by Caroline Fynn

Created on: January 05, 2011   Last Updated: January 06, 2011

Franz Joseph Haydn was born 31st March 1732 in Rohrau, Austria. His father was a wagon builder by trade and he loved to spend much of his time playing the harp. During childhood it became apparent that Haydn was gifted with musical talent. At the age of eight he became a choir boy at St Stephens Cathedral in Vienna, it was here that he learned to play a variety of instruments including the piano and violin.

Haydn and his family were strict Catholics and his parents wanted him to devote his life to the church. However, at the age of twenty nine he became vice - Kapellmeister to the Hungarian Prince Paul Esterhazy. He continued to work for the family for thirty years, composing music to fulfil their desires, and he later progressed and became Kapellmeister.

During the last ten years of his employment with the Esterhazy family, Haydn met Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and they became good friends. Haydn was in awe of Mozart, so much so that shortly after the release of Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’ of 1787 Haydn refused a commission based on the grounds that he did not believe he could not reach the same standard.

1790 saw the death of Prince Paul’s son Nicolaus Esterhazy, this was when the family decided that Haydn’s work served no purpose and he was dismissed. It was this turn of events that initiated Haydn’s move to Vienna. Soon afterwards he was invited to England by the impresario J.P. Saloman. Haydn accepted and remained in England for eighteen months. It turned out to be a successful period of his life; Oxford University issued him with an Honorary Degree.

Following his stay in London, Haydn went back to Vienna and bought a house. It was here that he taught music and Ludwig van Beethoven was one of his many students. In 1794 he returned to England and during just one year he wrote six new symphonies as commissioned by Saloman.

Haydn’s strict religious beliefs were reflected in much of his music. He wrote fourteen masses including the ‘Stabat Mater’ of 1767. He in fact wrote a variety of sacred music, it wasn’t all sombre, some pieces were light and cheerful, and it is thought that Haydn was demonstrating that religion needn’t be dark and dismal, but something that ensures happiness.

Throughout his lifetime Haydn wrote an enormous amount of music. In addition to the masses and sacred music, he wrote one hundred and four symphonies which included the ‘Trauer’ also known as the ‘Mourning Symphony’ and ‘The Farewell’. He wrote the Paris Symphonies and the London Symphonies, as well as numerous trumpet and cello concertos, string quartets and sonatas.

Although he did not actually invent the string quartet, he founded the structures and the symphonies. In later years this work was further developed by Mozart and Beethoven.

Haydn wrote most of his greatest music between the years 1796 - 1802. Unfortunately from the year 1802 he suffered ill health and died in Vienna on 31st May 1809.

Sources:

www.essentialsofmusic.com

The Rough Guide To Classical Music edited by Joe Staines and Duncan Clark

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