in that "national disgrace." If Haydn regarded it as a
"blessing," he certainly did not take it as a model. He produced
an air which, looking at it from a purely artistic point of view,
is the best thing of the national anthem kind that has ever been
written. The Emperor was enchanted with it when sung on his
birthday, February 12, 1797, at the National Theatre in Vienna,
and through Count Saurau sent the composer a gold box adorned
with a facsimile of the royal features. "Such a surprise and such
a mark of favour, especially as regards the portrait of my
beloved monarch," wrote Haydn, "I never before received in
acknowledgment of my poor talents."

Haydn's Love for It

We have several indications of Haydn's predilection for this fine
air, which has long been popular as a hymn tune in all the
churches. He wrote a set of variations for it as the Andante of
his "Kaiser Quartet." Griesinger tells us, too, that as often as
the warm weather and his strength permitted, during the last few
years of his life, he used to be led into his back room that he
might play it on the piano. It is further related by Dies that,
during the bombardment of Vienna in May 1809, Haydn seated
himself at his instrument every forenoon to give forth the sound
of the favourite song. Indeed, on May 26, only five days before
his death, he played it over three times in succession, and "with
a degree of expression that astonished himself." As one writer
puts it, the air "seemed to have acquired a certain sacredness
in his eyes in an age when kings were beheaded and their crowns
tossed to the rabble."