Hayden's Austrian Legacy: A Written History

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was an Austrian composer and one of the most important figures in the development of the Classical style of music during the 18th century. He is often referred to as the 'father of the string quartet' and exhibited an extraordinary work ethic, composing over 100 symphonies and 69 string quartets. Haydn was a friend of Mozart and taught Beethoven. He also wrote one of Austria's national anthems, Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser (God Save the Emperor Franz).

Haydn's early life and musical education

Franz Joseph Haydn was born on 31 March 1732 in Rohrau, Austria, a village near the Hungarian border. Haydn's father, Mathias, was a wheelwright and marketplace supervisor, and his mother, Maria, née Koller, had worked as a cook in the palace of Aloys Thomas Raimund, Count von Harrach, the presiding aristocrat of Rohrau. Haydn's parents noticed their son's musical gifts and, knowing that he would have no chance to obtain serious musical training in Rohrau, accepted a proposal from their relative Johann Matthias Frankh, the schoolmaster and choirmaster in Hainburg, to take Haydn into his home and train him as a musician. Haydn left home at the age of five or six and never lived with his parents again.

Life in the Frankh household was not easy for Haydn, who later remembered frequently going hungry and being humiliated by the state of his clothing. However, he received a basic musical education, learning to play the harpsichord and violin, singing treble parts in the church choir, and even playing the timpani.

Around 1740, when Haydn was about eight years old, the Kapellmeister of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Georg Reutter, was touring the region and looking for new talent for his choir. Haydn auditioned for and impressed Reutter, and so he moved to Vienna. In addition to singing in the choir, Haydn received instruction in Latin and other school subjects, as well as voice, violin, and keyboard. Reutter taught the boys basic musical theory and encouraged Haydn to improvise on some of the music he sang in services. Haydn remained in the St. Stephen's choir until his voice broke when he was about 18.

After being dismissed from the choir, Haydn struggled to establish himself as a freelance musician. He worked as a music teacher, street serenader, and eventually, in 1752, as a valet-accompanist for the Italian composer Nicola Porpora, from whom he later said he learned "the true fundamentals of composition". Haydn also lacked systematic training in music theory and composition, which he remedied by studying works such as Gradus ad Parnassum by Johann Joseph Fux and the compositions of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.

Haydn's reputation grew, and he eventually obtained aristocratic patronage, which was crucial for the career of a composer at the time. He was employed by Baron Carl Josef Fürnberg and Count Morzin before becoming music director for the wealthy Esterházy family, a position he held for most of his working life. During this period, Haydn's music circulated widely in publication, cementing his position as Europe's leading composer.

Haydn's career as a court musician for the House of Esterházy

Haydn was initially hired as Vice-Kapellmeister in 1761, but when the Kapellmeister Gregor Werner died in 1766, Haydn was promoted to the role. As Kapellmeister, he was in charge of the Esterházy musical establishment, composing most of the music required and serving as chief of the musical personnel. He also conducted the orchestra and coached the singers in almost daily rehearsals.

Haydn's patron, Prince Pál Antal Esterházy, was a passionate performer on the baryton, and Haydn provided his patron with more than 150 compositions featuring this now-obsolete cello-like instrument. Over the course of a decade, Haydn wrote almost 200 works for the baryton, mostly trios, for the prince to perform.

In 1775, Prince Antal abandoned the baryton and became interested in opera. Haydn became the music director for this undertaking, hiring and training singers, rehearsing the orchestra, and leading the performances. He wrote new operas and also rewrote arias in some of the works by other composers.

In 1780, Haydn's contract was renegotiated, allowing him to write for others and sell his compositions to publishers. As a result, he shifted his focus to composing more symphonies and string quartets, which he was able to sell more readily. He began relationships with several publishers in Austria and other countries, and his music soon became widely disseminated throughout Europe.

Haydn's prolific output during his time with the Esterházy family included symphonies, string quartets, operas, and other chamber music. He also composed more than 125 divertimenti for baryton, viola, and cello, as well as numerous solo pieces, duets, and instrumental music with solo parts and sometimes two barytons.

Despite his successful career with the Esterházys, Haydn felt isolated working far from Vienna. However, he remained well-connected with the classical greats of his time, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.

Haydn's compositions and notable works

Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer who is considered one of the most important figures in the development of the Classical style of music during the 18th century. He is often referred to as the "Father of the Symphony" and the "Father of the String Quartet". Haydn was a prolific composer, and his compositions are often characterised as light, witty, and elegant. He was a friend of Mozart and taught Beethoven.

Haydn's compositions include over 100 symphonies, 69 string quartets, 128 baryton trios, and 14 masses. He also composed 125 divertimenti for baryton (a bowed string instrument), viola, and cello, as well as numerous solo pieces, duets, and instrumental music with solo parts and sometimes two baritones. Haydn's first opera, "Acide", was written for the Esterházy court and performed at the wedding of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy's first-born son in 1763. From 1780 to 1790, he directed more than 1,000 opera performances.

Haydn's other notable compositions include the London Symphonies, The Creation, Trumpet Concerto, and Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major. He also composed one of his most famous works, "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" (God Save the Emperor Franz), which served as the Austrian national anthem for more than a century.

Haydn's compositions were influenced by his study of musical works, including those of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and leading manuals of musical theory. He also credited Italian composer and singing teacher Nicola Porpora, whom he worked for as an accompanist, for correcting his compositions.

Haydn's compositions were also influenced by his patrons and the musicians he collaborated with. For example, Prince Nikolaus of the Esterházy family, whom Haydn served as court musician for most of his career, played the baryton, and Haydn wrote nearly 200 works for this instrument for the prince to perform. Haydn also collaborated with other composers, including Mozart and Beethoven, and was influenced by their work.

Haydn's compositions were well-received during his lifetime, and he achieved significant fame and fortune, particularly in London. His works were published and disseminated throughout Europe, and he received commissions from abroad, including the Paris Symphonies and The Seven Last Words of Christ.

Haydn's personal life and relationships

Haydn was born in 1732 in Rohrau, Austria, the second son of Mathias and Maria Haydn. His father was a wheelwright and his mother a cook. Haydn's parents were musically inclined, and they often sang and played simple instruments at home. Haydn's father was also an enthusiastic folk musician who played the harp. Recognising their son's musical gifts, Haydn's parents accepted a proposal from their relative Johann Matthias Frankh, a schoolmaster and choirmaster in Hainburg, to take Haydn in as an apprentice and provide him with musical training. Haydn was about six years old when he left home, never to live with his parents again.

Life in the Frankh household was difficult for Haydn, who later recalled frequently going hungry and being embarrassed by the poor state of his clothing. Despite this, he received a basic musical education, learning to play the harpsichord and violin, and singing treble parts in the church choir.

In 1739, Haydn's singing caught the attention of Georg von Reutter, the director of music at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. Haydn successfully auditioned for Reutter and moved to Vienna in 1740, where he served as a chorister for the next nine years. During this time, he received instruction in Latin, voice, violin, and keyboard, but little formal training in music theory and composition. Haydn's time as a chorister ended around 1749 when his voice changed, and he was expelled from the choir school after playing a prank on a fellow chorister.

Following his dismissal, Haydn faced a period of struggle as a freelance musician, working various jobs to support himself while continuing to compose and teach music. He eventually found a position as a valet-accompanist for the Italian composer Nicola Porpora, who Haydn later credited with teaching him "the true fundamentals of composition".

In 1756, Haydn's fortunes improved when he was employed by Baron Carl Josef Fürnberg at his country estate, where he composed his first string quartets. Fürnberg later recommended Haydn to Count Morzin, who became Haydn's first full-time employer in 1757. Haydn served as the Count's music director, leading a small orchestra and composing his first symphonies.

In 1760, Haydn married Maria Anna Keller, the sister of Therese Keller, with whom he had previously been in love. However, the marriage was unhappy, and both Haydn and his wife took lovers. The couple had no children.

In 1761, Haydn began his association with the wealthy and influential Esterházy family, who would be his patrons for nearly three decades. He was initially hired as Vice-Kapellmeister under Prince Paul Anton Esterházy, but he was soon placed in charge of most of the musical establishment, becoming full Kapellmeister in 1766. Haydn's duties included composition, conducting, and playing chamber music. He also had to keep up with the musical interests of his patron, Prince Nikolaus Esterházy, who expected him to compose music for the baryton, an uncommon instrument similar to the bass viol.

During his time with the Esterházy family, Haydn travelled frequently between their various palaces and often visited Vienna. It was in Vienna that Haydn developed a close friendship with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who greatly admired Haydn's work. Haydn, in turn, praised Mozart's compositions and considered him a talented young composer. Haydn also had a platonic relationship with Maria Anna von Genzinger, the wife of Prince Nikolaus's personal physician, whom he frequently wrote to during his periods of isolation at the Esterházy court.

In 1790, following the death of Prince Nikolaus, Haydn was released from his duties to the Esterházy family and was free to travel. He accepted an offer from the German violinist and impresario Johann Peter Salomon to visit England and conduct new symphonies with a large orchestra. Haydn's time in London marked the high point of his career, earning him significant financial success and acclaim.

Haydn returned to Vienna in 1795 and resumed his work for the Esterházy family under Nicolaus II. During this period, he composed several masses, as well as the oratorios "The Creation" and "The Seasons". Haydn's later years were marked by declining health, and he was physically unable to compose after 1803. He died peacefully in his home in Vienna in 1809 at the age of 77.

Haydn's legacy and influence

Haydn's work ethic was extraordinary, and he composed a vast body of work, including over 100 symphonies, 69 string quartets, 128 baryton trios, and 14 masses. He was also a teacher, counting Mozart and Beethoven among his students, and the two composers were greatly influenced by and admired Haydn's work. Haydn's influence on Beethoven was particularly notable, and their relationship, though complicated, was one of mutual respect. Beethoven put Haydn on a par with Bach and Mozart, and in 1809, he publicly knelt before Haydn and kissed his hand as a sign of respect.

Haydn's compositions are often characterised as light, witty, and elegant, and he was especially renowned for his sense of humour. He was also innovative, developing larger structures from very short, simple musical motifs and creating a popular style that successfully combined mass appeal with rigorous musical structure.

Haydn's influence extended beyond his compositions and teaching. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music, and his work helped disseminate and popularise the symphony and string quartet as musical forms. He also contributed to the development of what became known as "sonata form", though his practice differed in some ways from that of Mozart and Beethoven.

Haydn's influence was not limited to his lifetime, and his works continue to be performed and celebrated today. His "Emperor's Hymn", for example, was used as the Austrian national anthem for over a century, and it now serves as the German national anthem.

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