Franz Joseph Haydn
1732-1809
Born in Austria in 1732 to a
peasant family, Haydn showed musical talent at an early age. He
studied music with Johann Franck, a relative. By the time he turned six, he was already playing the violin, organ, and singing in the church choir. In Vienna, he continued to study violin and voice, and began to
teach himself composition. At age seventeen his voice broke and,
he was kicked out of the choir. He later began to teach the clavier and play with
street musicians in order to earn money. His talent was so great on the keyboard
that he started to teach. His progress was rapid, and in 1759, he was appointed
Chapelmaster and Composer to the court of the Bohemian Count Morzin. His first
symphonies were composed for the orchestra of that court.
In 1761 Haydn was appointed Music Director
to Prince Esterhazy. He was to remain in this job for
three decades, composing for court ensembles, training singers, and generally
improving the court's musical standards. His reputation as a composer, fueled
by the success of his many symphonies, spread
all over Europe. Upon the death of his second Esterhazy employer, he moved
to Vienna, where he befriended Mozart and taught composition to the young
Ludwig van Beethoven. Following the
popular taste, he began to write oratorios and masses. He later died, in the year of
1809. Haydn is well known today for his 104 symphonies. He is generally considered
to be the father of the modern string quartet. All of the 84 quartets he created are
masterpieces of structure and craft. They laid the groundwork for the work of other composers such as Mozart and Beethoven.
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