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As of 20 March Mozarthaus Vienna presents the special exhibition “Joseph Haydn’s concerto for
cello and orchestra in C major, Hob. VII b:1, a discovery from the collections of the Czech Museum of
Music” on the 3rd floor of the house featuring the only existing copy of Haydn’s concerto for cello in
C major. It was not until early 1961 that the manuscript, unknown until then, was discovered by Prague
musicologist Dr. Oldřich Pulkert. The music matched the entry by Joseph Haydn in his own catalogue
of works for a concerto for cello and orchestra in C major. A sensational piece of musicological
research, since Haydn’s own autograph is untraceable. Mozarthaus Vienna presents the oldest
identified document of this work by Haydn for the first time in Vienna from 20 March to 14 May 2009.
The Mozarthaus Vienna admission ticket is also valid for this exhibition.

Second special exhibition at Mozarthaus Vienna as part of the Haydn Year 2009

As of 20 March Mozarthaus Vienna presents the only existing copy of Joseph Haydn’s concerto
for cello and orchestra in C major. This concerto was written at the latest in 1765. It is one of the
compositions that Haydn wrote in the first years after he took up office as deputy musical director
(“Kapellmeiser”) to Prince Paul Anton von Eszterházy und Galanta. It was most probably performed
for the first time at the Eszterházy residence in Eisenstadt. The first soloist is likely to have been
Haydn’s friend Joseph Weigl, who was a cellist in the Eszterházy orchestra from 1761 to 1769. There
is no information about further performances or the fate of the concerto, but a copy of the score found
its way to the music collection of the chamberlain and city councillor Philipp Franz Count Kolowrat-
Krakowsky (1756 -1836) at Radenín Castle, his residence in southern Bohemia. The manuscript
remained there until the end of the Second World War, when all documents and archive items
confiscated from Czech palaces and monasteries, including Count Kolowrat’s music collection, were
inventoried and catalogued and their ownership determined.

It was not until early 1961 that the manuscript was discovered by Dr. Oldřich Pulkert in the music
collection of the National Museum in Prague. Pulkert was working as an archivist responsible for
the Radenín archive when he discovered the title page of a composition by Haydn, in which the
original score for orchestra and solo voices was also inserted. He was struck by certain peculiarities
such as the change to the key of C major, which made him wonder whether this was an authentic
composition by Haydn, an arrangement of another Haydn composition, or perhaps a fake, as often
occurred with prominent and popular composers at the time, or even a mistaken attribution by the
copyist? A thorough study was made of the relevant literature and source material, such as Haydn’s
own list of compositions and other authentic catalogues and records. The conclusion was that the
score was probably a unique item. To make sure, Dr. Pulkert consulted renowned Haydn experts
like Dr. Georg Feder, director of the Joseph Haydn Institute in Cologne, and Anthony van Hoboken,
author of “Thematisch-bibliographisches Werkverzeichnis von Joseph Haydn”. Both confirmed the
authenticity of the score and Haydn’s authorship, allowing Dr. Pulkert to publish the score and piano
arrangement.
The publication by the State Music Publishers in Prague in 1962 caused a furore. It was followed by
the “modern world premiere” of the concerto during the International Prague Spring Festival on 19
May 1962 by the Czechoslovak Radio Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras with
Miloš Sádlo, the leading Czech cellist.

Under the title of “Joseph Haydn’s concerto for cello and orchestra in C major, Hob. VII b:1, a
discovery from the collections of the Czech Museum of Music” Mozarthaus Vienna dedicates a
special exhibition to the oldest known copy of this Haydn work from 20 March to 14 May 2009. The
Mozarthaus Vienna admission ticket is also valid for this exhibition. Mozarthaus Vienna (A-1010
Vienna, Domgasse 5), which is part of the culture cluster of Wien Holding, is open daily from 10 am
to 7 pm. Mozarthaus Vienna wishes to thank its sponsors Wiener Städtische Versicherung AG and
Gewista for supporting the Haydn Year 2009 programme. Further details on this programme may be
obtained at http://www.mozarthausvienna.at

Contact
Alfred Stalzer
Public relations
Mozarthaus Vienna
Tel: +43-1-505 31 00,
Mobile: +43-664-506 49 00,
Fax: +43-1-505 31 00 16
E-mail: alfred.stalzer@aon.at
Web: http://www.mozarthausvienna.at