Haydn was borne on the 31 March, 1732, in Rohrau, a village in eastern Austria near the Hungarian border. His father worked as a wheelwright, and his mother, before her marriage, was employed as a cook for the lords in the village. Joseph, their second child, to the surprise of his parents, unusually early musical talent. His parents, unskilled in this area, had no notion of what course to take regarding his musical instruction. Most fortunately for them, they had a cousin serving as principal and choirmaster of a school in nearby Hainburg. He offered to take the boy into his home and instruct him. Thus, at the age of six, Haydn had left his home only to return on rare, brief visits to his parental cottage.

From a professional point of view, Haydn's move to Hainburg was most gratifying. For, at an early age, he sang in the choir, learned how to play various instruments, and developed a basic knowledge of music. Nevertheless, his move to Hainburg had its fair share of social problems. First off, Haydn's cousin was fairly poor. His meager salary was hardly enough to support his growing family. Later, Haydn recalled that he received "more flogging than food." As a child, Haydn did not receive the love that a child requires. From his experiences, he was endowed withe a nature marked by wiry resilience and a contented disposition. A decisive change in his life when he became eight years old.

The musical director of Saint Stephen's church, the most important church in Vienna, Austria, had observed Haydn on a visit to Hainburg. He realised Haydn's talents and so invited him to become a chorister at the church. Haydn's parents accepted the offer withe much delight, for it secured for their child an extensive background in music. Further, it alleviated them of all board charges while Haydn stayed at the choir school. Haydn began instruction at the school in 1740, whereupon, he remained for nine years. The pattern of life at Hainburg repeated itself. Again, Haydn had to work arduously to fulfill his duties as chorister; again, he was poorly fed, and sometimes suffered from what he reported as "ravenous hunger." As Haydn matured, his voice began to deteriorate; when it broke, the cathedral had no use for him. They capitalised on an incident during which Haydn committed a practical joke; their punishment was expulsion.

Withe no money in his pockets, and only three ragged shirts and an old coat as his only possessions, Haydn, at the age of seventeen, was left to his own devices. He found refuge, for a while, withe a fellow musician. He managed to earn a meager income by carrying out some odd musical tasks. He performed at dances and serenades, played the organ at Sunday services, and taught at very modest fees. His daily jobs were complemented withe an arduous course of self-instruction in music through the study of major musical works--especially those of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788)--coupled withe instruction in music theory, consequently, to amend a paucity of such instruction in choir school. By a stroke of chance, Haydn was brought to the attention of the famous Italian composer and singing teacher, Niccolò Porpora (1686-1768). He quickly accepted Haydn as accompanist for voice lessons and, in return for this and his services as a valet, he corrected Haydn's composition.

He was eventually engaged to teach some aristocratic pupils, and was, eventually, introduced, by them, to the music-loving Austrian nobleman, Karl Joseph von Fürnberg. In Fürnberg's home, he played chamber music. There, for the instrumentalists, he composed his first string quartets; a form that he cultivated throughout his professional career, composing some eighty works in this genre. In 1758, Haydn's first official post came by a recommendation from Fürnberg.

He was engaged as musical director and chamber composer by the Bohemian count Ferdinand Maximilian von Morizin, who resided, for the most part, on his country estate in Lukave in western Bohemia. Haydn had an orchestra of roughly sixteen musicians at his disposal. For them, he composed his first symphony, the other field in which he pioneered. His early attempts at composition were very conventional. Nevertheless, they had a melodic freshness and sparkle that was the mark of an emerging master. Haydn's term withe Morizin as his patron did not last fairly long, for Morizin had to disband his orchestra due to financial difficulties.

This led to a period in Haydn's life when his patron became Prince Pál Antal Esterházy, who had heard Haydn's compositions while at the count von Morizin's castle. The Esterházys were one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Austria. Further, the family had a prominent reputation boasting the patronage of many musicians. At their castle in Eisenstadt, a small towne thirty miles from Vienna, Haydn found a well-appointed orchestra that performed regularly. As the Prince's aged music director was ailing, the Prince had prudence enough to appoint the relatively unknown Haydn to the post of assistant director. The contract, concluded on 01 May, 1761, disclosed to us that while church music was conferred on the director, Haydn was given command of three very important tasks. Haydn was to conduct the orchestra and coach the singers (which meant almost daily rehearsals); to compose the greatest part of the music required; to do administrative work by serving as music librarian, supervisor of instruments, and chief of the musical personnel. He managed his time extremely well, for he also found time to supervise the copyists of music and to tune his own keyboard. His execution of his post as chief of personnel revealed him to have tact, good humour, and excellent skill when dealing withe people. He exerted himself to protect his subordinates against other officials on the Prince's staff; withe his friendliness and sense of humour he managed to retain good relations betwixt staff and employers. This exemplified by his musicians' fondness of their "Papa" as they called him.

In 1766, Haydn was appointed to the post of musical director Esterházy court. During his appointment, he ameliorated the quality of the orchestra by enlisting the efforts of a hand-picked few instrumentalists. His ambitious plans were supported by the Prince Miklós, who had taken over as the head of the family after the death of his brother in 1762. Miklós, "the Magnificent" as he was called, loved splendour and display. After having admired the palace of Versailles, France, he decided to match it withe a creation of his own. In 1766, he had the splendid Castle Esterháza constructed in the western portion of Hungary. Every night, a performance of a German play or Italian opera was performed in the castle's theatre. Among his other activities, Haydn was in charge of all operatic activities. No lesser person than the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria attested to the high level of operatic performance achieved in the Esterházy theatre. She was once overheard saying, "When I want to hear a good opera, I have to go to Esterháza," a verdict that was not at all gratifying to the musicians of Vienna.

Haydn seemed to have enjoyed his busy life, for he served the Prince for thirty years. Living in the country was not hardship for Haydn, for he loved to hunt, fish, and engage in other outdoor activities. Nor did he feel cut off from the cultural world, for traveling troupes brought the compositions of eminent composers to Esterháza, and he frequently visited Vienna in the Prince's retinue.

On these occasional visits a close friendship withe Mozart was developed. The fact that Mozart was twenty-four years younger than Haydn did not matter. Each respected and was inspired by the other's work. Mozart declared that he learned how to write quartets from Haydn and dedicated a superb set of six such works to his "beloved friend." The mature composer was by no mean set in his ways; he was flexible and receptive to new ideas, an admirable quality to behold in an artist who had already won wide recognition. Haydn's music shows, in various details, the impact of his young friend's idiom. Unlike Mozart, however, Haydn became internationally famous during his lifetime.

The success of his professional life was not matched by equal success in his personal life. The girl Haydn loved entered a convent. He was coerced by her parents to marry their older daughter. She was a bigot that bore him no children and showed no regard for music. Thus, she showed no interest in her husband's work. It was reported that she used Haydn's manuscripts for pastry linings or curl papers. Further, it came as no surprise that Haydn returned any affection afforded him--that is, by other women. Haydn had a torrid love affair withe a mezzo-soprano in the Prince's service, Luigia Polzelli. In 1790, Price Miklós died.

His son, Prince Antal succeeded him. He, unlike his precursors, did not care for music. Thus, he dismissed much of the court orchestra. He did, however, retain Haydn at regular salary. Nevertheless, he stripped him of his duties. Thus, freeing him to do as he pleased. Since he spent a great deal of his life at Esterházy court, he felt it was time to move onward. He was made two offers the instance that his availability became common knowledge. The former was an offer made by the King of Naples, that was made several years earlier, to visit his court; the latter was an offer extended by a London violinist and concert manager, Johann Peter Salomon, who commissioned from him six new symphonies and twenty smaller compositions, at a handsome price, to be conducted by him, in person, in a series of orchestral concerts in London sponsored by Salomon. He, moreover, was to compose a new Italian opera for the King's theatre in London, for a fee of £300. Haydn was far more attracted to the latter offer. He felt it would be a great experience to work withe a large, well-trained orchestra in one of the great musical centres of the eighteenth century. Further, he would neither have to submit to the rigid etiquette of the Esterházy court nor would he have to be reminded of his subservient status. Although his trip to England was discouraged by many of his friends, including Mozart, Haydn found that was far too rewarding a chance to miss it.

What the prospects of the trip meant to him may be realised when one considers that though fifty-eight he had yet to travel beyond the borders of Austria. On New Year's Day, 1791, he arrived on British soil, and the experience of the following eighteen months was more gratifying than he had ever imagined. The many novel impressions, the meeting withe eminent musicians, the admiration bestowed upon him had a powerful impact on his creative work. The symphonies written for his first and second trips to England represent the climax of his orchestral output. One admires their virtuosity of instrumentation, the masterly treatment of musical forms, the freely flowing melodic inspiration, and the sense of humour that endeared the works so much to the British audiences. The opera he composed faired less well, for the King's Theatre was not licensed to perform such works. He suffered no financial loss, and the event did not seem to have greatly disturbed him. In July of 1791, Oxford University bestowed upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Music. Further, he performed at the residences of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York. His diary describes visits at which he was "gloriously entertained," and references to the plethora of beautiful women he met at these occassions. Although he was sixty years old, his face pitted withe smallpox, withe a large aquiline nose, and too-short legs, he was still found rather attractive by these same ladies. In June 1792, Haydn left London for Germany.

As the Prince Esterházy wanted the famous composer at the coronation of the emperor Francis II in Frankfurt am Main. During his journey, he stopped in Bonn, Germany. There, he was introduced to the twenty-two year old Ludwig von Beethoven. It was arranged that the young composer move to Vienna to be instructed by the aged master. On 29 July, 1792, Haydn, returned to Vienna, where he was able to purchase, withe his considerable earnings in London, a quaint house in the suburb of Gumpendorf. His home stands to this day and serves as the Haydn museum. The composer did not stay in Vienna for long.

He was convinced by his British friends to visit London once more. In January 1794, he left the Austrian capitol for the British one. He remained in England until 15 August 1795. Although many members of British royalty wished to dissuade him of leaving, he decided to return to Austria. For, the Prince Miklós II has know succeeded the thrown. He, an avid lover of music, wished to reinstate the orchestra under the direction of Haydn. Haydn felt obligated to return. Further, his post lacked many of the trivial, burdensome tasks that marked his former post. As always, he returned to Austria after enjoying a profitable, most gratifying trip to London.

In 1791, Haydn attended the Handel Commemoration at Westminster Abbey in London. Deciding to compose in this genre, he was able to obtain a suitable libretto, allegedly prepard for Handel himself. After settling in Vienna, and resuming his work for the Prince Esterházy, he began work on the oratorio, The Creation. The libretto was based on the epic poem, Paradise Lost, by John Milton (1608-1674) and on the Genesis chapter of the Bible. The years devoted to this task were among the happiest of the composer's life. He felt uplifted. In April of 1798, the oratorio was performed, for the first time, at a princely palace and it produced a profound effect. As a critic wrote, "Three days have gone since that enrapturing event. . .still the mere memory of all the flood of emotions then experienced constricts my heart." It was not long until The Creation received its first public performance. The results were once again profound. Each subsequent performance received the same results. The proceeds from each performance were donated, at Haydn's request, to a charitable institution. Haydn's later years, however, were not devoted to music of this genre.

The six masses he wrote for his patron Esterházy were the most significant of this kind from the eighteenth century. He continued to compose beautiful quartets, and, in 1797, he gave the Austrian nation the stirring song, "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" ("God Save the Emperor Franz"). It was used for more than a century as the national anthem of the Austrian monarchy and as the patriotic song "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles" (Germany, Germany Above All Else") in Germany.

Honours from various parts of Europe gladdened the composer in his last years. Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, and Paris made him an honorary member of their music associations, and the French capitol had, after the premiere of The Creation, a gold medal engraved in Haydn's honour. Nor did Austria lag behind. In the village of Rohrau, Haydn's birthplace, a monument was erected to its famous son, and Haydn had the gratification to see it completed. The city of Vienna conferred upon him the great golden Salvator Medal and named hm an honorary citizen. Further, they held a Viennese concert in honour of Haydn's seventy-sixth birthday. The Creation was performed by eminent musicians in the presence of the ailing composer whom had been carried in upon an armchair and seated amid jubilant exclamations among members of the high nobility. Poems were read in his honour, and applause shook the hall. Further, during Haydn's departure, Beethoven knelt in front of his aged instructor and kissed bothe of his hands. This was Haydn's last public appearance, for conditions prohibited any subsequent outings. In 1809, Austria faced the Napoleonic armies. Devastating battles were fought and Vienna was bombarded--a cannonball fell nearby Haydn's home. Napoleon, however, soon placed a guard of honour in front of Haydn's residence. Soon after, an ephemeral happiness was brought, once more, to the aged composer. A French officer called and professing great admiration for the composer's music, gave a rendition of an aria from The Creation. Allegedly, Haydn shed many happy tears. Soon afterward, the singer fell in battle. Haydn survived him only by a few days, dying on 31 May, 1809. At the official obsequies, members of the French army joined forces withe the local militia and formed a line before the catafalque. Vienna's cultural elite as well as high-ranking French officers paid solemn tribute to the genius who had given so much to the musical world.
 

Instrumental Music
 

SYMPHONIES: One hundred and six symphonies, including No. 6 in D Major (Le Matin; completed, 1761); No. 7 in C Major (Le Midi; 1761); No. 8 in G Major (Le Soir; 1761); No. 45 in F Sharp Minor (Farewell; 1772); No. 49 in F Minor (La Passione; 1768); No. 83 in G Minor (La Poule; 1785); No. 84 in E Flat Major (1786); No. 88 in G Major (1787); No. 92 in G Major (Oxford; 1789); No. 94 in G Major (Surprise; 1791); No. 96 in D Major (Miracle; 1791); No. 100 in G Major (Military; 1794); No. 101 in D Major (The Clock; 1794); No. 102 in B Flat Major (1795); No. 103 in E Flat Major (Drum Roll; 1795); and No. 104 in D Major (London; 1795).
 

CONCERTI: Three concerti for violin; two concerti for cello; eleven keyboard concerti; Symphonie concertante for violin, oboe, cello, bassoon, op. 84 (1792); Horn Concerto (1762); five concerti for two lire organizzate (hurdy-gurdies withe small built in organ pipes; 1786); Trumpet Concerto (1796).
 

OTHER ORCHESTRAL

WORKS: Various overtures, divertimenti, marches, and dances.
 

STRINGS: Roughly seventy-nine quartets, including some twenty early works; six in op. 17 (1771); six in op. 20 (1772); six in op. 33 (1777-1781); op. 42 in D minor (1785); six in op. 50, dedicated to Frederick William II of Prussia (1787); seven in op. 51 Die Sieben Worte des Erlösers am Kreuze (Seven Words of Our Saviour on the Cross, originally an orchestral work, string quartet version 1787, vocal version 1796); six in op. 54 and 55 (1788?); six in op. 64 (1790); six in op. 71 and 74 (1793); six in op. 76, dedicated to Count Joseph Erdödy (1797); two in op. 77, dedicated to Prince Lobkowitz (1799); op. 103 (1803); various string trios, duos, and divertimenti for three instruments.
 

OTHER COMPOSITIONS

FOR STRINGS: One hundred and twenty-six trios for baryton (cello-like instrument withe additional sympathetically-vibrating metal strings under the fingerboard), viola, and cello.
 

PIANO: Fifty-four sonatas; Variations in F Minor (1793); various separate movements; forty-one piano trios.
 

Theatre Music
 

OPERAS: Roughly sixteen, including La canterina (1767); Lo speziale (1768); Le pescatrici (1770); L'infedeltà delusa (1773); L'incontro improvviso (1775); Il mondo della luna (1777); L'isola disabitata (1779); La fedeltà premiata (1780); Orlando paladino (1782); Armida (1784); and L'anima del filosofo ( composed 1791).
 

Other Vocal Music
 

ORATORIO: Die Sieben Worte (The Seven Last Words; 1796); Die Schöpfung (The Creation; 1798); Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons, 1801).
 

MASSES: Thirteen masses, including Missa Celensis (1782); Missa in tempore belli in C major (Paukenmesse, 1796); Missa St. Bernardi de Offida in B flat major (Heiligmesse, 1796); Missa in angustiis in D minor (Nelson Mass, 1798); Mass in B Flat Major (Theriesienmesse, 1799); Mass in B Flat Major (Schöpfungmesse, 1801); Mass in B Flat Major (Harmoniemesse, 1802).
 

OTHER CHURCH

WORKS: Two Te Deums (bothe in C major; one from the 1760s, one c. 1800); Stabat Mater (1767); Ave Regina in A major (c. 1756); three Salve Reginas (E major, 1756; E flat major, c. 1770; G minor, 1771); various offertories, motets, and arias.
 

SONGS: Twelve canzonettas (in English, 1794-1795); about thirty-four German songs; thirteen partsongs; various arias for other composers' operas.
 

CANONS: Ten sacred (The Holy Ten Commandments) and forty-six secular.