had to discharge his musical establishment. A short time before
this, Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy had heard some of Haydn's
compositions when on a visit to Morzin, and, being favourably
impressed thereby, he resolved to engage Haydn should an
opportunity ever present itself. The opportunity had come, and
Haydn entered the service of a family who were practically his
life-long patrons, and with whom his name must always be
intimately associated.

CHAPTER III

EISENSTADT--1761-1766

The Esterhazy Family--Haydn's Agreement--An "Upper Servant"?--
Dependence in the Order of Nature--Material and Artistic
Advantages of the Esterhazy Appointment--Some Disadvantages--
Capellmeister Werner--A Posthumous Tribute--Esterhazy "The
Magnificent"--Compositions for Baryton--A Reproval--Operettas and
other Occasional Works--First Symphonies.

The Esterhazy Family

As Haydn served the Esterhazys uninterruptedly for the long
period of thirty years, a word or two about this distinguished
family will not be out of place. At the present time the
Esterhazy estates include twenty-nine lordships, with twenty-one
castles, sixty market towns, and 414 villages in Hungary, besides
lordships in Lower Austria and a county in Bavaria. This alone
will give some idea of the power and importance of the house to
which Haydn was attached. The family was divided into three main