One day before Haydn’s 293rd birthday – a Haydn party happened in Manhattan. Haydn himself appeared (in the form of ACMP violinist, board member and host, Bob Goetz.)

30 players participated, and I was especially heartened that exactly one third of the participants were wind and brass players, with 4 flutists, 2 clarinetists, 1 oboist, 1 English horn player and 2 French horn players in attendance.

It was a lively event with continuous chamber music going on in five rooms for three and a half hours. Of course, numerous piano trios, trio sonatas and string quartets were played, and I will update this article later once I get a full repertoire report from all the players.

Meanwhile, the horn players were busy all afternoon, playing the Divertimento in C, Hob. II:14 for 2 clarinets and 2 horns, and the beautiful quintet for piano, violin, cello and 2 horns, Divertimento in E Flat, Hob. XIV:1.

Horns again – I peeked in to see a large group crowded in a small office playing Haydn’s Divertimento in F, Hob. II:16 for two French horns, 2 English horns, 2 violins and 2 bassoons. As in all ACMP Play-Ins you have to be creative about instrumentation – we had one English horn and two French horns, but no bassoons – so, why not have one cellist cover both bassoon parts? Second English horn worked great on viola (as the score was in alto clef and not transposed), and since a lot of the violinists were spoken for, why not have an oboe play one of the violin parts?

Haydn wrote a wealth of chamber music including winds and brass, and I urge you all to reach out to those wind and brass players near you to include them in some of your chamber music festivities! Although the clarinet was relatively new on the scene during Haydn’s time, he includes clarinet in many of his Divertimenti. Then, of course there are arrangements. Ripe for arranging are his Baryton trios, since there are not that many Baryton players around! Our English horn player brought an arrangement of those pieces for Oboe (or violin), English horn, and Bassoon (or cello), for example.

Over the course of the party, three different groups played Haydn’s London Trios, two with the original instrumentation for two flutes and cello, and one in an arrangement for flute and two clarinets!

It was a Haydn birthday celebration after all – so two groups played his Divertimento Hob.II: 11 “The Birthday” for oboe, flute, two violins, cello and bass.

In addition to all the musical offerings, there was strudel, pretzels, cheese, fruits, coffee, beer, Austrian Grüner Veltliner wine – and instruments all over the place.

At the end of the afternoon, we all gathered for a reading of the first two movements of Haydn’s Symphony No. 101 “The Clock,” with a couple instrument substitutions – bassoon parts played on French horn and piano, trumpet 1 on viola! ACMP member violinist/violist/pianist/composer George Chung conducted – a man of many talents!

A great time was had by all! And as this event was part of ACMP’s 2025 Haydn Challenge, honoring Haydn’s birthday with donations to ACMP, we also raised over $900. I am grateful to Joseph Haydn for all of his wonderful chamber music, to Bob and Debbie Goetz for their hospitality, and to everyone who attended, for their fabulous playing, convivial spirits and generosity to ACMP!