Joseph Haydn

Viennese Classicism

With Mozart and Beethoven he forms the trio of Viennese Classicism and he was the eldest of the three.

💡 Did you know? Haydn is called the „father of the symphony“ and of the string quartet: he decisively shaped the forms of Viennese Classicism.

father of the symphony

He also brought the string quartet to its classical form.

💡 Did you know? His musicians affectionately called him 'Papa Haydn'.

104

More than twice as many as Mozart and more than ten times as many as Beethoven.

💡 Did you know? With 104 symphonies, Haydn wrote more than any other great composer: no wonder after nearly 30 years in a prince's service.

Esterházy

At the remote Eszterháza palace he was, as he put it, 'forced to become original'.

💡 Did you know? For almost three decades Haydn was Kapellmeister to the Esterházy princes: isolated in the country, but with his own orchestra to experiment on.

Surprise Symphony

Symphony No. 94: in German it's known as the symphony 'mit dem Paukenschlag' (with the drum stroke).

💡 Did you know? The sudden loud drum stroke was, so the popular anecdote goes, meant to startle dozing listeners in London's concert halls.

Farewell Symphony

A musical hint to the prince to finally grant his orchestra a holiday and he took it.

💡 Did you know? In the „Farewell“ Symphony the musicians blow out their candles one by one and leave the stage: Haydn's polite hint to the prince to finally grant the players leave.

The Creation and The Seasons

'The Creation' (1798) was modelled on Handel's oratorios, which Haydn had heard in London.

💡 Did you know? Haydn wrote his two great late oratorios modelled on Handel's oratorios, which he had heard in London.

the German anthem

His 1797 'Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser' later became the Deutschlandlied with Hoffmann von Fallersleben's lyrics.

💡 Did you know? The melody of the German national anthem comes from Haydn's „Emperor's Hymn“: originally a hymn to the Austrian emperor.

London

The twelve 'London Symphonies' were written for his two visits to England.

💡 Did you know? Oxford University awarded him an honorary doctorate.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The young Beethoven, in turn, studied under Haydn.

💡 Did you know? The older Haydn and the young Mozart sincerely admired each other: Mozart dedicated six of his finest string quartets to Haydn.

St Stephen's Cathedral

He was born in 1732 in Rohrau, Lower Austria, the son of a wheelwright.

💡 Did you know? As a choirboy at St Stephen's in Vienna, the young Haydn got his first musical training: until his voice broke and cost him the position.

1809

Napoleon posted a guard of honour outside Haydn's house.

💡 Did you know? During the bombardment Haydn reassured his household: 'Don't be afraid: where Haydn is, nothing can happen.'

Joseph Haydn

Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer of the Viennese Classical era, regarded as the „father of the symphony“ and the string quartet.

💡 Did you know? The melody of today's German national anthem comes from his „Emperor's Hymn“.

Surprise Symphony

In the gentle second movement a sudden loud chord bursts out: Haydn's musical joke.

💡 Did you know? Haydn supposedly wanted to jolt awake dozing listeners.