Joseph Haydn is the pioneer of Viennese Classicism and influenced the musical work of Mozart and Beethoven.
Towards the end of his life, he liked to sit at the piano in the mornings, play the anthem he had written for Emperor Franz II (I), and his grey parrot would whistle along. Joseph Haydn continued to compose well into old age, though not as much. When he sent his last quartet to his publisher in 1806, he enclosed a calling card that read: "All my strength is gone, I am old and weak." Almost as an apology for the fact that the quartet only had two movements. Somewhat melancholic, but still original and charming: this is how one can imagine the elderly Joseph Haydn, after he had revitalized musical style and influenced an entire generation of composers. A remarkable career, especially considering that he grew up in modest circumstances in Lower Austria. His path in life was initially very bumpy.
Rohrau, Lower Austria. Haydn was born the second of twelve children into a humble family. His father, a servant of Count Harrach, was a farmer and market judge. He repaired carriages and played music on the side. It quickly became apparent that the boy sang well. So, at the age of six, the family sent him to live with his Uncle Frank in Vienna. There, he was allowed to play the timpani in the Easter procession. A friend of his uncle discovered his talent and arranged for him to attend a good school. His uncle trained him musically, and he became a choirboy at St. Stephen's Cathedral. However, his voice broke, causing problems, and after a prank in which he cut off a schoolmate's wig braid, he was expelled from the choir.
Hard years in Vienna – and employment with the Esterházy family
There followed years of hardship, a modest existence in the attic of the Michaelerhaus. However, on the more elegant floors below lived people from whom he benefited: the Habsburg court poet and opera librettist Pietro Metastasio, whose servant and pupil he became, and Princess Esterházy, with whose sons Haydn soon found employment as Kapellmeister – a position he would remain with for 30 years. Now he was secure and could experiment musically. Now he led an orchestra.
In a sense, chance played a part in Haydn's development, including the invention of the string quartet. Until then, compositions had only been written for three people. A count asked him to write a composition for four. He did so so cleverly, for two violins, a viola, and a cello, with a new structure—consisting of introduction, exposition, development, and recapitulation—that everyone else looked up to him and wanted to know how he had managed it. From then on, his career took off.
Lessons for Mozart and Beethoven
Haydn was a man in high demand. He taught Beethoven and also met Mozart, who was 24 years his junior – a talent he considered a once-in-a-century phenomenon: "He is a god in music!" The two exchanged ideas, admired each other, and made music together. It is no coincidence that the Haydn Quartets exist, which Mozart composed and dedicated to his friend and acquaintance.
Like the other five great composers of the Viennese Classical period, Haydn studied his Baroque predecessors, Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel, but he began writing music for the people. He opened up music. Furthermore, a market for freelance composers emerged during this time, which Haydn knew how to exploit. With the help of the newly established music publishers, he was able to compose "on his own account" and sell his works to international patrons. This was possible alongside his full-time position with the Esterházy family. But only with great discipline.
Two successful trips to London
When Prince Esterházy finally released him after 30 years, Haydn wasn't unhappy about it. Finally free! In 1790, the composer and concert agent Johann Peter Salomon offered him 5,000 guilders for a concert tour to London. In the British capital, Haydn was courted, warmly received, and hailed as a luminary. Crossing the border at Schärding, he was asked about his profession. He replied, "Sound engineer." To which the customs officer responded, "So, potter/stove builder." Haydn's answer: "Yes, and the man in the carriage here is my apprentice." It was his secretary, Johann Elssler. The man had a sense of humor.
From a second, highly successful trip to London, after studying Handel's oratorios, he brought back the idea of writing one himself. Haydn was very religious. He wrote what is probably his most famous work: "The Creation." The premiere in 1799 at the Burgtheater was a resounding success. "We want Papa Haydn!" the people shouted when it was over. Slowly, the old man came onto the stage. "Long live Papa Haydn! Long live music!" All the imperial majesties were present and shouted "Bravo!" along with the crowd
A marketing bombshell
Even the grey parrot he'd brought back from London could squawk "Papa Haydn"—and the beautiful Emperor's Song, which Haydn wrote for Emperor Franz in 1797 because he felt the Habsburgs also needed an anthem. The melody for the string quartet is said to be based on the English anthem "God Save the King," and Leopold Haschka's original lyrics also resemble the English version. After the First World War, Germany adopted the song as its national anthem. Incidentally, Haydn didn't write the famous Surprise Symphony to keep the audience awake. It was more of a marketing ploy to differentiate himself from the music of his increasingly successful pupil, Ignaz Pleyel. Boom!
Shortly before his death, the French hussar officer Clement Sulemy visited the old master to sing the aria "Mit Würd und Hoheit angetan" from The Creation to the moved old man. He was the last foreign visitor Haydn received. And this under adverse circumstances. Vienna was besieged and bombarded by the French. When a shell landed near the house, causing the walls to tremble, Haydn called out: "Children, do not be afraid, where Haydn is, no misfortune can befall you."
Joseph Haydn died on May 31, 1809. He composed over 80 quartets, demonstrating his virtuosity in the handling of counterpoint, melody, and structure. He created over 100 symphonies, which represent a turning point in the development of the genre. His experiments with form, harmony, and instrumentation opened new avenues for subsequent composers. In his symphonies, he combined elegance, drama, and subtle nuances.
