Ruqayyah Snyder
Franz Joseph Haydn, one of the most important figures in the development of Classical music, was born in Rohrau, Lower Austria, in 1732. Rohrau was a village that stood on the border with Hungary at the time. Haydn's father, Matthias, was a wheelwright and village mayor, and his mother, Maria, was a cook in the palace of Count Harrach. Haydn's parents noticed his musical talent and sent him to be educated in nearby Hainburg when he was six years old.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Franz Joseph Haydn |
| Birthplace | Rohrau, Lower Austria |
| Date of Birth | 31 March 1732 (or possibly 1 April 1732) |
| Parents' professions | Father: wheelwright and village mayor; Mother: cook |
| Childhood home | Farmhouse in Rohrau |
| Early musical education | Learned to sing and play various instruments in church choirs |
| Formal education | Studied music, Latin, writing, arithmetic, and religion under Johann Franc in Hainburg |
| First job | Music director for Count Morzin |
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What You'll Learn
Haydn was born in Rohrau, Lower Austria
The Austrian composer Joseph Haydn was born in Rohrau, Lower Austria, in 1732. At the time, Rohrau was a village on the border with Hungary. Haydn's father, Mathias Haydn, was a wheelwright and village mayor, and his mother, Maria, had been a cook in the palace of Count Harrach, the presiding aristocrat of Rohrau. Haydn's parents noticed his musical talent, and when he was around six years old, they accepted a proposal from their relative Johann Matthias Frankh, the schoolmaster and choirmaster in Hainburg, to apprentice Haydn to him.
Haydn's musical education began in earnest in Hainburg, and he later moved to Vienna, where he joined the choir of St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Austrian capital's most important church. He remained in the choir for nine years, performing constantly but receiving little instruction in music theory. When his voice changed, he was expelled from the choir and left to fend for himself at the age of 17. Haydn then embarked on a freelance career as a musician, teacher, and composer.
Haydn's first steady job came in 1757 when he was hired as music director for Count Morzin, an aristocrat who, like many in the Austrian Empire at the time, kept his own small orchestra. Haydn's compositions became increasingly popular, and he eventually secured a position with the wealthy Esterházy family, spending nearly 30 years of his life in their employment. Haydn's time with the Esterházy family was spent mostly in rural Hungary, which isolated him from other composers and trends in music, forcing him to become original.
Despite his success, Haydn retained a fondness for his birthplace, revisiting Rohrau in 1795. The building where he was born is now a museum, having been acquired by the State of Lower Austria in 1958 and restored to its original condition.
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His birth date is debated
Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn was born in Rohrau, a village in Lower Austria that stood on the border with Hungary at the time. Haydn's birth date is listed as 31 March 1732, but there is some debate around this date.
Haydn himself always thought he was born on 31 March, but other relatives claimed his birth date was actually the day before, on 1 April. In Haydn's time, births were not as accurately recorded as they are today, with no doctors present to note the exact time. This uncertainty over his birth date is perhaps understandable given that his mother gave birth to two children on consecutive days, with Haydn's brother Michael being born on 1 April 1737.
Haydn's parents, Mathias and Maria Haydn, were not musically trained, but they did recognise their son's musical ability. Haydn's father was a wheelwright and village mayor, and his mother had been a cook for Count Harrach, the presiding aristocrat of Rohrau. Haydn's parents arranged for him to leave home at the age of six to be educated in Hainburg, and later in Vienna, in the hope that he would receive a better musical education.
Haydn's musical talent was noticed early on by Johann Franc, who invited him to live and study music with him. Haydn's parents agreed, and he primarily studied music with Franc, as well as Latin, writing, arithmetic, and religion. Haydn sang in church choirs and learned to play various instruments, acquiring a broad knowledge of music.
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His parents were not musically trained
Composer Franz Joseph Haydn was born in Rohrau, Lower Austria, on 31 March 1732. He was the son of Mathias Haydn, a wheelwright and village mayor, and Maria, née Koller, a cook in the palace of Count Harrach, the presiding aristocrat of Rohrau.
Haydn's parents were not musically trained, and neither could read music. However, they were both enthusiastic about music and recognised their son's musical gifts. They knew that in Rohrau, Haydn would have no chance to obtain serious musical training. Therefore, when Haydn was around six years old, his parents accepted a proposal from their relative Johann Matthias Frankh, the schoolmaster and choirmaster in Hainburg, for Haydn to be apprenticed to him. Haydn went off with Frankh to Hainburg and never lived with his parents again.
Life in the Frankh household was not easy for Haydn. He later remembered being frequently hungry and ashamed of the state of his clothing. However, it was with Frankh that Haydn began his musical training, learning to play the harpsichord and violin. He also sang treble parts in the church choir. Haydn's singing impressed those who heard him, and in 1739, at the age of seven, he was brought to the attention of Georg Reutter the Younger, the director of music at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. Reutter was visiting Hainburg and was looking for new choirboys. Haydn successfully auditioned, and after several months of further training, he moved to Vienna in 1740, where he worked as a chorister for the next nine years.
During his time at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Haydn received little instruction in music theory and composition from Reutter, who only gave him two lessons. However, as St. Stephen's was one of the leading musical centres in Europe, Haydn learned a great deal by serving as a professional musician there. He was also instructed in Latin and other school subjects, as well as voice, violin, and keyboard. Haydn's time at St. Stephen's ended when his voice changed, and he was expelled from the choir and choir school. With no money and few possessions, the seventeen-year-old Haydn was left to fend for himself.
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Haydn was a child prodigy
Composer Franz Joseph Haydn was born in Rohrau, Lower Austria, on 31 March 1732. Haydn came from humble beginnings, with his father working as a wheelwright and his mother as a cook. Haydn was the second son of his parents, and his younger brother, Michael, also became a composer.
During his nine years at the choir school, Haydn gained extensive practical knowledge of music through constant performances. However, he received little formal instruction in music theory. Haydn worked diligently to meet his obligations as a chorister. When his voice changed during puberty, he was expelled from the choir and the school. At the age of 17, Haydn found himself on his own, with little money and few possessions. Despite this setback, Haydn's natural talent and the foundation laid during his choir school years set the stage for his future success as a composer.
Haydn went on to establish himself as a freelance musician, music teacher, and composer. He faced challenges as a freelance musician, but his career took off when he was employed by Baron Carl Josef Fürnberg in 1756. Haydn composed his first string quartets during this time, and his talent was recognised by Count Morzin, who became his first full-time employer in 1757. Haydn's role as music director for the Count marked the beginning of his rise to prominence in the music world.
Haydn's compositions, including his symphonies, concertos, piano sonatas, and string quartets, gained recognition, and he became known as the "Father of the Symphony" and the "Father of the String Quartet". He spent much of his career as the music director for the wealthy Esterházy family, a position that provided him with financial stability and the opportunity to focus on his compositions. Haydn's isolation from other composers during this time also contributed to the development of his unique style, as he was "forced to become original".
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He left home at six to study music
Joseph Haydn was born in Rohrau, Lower Austria, in 1732. His father, Mathias Haydn, was a wheelwright and village mayor, and his mother, Maria, was a cook. Haydn's parents recognised his musical ability and, when he was six years old, he left home to be educated in nearby Hainburg.
Haydn's relative Johann Matthias Frankh, who was a schoolmaster and choirmaster in Hainburg, proposed that Haydn be apprenticed to him. Haydn's parents accepted the proposal, and so the young Haydn left home. In addition to music, Haydn studied Latin, writing, arithmetic, and religion while living with Frankh.
Haydn's time with Frankh was not to last, however. When he was eight years old, the musical director of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna observed the boy during a visit to Hainburg and invited him to become a chorister at the Austrian capital's most important church. Haydn's parents accepted the offer, and so Haydn moved to Vienna, where he stayed at the choir school for nine years.
During his time at the choir school, Haydn acquired a vast practical knowledge of music through constant performances. However, he was disappointed by the lack of instruction in music theory. When his voice changed, he was expelled from both the cathedral choir and the choir school. At the age of 17, Haydn found himself alone and with few resources.
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Frequently asked questions
Haydn was born in Rohrau, Lower Austria.
Haydn was born on 31 March 1732. There is some debate around the exact date, with Haydn's relatives suggesting it was 1 April.
Haydn's father, Matthias Haydn, was a wheelwright and later a village mayor. His mother, Maria, was a cook in the palace of Count Harrach.
Yes, Haydn had a younger brother called Michael who was also a composer.
