In 1781 Haydn published his first collection of songs: XII Lieder für das Clavier…1ster Theil. The respected composer William Shield “adapted” these to English words under the title: Twelve Ballads, Composed by the celebrated Haydn of Vienna, the original accompaniments “for the Harpsichord or Piano Forte” remaining virtually unchanged. This English edition appeared in 1786. Caf€ Mozart was founded by Derek McCulloch in 1985 to explore the repertoire of the late 18th century for performances with period instruments. The group performs up and down UK in venues of all shapes and sizes, and also in Austria and Germany. The main focus of
Caf€ Mozart’s work is that of “Haydn in England” and his association with other English composers in the 1790s. CDs include Goethe & the Guitar, with an award from the British Academy, Hail Windsor, Crown’d with lofty Towers: music written in or for the royal town of Windsor in the 18th century, and Haydn & The Earl of Abingdon for Naxos. Engagements have included a concert tour of Haydn’s Burgenland in Austria and the International Early Music Festival in the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich.
