In the summer of 1794, Joseph Haydn visited Bath, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, and stayed at the villa of the famous castrato Venanzio Rauzzini. In the garden stood a small grave, belonging to none other than Rauzzini’s beloved dog, Turk. The monument bore the inscription: “Turk was a faithful dog, not a man.” This short, touching message inspired Haydn so much that he composed the canon Turk was a faithful dog. Thus, music, friendship, and loyalty came together in a small story, leaving an everlasting mark in the world of sound.
J. Hutchison: Portrait of Venanzio Rauzzini with his dog (1795)
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