Der Augenblick

Joseph Haydn, a towering figure of the Classical era, composed this charming partsong for SATB choir. Written in German, Der Augenblick belongs to the genre of secular choral music. The text, a reflection on fleeting moments, muses that fervent emotion, tenderness, wisdom, flattery, worries, and tears are all powerless to win a lover's favour. Only a brief moment, it suggests, can secure the happiness of those in love. Haydn’s setting would have been intended for amateur musicians and connoisseurs of domestic music-making, reflecting the social trends of his time.