Bernard Chasan wrote:

>An eighteenth century singer named Frank Kelly wrote a memoir in which he
>recalled a pickup string quartet, consisting of Haydn, Mozart, van Hals and
>Ditters von Dittersdorf.  They played, according to Kelly, "with no little
>art."

Michael (not Frank) Kelly was one of Mozart friends and sang in the
premiere of Figaro.  His reminiscences (1826), although not entirely
reliable, are nonetheless one of the most important sources for 18th-C
music, and for Mozart's Viennese years in particular.  In Mozart's
biography, he's more than just "a singer".  He, the Storace siblings,
and Atwood tried to arrange a stay in England for Mozart.

Kelly was impressed by seeing such distinguished musicians playing
together, but he was rather underwhelmed by their performance.

BTW, Vanhal was Bohemian, not Dutch.  I recommend his Stabat Mater in
f minor (on Orfeo).

-Margaret Mikulska