Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 288
Which may be translated,
288.—A PECULIAR VISITING CARD.
In Haydn's old age he resided in quiet repose at his villa at Grumpendorff, near Vienna. When he wished to remind some old friend of his uncertain health and of his still lingering on this planet, he would send him one of his cards, on which was engraved a passage from the close of his last quartet. The music consisted of but a dozen notes of melody; but the rhythm was halting and the ending had no cadence. It was well suited to the words he had added underneath, which ran:—
"Hin ist alle meine kraft,
Alt und schwach bin ich."
"All my strength has left me,
Old and weak am I."