Haydn: His Life and Times

by J. Cuthbert Hadden

In London he was, as we have seen, something of a "lion," but it is doubtful if he enjoyed the conventional diversions of the beau monde. Yet he liked the company of ladies, especially when they were personally attractive. That he was never at a loss for a compliment may perhaps be taken as explaining his frequent conquests, for, as he frankly said himself, the pretty women "were at anyrate not tempted by my beauty." -from "Haydn: The Man" This 1902 biography of the 18th-century Austrian composer is highly informative, focusing not only on the "tranquil career" of Franz Joseph Haydn but his private life, too, his "long, sane, sound, and on the whole fortunate existence." Hadden finds the drama inherent in Haydn's life, in his European travels and hobnobbing with royalty, making this a vastly entertaining work. The useful appendices include a catalog of Haydn's works, a selection of his personal correspondence, and his last will and testament. Scottish writer and musician JAMES CUTHBERT HADDEN (1816-1914) also wrote biographies of Chopin, Handel, and Mendelssohn.

Genres: Music

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1902

About the author

James Cuthbert Hadden (1861-1914)

Reviews

[David Dunlap · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that was originally published in 1902. The author's style is dry, but the content is solid. There are some interesting vignettes about the composer's life of which I had been previously unaware. (For example, a young Haydn was a drummer in a marching band...but he was too small to carry the drum himself, so it was strapped on the back of the musician ahead of him -- a hunchback.) It's difficult to recommend this particular edition, however: it is quite clear that the original book included illustrations and musical examples. The -space- for these things is still there, but the displays are -not-. There are also allusions to other books, but no accompanying documentation: the allusions merely tantalize; they do not provide sufficient clues for the curious to pursue. -- A definite mixed-bag, then. I enjoyed it...but I do not heartily recommend it to others.