ABSTRACT
In his review of performance options for Joseph Haydn's Creation, A. Peter Brown has rightly pointed out that 'documentation is lacking for the tempos of specific numbers'. Antonio Salieri, court Kapellmeister at Vienna from 1788 and principal director of the concerts of the Tonkunstler-Societat, was on cordial terms with Haydn. He was closely involved with the early performances of The Creation, playing piano continuo under the composer's direction at the first performance of 1798 and on several later occasions, and, after Haydn retired from the rostrum in 1803, directing most Vienna performances until the composer's death, and also for some years thereafter. Sigismund Neukomm added a metronomic tempo to all movements and sections for which Haydn had provided a verbal tempo indication, other than those in recitatives with simple chordal accompaniment. In a few places he also indicated that an already established tempo should be maintained.
