At the time of his death on 31 May 1809, Joseph Haydn was a cultural hero, venerated as the first of the three “Viennese Classics.” He started his career in the traditional patronage system of the late Austrian Baroque and ended up as a free artist by the early 19th century. Haydn was famous by the mid-1760s, and by 1780, he had become the most celebrated composer of his time.
Joseph Haydn
Haydn excelled in every musical genre, and he is familiarly known as the “father of the symphony,” and the “father of the string quartet.” As scholars write, “no other composer approaches his combination of productivity, quality, and historical importance in these genres.”
Today, we celebrate Haydn for his wit, innovative forms, dense use of motifs, and a modernist approach that challenged musical conventions. However, his work also reflects sincerity, emotional depth, and references to other influences that are just as vital to his artistry.
Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in C Major, Op. 76, No. 3 “Kaiserquartett”
Early Life
Portrait of Joseph Haydn by Christian Ludwig Seehas, 1785
Franz Joseph Haydn was born on 31 March 1732 in Rohrau, a small Austrian village near the Hungarian border. The second of twelve children, his father was a wheelwright and amateur musician. Haydn’s musical talents manifested early, but resources were limited.
As such, Haydn was sent to Hainburg at the age of six to study music with a relative. Although his training was strict and conditions harsh, Haydn soon excelled in his keyboard and violin studies, and his sweet voice earned him a position as a choirboy at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna.
He received a broad musical education, but when his voice broke at seventeen, he was dismissed from the choir and faced years of struggle as a freelance musician in Vienna. During this time, Haydn taught himself composition by studying the works of C.P.E. Bach and various counterpoint treatises.
Joseph Haydn: Mass No. 11 in D minor “Nelson Mass”
Early Career
Count Morzin
Joseph Haydn’s early career was marked by resilience and growing recognition. As a freelance musician, teacher, and emerging composer, Haydn forged valuable connections with influential figures like Metastasio and Porpora. As access to patronage grew, he was employed to teach children of nobility and commissioned to provide first compositions.
In 1757, Haydn secured his first significant post as music director for Count Morzin. This role provided financial stability and marked the composition of his first symphony and early quartets. To be sure, his compositional activity increased exponentially.
Scholars have established that “Haydn’s compositions during the Morzin years include about 15 symphonies, keyboard sonatas, trios, divertimentos, concertos, string trios, partitas for wind band, and possibly the quartets Op. 2, Nos. 1-2.”
On 26 November 1760, Haydn married Maria Anna Keller, the daughter of a wigmaker, following an unrequited love for her sister. Although we have only Haydn’s side of the story, the marriage was unhappy and led to infidelities on both sides.
Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in E Major, Op. 2, No. 2
The Esterházy Years
Prince Nikolaus Esterházy, Haydn’s most important patron
Haydn’s growing prowess as a composer caught the attention of the Esterházy court, one of Hungary’s most powerful families. He entered service in 1761 and served for nearly thirty years as Kapellmeister at their lavish palaces in Eszterháza and Eisenstadt.
This long tenure was both a blessing and a challenge. The Esterházys provided Haydn with a skilled orchestra, ample resources, and creative freedom, but his isolation at the remote palaces limited his exposure to broader musical trends.
Haydn wrote, “I was forced to become original” as his position required him to produce music for daily performances, from intimate chamber works to grand orchestral pieces.
Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 44 in E minor, “Trauer Symphony”
During the 1760s and 1770s, Haydn developed his distinctive musical voice. His symphonies showcased programmatic elements and orchestral colours, while his string quartets revolutionised the genre by treating all four instruments as equals.
This period also saw the composition of works that explored dramatic minor keys and emotional intensity, reflecting the era’s literary trends, which mirrored the “Sturm und Drang” phase. He also composed over 120 baryton trios for the Prince, earning respect and financial stability.
Joseph Haydn: Baryton Trio No. 124 in G Major
London Triumphs
During his Esterházy tenure, Haydn eventually negotiated great freedom to publish his works commercially by the 1780s. When Prince Nikolaus died in 1790 and handed the reins to a less musically inclined successor, Haydn was granted greater autonomy.
Encouraged by the impresario Johann Peter Salomon, Haydn embarked on two triumphant trips to London in 1791/92 and 1794/95. Haydn encountered a vibrant musical scene, large audiences, and a competitive market that inspired some of his finest works. The twelve “London” symphonies marked the pinnacle of his career.
The London performances were a resounding success, earning Haydn fame, wealth and honours, including an honorary doctorate from Oxford University. The London trip also exposed Haydn to English choral traditions, inspiring his later oratorios.
Haydn’s London visits were the high point of his career. Financially, he earned 24,000 gulden, equivalent to more than 20 years’ salary at the Esterházy court. He found happiness in the arms of an English widow, and he “considered the days spent in England the happiest of my life.”
Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 104 in D Major, “London”
Viennese Sunset
Haydn’s The Creation
Haydn returned to Vienna as a cultural hero. As James Webster writes, “many of his remaining works originated in collaboration with the cultural-political establishment and were staged as events of social and ideological as well as musical import.”
As a result, Haydn’s compositional orientation changed fundamentally as he now composed little instrumental music and devoted himself primarily to sacred vocal music. The Creation made history immediately, “and on a pan-European scale was equalled by no other composition.” Haydn’s original music, with its profound themes and perfect timing between the Enlightenment and Romanticism, appealed to both sophisticated and everyday listeners.
By the early 1800s, Haydn’s health declined, and he spent his final year in Vienna, revered as a living legend. He received a steady stream of distinguished visitors and honours, and he was made an honorary citizen of the City of Vienna in recognition of his charitable performances.
Haydn signed his last will on 7 February 1809, and his last known visitor was a French officer who paid his respects by singing an aria from The Creation. He died on 31 May, and because of the Napoleonic war, only a simple burial was possible the following afternoon. His remains are now interred in the Bergkirche in Eisenstadt.
Joseph Haydn: The Creation
Musical Style
Joseph Haydn’s musical style was unique in its time, characterised by originality, wit, and earnestness. His originality aligned with 18th-century notions of genius, and his compositions balance humour and seriousness, reflecting his personality’s duality.
While wit blended intelligence with irony in terms of formal ambiguities and deceptive passages, earnestness emphasised fluent melody and emotional depth. His style catered to both connoisseurs and amateurs, merging artful complexity with accessible folk-like themes.
As a scholar writes, “his music is rich in rhetorical gestures and cultural references, prioritised unity within variety, and maintained tonal coherence while innovating form and expression.
Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in C Major, Op. 33, No. 3 “Bird”
Legacy
Haydn’s House in Vienna
In all, Joseph Haydn composed well over 450 works, including symphonies, string quartets, piano sonatas, stage works, and masses and oratorios. His work laid the foundation for the evolution of classical music, with a musicologist calling him “the unsung architect of Western music.”
While his contributions are sometimes overshadowed by Mozart’s lyricism or Beethoven’s drama, Haydn’s music remains accessible, inventive, and profoundly human.
Haydn once famously said, “my language is understood all over the world.” And it is precisely this universal appeal that ensures his place as one of music’s greatest pioneers.
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