Introduction
A contributor calling himself ‘A Constant Reader’ submitted this story to the Musical World in 1836. He declared that he could vouch for the truth of it, as he had heard it from ‘the originator,’ music publisher John Bland (1750-1840), who was still alive at the time and in a position to refute it. He never did, and the story found its way into Carl Ferdinand Pohl’s influential biography and thence into musical folkore.
HAYDN, on his first visit to this great metropolis, domiciled at the house of Bland, the music-publisher, 45, High Holborn, who used to relate the story alluded to, which I will give in his own words:
“When I went over to the Continent, to secure the services of Haydn at the concerts of Salomon,* I was introduced to him while he was in the act of shaving himself,— an operation by no means the pleasantest in the world, even when one has good tools; but it happened that Haydn was badly off in that respect, and feeling the inconvenience deeply, said, ‘Ah, Mr Bland, if I had but an English razor, I would give one of the best compositions I ever wrote for it!’* I immediately, without waiting to reply, posted off to my inn,* and brought my best pair. Presenting them to the great man, he put into my hands one of his quartetts in manuscript, which I afterwards published, and used to term it my Razor Quartett.”*
* This was in November 1789, at the Schloss Esterhazy in Eisenstadt, Austria. Urged on by London-based impressario Johann Peter Salomon (1745-1815), Bland had been trying to get Franz Joseph Haydn over to England for two years by this time. When he finally succeeded, Haydn stayed with the Blands on his arrival in London in January 1791.
* On England’s deserved reputation for superior razors, see The Hollow Blade Sword Company.
* The verb ‘post’ in this context means ‘hurry, move at speed,’ from the horses stationed at ‘posts’ along the route and used in relays for stagecoaches, to make the journey faster.
* Pohl gave the Razor Quartet as the fifth of the ‘Tost quartets,’ which makes it Op. 55 No. 2 in F minor; but that set (set I) was published in England by Longman and Broderip, not by Bland. Bland did subsequently receive a set of six quartets from Haydn, the so-called Tost II quartets Op. 64, and published them in 1791 after Haydn came to stay with him in London. Perhaps the quartet he was promised in exchange for his razor was one of these. At any rate, it would appear that he did not take the manuscript away with him when he left Austria. In a letter to his publisher Artaria and Co. dated November 15th, 1789, Haydn was at pains to stress: “Last week Mr Bland, an Englishman, was here to see me and wanted to purchase various pieces from me; but on your account he did not receive a single note.”
Related Video
Haydn’s String Quartet in E flat Op. 64 No. 6, 4: Presto, performed by the Kodaly Quartet.
Media not showing? Let me know!
Précis
In November 1789, music publisher John Bland visited Haydn in Austria, hoping to entice him to London. He found Haydn struggling with his morning shave, and when the composer exclaimed that he would give one of his best works for an English blade, Bland rushed off to fetch his own. Bland proudly called his prize ‘my Razor quartet.’ (58 / 60 words)
In November 1789, music publisher John Bland visited Haydn in Austria, hoping to entice him to London. He found Haydn struggling with his morning shave, and when the composer exclaimed that he would give one of his best works for an English blade, Bland rushed off to fetch his own. Bland proudly called his prize ‘my Razor quartet.’
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, despite, if, just, must, until, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Continent. Happen. Tool.
2 I. Act. His.
3 But. Himself. Relate.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
cht (5)
chat. chateau. cheat. chit. chute.
You are welcome to share your creativity with me, or ask for help with any of the exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
See more at Email Support.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
