January Composer of the Month – Joseph Haydn

Joseph Haydn was one of the most iconic 18th-century composers, commanding the respect of audiences and fellow composers and musicians across Europe, and more specifically, Austria. Not only was he an incredible composer in his own right but he also mentored some of the best composers of eras after, such as Beethoven and Mozart.

Throughout his life, he composed several fascinating works throughout a wide variety of genres, though during his lifetime, the Baroque style was certainly the most dominant.

While most of his early life remains obscure, as well as much of his professional life in Vienna, there is a lot of information worth highlighting.

Let’s dive in and learn more about the “Father of the String Quartet,” Joseph Haydn.
Joseph Haydn’s Personal Life

While little is known about Haydn’s early life, we do know that he auditioned with the St. Stephen’s Cathedral to become a choirboy in 1739, when he was only seven years old. He spent a good portion of his early life here in the central part of Vienna.

By 1740, he moved to Kapellhaus, where he lived with four other choir boys, one of which was his younger brother Michael, and Kapellmeister Georg von Reutter.

During his time as a choirboy, he learned Latin, as well as how to play a number of instruments, including violin and keyboard. There is plenty of discussion regarding the intensity of his training as a choirboy, though there are accounts from Haydn noting that he did not have any studies regarding composition or music theory.

He stopped singing in the choir in 1749 when his voice dropped and spent the next eight years of his life living in a small room next to St. Michael’s Church. He made many valuable contacts during this period, and by 1752, he became the accompanist of Nicola Porpora.

In 1759, Haydn became the musical director for Count Karl Joseph Franz Morzin, who lived in Vienna. However, most of his musical work took place in Lukavec, which later became the Czech Republic. It was in this town that Haydn composed several wind ensemble divertimentos and his very first symphony.

In 1760, Haydn married Maria Anna Keller, with whom he remained married until her death in 1800. When Count Morzin let go of Haydn due to financial difficulties, he was offered the vice conductor position by Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy. This was an extremely prestigious position for such a young composer, as Esterhazy was one of the top figures in a very powerful and noble Hungarian family.

Haydn would continue working with Esterhazy for three decades. Though he had to conform to a rigid code of conduct while working with Esterhazy, he was able to publish and distribute a number of works throughout the 1780s.

By 1793, he purchased his former suburban home in Haydngasse 19. He would live in this home for 12 years and produce some of his most famous works, including iconic oratorios like “The Creation” and “The Four Seasons.”

Haydn died at the age of 77 in Vienna, not long after Napoleon launched a number of attacks on the city.

The Influence of Joseph Haydn’s Music

Haydn influenced a number of contemporary composers, and that influence was often mutual. He was praised for his talents by Mozart, who clearly drew inspiration from several of his works. Beethoven also studied with Haydn for quite some time.

Without Haydn, European music would have never evolved with string quartets, symphonies, and keyboard sonatas.

“The Creation” was one of his most iconic pieces, in which he painted a vivid musical portrait surrounding the creation of Adam and Eve. As for his string quartets, “String Quartets, Op. 33” became one of his finest. One of them was given the nickname ‘The Bird’ for the fact that the violin part sounded so much like a bird song.

Notable Facts

Haydn sang in the choir during his younger years as a boy soprano. Because girls and women weren’t very involved in music during the 18th century, young boys would take over the higher parts.
Haydn wrote over 100 symphonies in his lifetime, giving him the nickname, “The Father of Symphony.”
Mozart used to refer to Haydn as ‘Papa Haydn,’ as he mentored him through his rise to fame.
Haydn moved to London after his time working with the Esterhazy family, though he did not know a lick of English.
During his lifetime, he was the most famous composer in the world.