with his opening concert, and the success of the entire series
was in no way affected by the ridiculous rivalry. Symphonies,
divertimenti for concerted instruments, string quartets, a
clavier trio, airs, a cantata, and other works were all produced
at these concerts, and with almost invariable applause. Nor were
Haydn's services entirely confined to the Salomon concerts. He
conducted for various artists, including Barthelemon, the
violinist; Haesler, the pianist; and Madam Mara, of whom he
tells that she was hissed at Oxford for not rising during the
"Hallelujah" Chorus.

Close of the Season

The last concert was given on June 6 "by desire," when Haydn's
compositions were received with "an extasy of admiration." Thus
Salomon's season ended, as the Morning Chronicle put it, with the
greatest eclat. Haydn's subsequent movements need not detain us
long. He made excursions to Windsor Castle and to Ascot "to see
the races," of which he has given an account in his note-book.

Herschel and Haydn

From Ascot he went to Slough, where he was introduced to Herschel.
In this case there was something like real community of tastes, for
the astronomer was musical, having once played the oboe, and later
on acted as organist, first at Halifax Parish Church, and then at
the Octagon Chapel Bath. The big telescope with which he discovered
the planet Uranus in 1781 was an object of great interest to Haydn,
who was evidently amazed at the idea of a man sitting out of doors
"in the most intense cold for five or six hours at a time."