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Josef Haydn's
The Seasons Oratorio |  |
After such an unexpected success as that of The Creation, it
was only in the nature of things that Haydn's friends should
persuade him to undertake the composition of a second work of the
kind. Van Swieten was insistent, and the outcome of his
importunity was The Seasons. This work is generally classed as
an oratorio, but it ought more properly to be called a cantata,
being essentially secular as regards its text, though the form
and style are practically the same as those of The Creation.
The libretto was again due to Swieten, who, of course, adapted
the text from James Thomson's well-known poem.
It would certainly have been a pity to lose such a fresh,
melodious little work as The Seasons; but it is only too
apparent that while there was no appreciable failure of Haydn's
creative force, his physical strength was not equal to the strain
involved by a composition of such length. In 1806, when Dies
found him rather weaker than usual, he dolorously remarked: "You
see it is all over with me. Eight years ago it was different, but
The Seasons brought on this weakness. I ought never to have
undertaken that work. It gave me the finishing stroke." He
appears to have started on the work with great reluctance and
with considerable distrust of his own powers, but once fairly
committed to the undertaking he entered into it with something of
his old animation, disputing so manfully with his librettist over
certain points in the text that a serious rupture between the two
was at one time imminent. The subject was probably not very
congenial to Haydn, who, as the years advanced, was more and more
inclined towards devotional themes. That at least seems to be the
inference to be drawn from the remark which he made to the
Emperor Francis on being asked which of his two oratorios he
himself preferred. "The Creation," answered Haydn. "In 'The
Creation' angels speak and their talk is of God; in The Seasons
no one higher speaks than Farmer Simon."
But whether he liked the theme or not, in the end he produced a
work as fresh and genial and melodious as if it had been the work
of his prime. If anyone sees in it an evidence of weakness, he is
seeing only what he had expected to see. As Mr Rockstro remarks,
not a trace of the "failing power" of which the grand old man
complained is to be found in any part of it. It is a model of
descriptive, contemplative work, and must please by its
thoughtful beauty and illustrative power. True to Nature in its
minutest details, it yet never insults her by trivial attempts at
outward imitation where artistic suggestion of the hidden truth
was, possible. The "delicious softness" of the opening chorus,
and the perfection of rustic happiness portrayed in the song
which describes the joy of the "impatient husbandman" are alone
sufficient to prove that, whatever he may have thought about it
himself, Haydn's genius was not appreciably waning.
The first performance of The Seasons took place at the
Schwartzenburg Palace on the 24th of April 1801. It was repeated
twice within a week; and on the 29th of May the composer
conducted a grand public performance at the Redoutensaal. The
work proved almost as successful as The Creation. Haydn was
enraptured with it, but he was never really himself again. As he
said, it gave him the finishing stroke.
Josef Haydn Facts and Information
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