Haydn’s chief in musical affairs was old Werner.  His salary was at first L40, and he was passing rich on it; and it was soon raised to L79.  We need trouble no further as to whether on such wages he was poor or rich:  he evidently considered himself well-to-do.  In fact, even in those days, when copyright practically did not exist, he continually made respectable sums by his compositions, and after he had been twice to England, ever the Hesperides’ Garden of the German musician, he was a wealthy man, and was thankful for it.  He was as keen at driving a bargain as Handel, or as the mighty Beethoven himself, and we, too, ought to be glad that he had a talent for getting money and keeping it.

The date of his appointment was May 1, 1761; but he had been at work less than a year when Prince Anton died, March 18, 1762.  Anton was succeeded by his brother Nicolaus, surnamed or nicknamed the Magnificent, and in truth a most lordly creature.  Almost immediately changes began.  Eisenstadt did not content Nicolaus; Versailles was the admiration of all Europe, and he determined to rival Versailles.  The building was begun at Suettoer, a place at the southern end of Neusiedler-See, of the palace of Esterhaz, and it was here that Haydn was destined to write the bulk of his music, though not that on which his fame depends to-day.  Meanwhile, at Eisenstadt he was kept busy enough.  It is true he was second to Werner, but Werner was both old and old-fashioned, and devoted himself entirely to the chapel services and music, leaving Haydn to look after the incessant concerts—­each of them interminable, as was the fashion then—­the cantatas, instrumental pieces, operas and operettas.  Werner thought little of Haydn:  he regarded him as an adventurer and musical frivol; but Haydn, as became the bigger man, esteemed Werner.  There does not seem to have been any friction; Haydn was always shrewd enough to avoid friction, which means wasted energy, and the problem, if problem it was, of double mastership was solved by Werner’s death on March 5, 1766.  Henceforth Haydn was alone and supreme.

Haydn’s magnificent patron and master played the baryton, and it was one of his duties to write pieces for it.  Of these there remain many, mostly uninteresting.  It was always his avowed aim to please his patron—­that done he was satisfied; but in an evil hour he thought to please him better by learning to play the baryton—­a singular bit of short-sightedness on Haydn’s part.  He quickly discovered his error:  Prince Nicolaus liked the instrument best when played by princely hands in the princely manner.  Haydn limited himself for the future to writing for it.  With his band, we are told, he got on excellently, and what with rehearsing them and conducting them and composing, every hour of the day brought its task.  The band consisted at the beginning of sixteen chosen players, but the number was increased afterwards.  The only events in his life were the smaller or larger fetes