Born: March 31, 1732 in Rohrau, Austria
Died: May 31, 1809 in Vienna
Quick Facts:
Haydn and Mozart were close friends. They respected each other's music and invited one another to their performances.
Haydn taught Beethoven for a period of time
Haydn composed 104 symphonies! In my opinion, each is dignified to a supreme level of creativity.
Unlike Wagner, Haydn was warm and heartfelt. He was caring, loving, extremely intelligent, and very well controlled. A true gentleman and master of music.
Childhood:
Haydn had a spectacular voice and his musicality was precise. Johann Franc, impressed by Haydns voice, insisted that Haydns parents allow Haydn to live with him to study music. Franc was a school principal and the choir director of a church in Hainburg. Haydns parents allowed him to go in hopes that he would amount to something very special. Haydn studied mostly music, but also Latin, writing, arithmetic, and religion. Haydn spent most of his childhood singing in church choirs.
Teenage Years:
Haydn trained his younger brother Michael when he joined the choir school three years later; it was customary for the older choirboys to instruct the younger ones. Although great Haydn's voice was, he lost it when he went through puberty. Michael, who also had a beautiful voice, received the attention Haydn was used to getting. Haydn was dismissed from the school when he was 18.
Early Adult Years:
Haydn earned a living by becoming a freelance musician, teaching music, and composing. His first steady job came in 1757, when he was hired as music director for Count Morzin. His name and compositions steadily became recognizable. During his time with Count Morzin, Haydn wrote 15 symphonies, concertos, piano sonatas, and possibly string quartets op.2, nos. 1-2. He married Maria Anna Keller on November 26, 1760.
Mid Adult Years:
In 1761, Haydn began his lifelong relationship with the wealthiest family among Hungarian nobility, the Esterhazy family. Haydn spent nearly 30 years of his life here. He was hired as vice-Kapellmeister earning 400 gulden a year, and as time went on, his salary increased as well as his ranking within the court. His music became widely popular.
Late Adult Years:
From 1791, Haydn spent four years in London composing music and experiencing life outside the royal court. His time in London was the high point of his career. He earned nearly 24,000 gulden in a single year (the sum of his combined salary of nearly 20 years as Kapellmeister). Haydn spent the last years of his life in Vienna composing only vocal pieces such as masses and oratorios. Haydn passed away in the middle of the night from old age. Mozarts Requiem was performed at his funeral.