the sensations which the occasion aroused. In a
short time the 'Creation' was heard in every principal city of Europe.
In places where no means existed for its production choral societies
were formed for this special object, so that for many years the work
took equal rank in popular favour with the 'Messiah.' As a work of
art, however, the 'Creation' differs essentially, both in character
and style, from Handel's masterpiece. We have here none of the
declamatory passages which are so prominent in the 'Messiah,' the
story of the Creation being unfolded to us in a series of wonderful
tone-pictures--strengthened where necessary by choruses, but keeping
throughout to the epic character of the poem. Many of the passages are
strikingly beautiful. Who that has heard them can ever forget the
airs, 'With Verdure Clad,' and 'In Native Worth,' or the splendid
chorus, 'The Heavens are telling the Glory of God'?

Whilst music-lovers were descanting on the beauties