Joseph Haydn
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer. He was born on March 31 or April 1 1732 and died on May 31 1809. He was one of the most famous composers in the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony".
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[edit] Early years
We do not know much detail about his life. Mozart, who lived at the same time, wrote lots of letters to his family so we know a lot about what he did and thought. The only letters of Haydn that we still have were business letters, so we do not know much detail about how he lived.
Haydn was born in 1732 in a small village called Rohrau in Austria near the border with Hungary. His father was a wheelwright (someone who makes wheels). His parents liked music and wanted their son to be musical, so they sent him to a boarding school several miles away when he was only six. Two years later the school was visited by a man called Georg von Reutter. He was travelling round the country looking for boys who could sing well because he wanted them for the choir of the cathedral (St Stephen’s) in Vienna. He was very impressed with Haydn and so young Joseph was taken to Vienna where he spent the rest of his childhood in the cathedral choir. He was taught music there and learned the harpsichord and violin. He does not seem to have been taught any music theory. Haydn had to teach himself how to compose.
Haydn’s treble voice broke when he was about 17 or 18 (boys’ voices broke much later in those days) so he had to leave school. For the next ten years he did not have much money. He lived in an attic room and gave music lessons to young pupils. He started to compose, writing short pieces for his pupils to play. He also played in bands and orchestras. It was probably in 1757 that he got a good job: he became music director for Count Karl von Morzin. He had to conduct the orchestra and write symphonies for them. Then, in 1761, he got a very good job as assistant Director of Music for Prince Esterhazy.
[edit] Years at Esterhazy
Haydn spent 30 years working for Prince Esterhazy who was one of the most important princes in the Austrian Empire. A lot of princes and dukes kept orchestras at their palaces just to show off, but Prince Esterhazy really was musical and played an instrument called the baryton which looked a bit like a cello with lots of strings. In 1766 Haydn was made Kapellmeister (Director of Music).
Like all the other musicians at the prince’s court, Haydn was a servant and had to wear livery (uniform). In the winter the prince like to be in his palace in Vienna, but in the summer he liked to go to his new palace in the country in what is now Hungary. Haydn had a busy job. He had to compose music whenever the prince wanted it. He had to conduct and organize the orchestra, play in small instrumental groups (chamber music) and even put on operas. These operas were often put on with puppets. Haydn was not really interested in writing music for puppet operas, but he had to do what he was told. His best pieces were his symphonies and string quartets.
Haydn wrote at least 104 symphonies. These are pieces of music for orchestra, usually with four movements. He also wrote lots of string quartets: pieces for two violins, viola and cello. Haydn is often known as the “Father of the Symphony”, and even “Father of the String Quartet”. He did not invent them, but he was the first really great composer who wrote them.
Many of his symphonies and string quartets have nicknames. Symphony no 45 is called the “Farewell Symphony”. The reason was that one autumn the musicians were fed up with being in the country palace and wanted to go back to Vienna. The prince wanted to stay on. So Haydn wrote a symphony in which, towards the end, the musicians stop playing one by one, blew out their candle, and walked off stage. The prince took the hint, and ordered everyone to return to Vienna. Another symphony is called the “Surprise” symphony. Haydn was playing a trick on the people in the audience who fell asleep during the music. The music is very quiet indeed, then suddenly there is a VERY LOUD CHORD!
One of his string quartets has a tune which became the Austrian national anthem.
Haydn married in 1760, but his wife did not like music. They never had children, and Haydn often felt lonely. He had a lady friend, a singer called Luigia Polzelli, and he often wrote to her when he was on his travels..
Around 1781 Haydn became friendly with Mozart. Mozart was 24 years younger than Haydn, but they learned a lot from one another. They often played string quartets together with two friends.
[edit] The London journeys
In 1790, Prince Nikolaus died and his son became prince. His son was unmusical and a lot of the musicians lost their jobs. Haydn was put on a pension. This had a good side: he was free to travel whenever he wanted. He came to England and stayed in London where he wrote twelve symphonies during two visits. He was greatly admired by the British audiences.
[edit] Final years in Vienna
Haydn nearly stayed in England to live, like Handel had done almost a century earlier. In the end he decided to retire to Vienna. There he spent his last years writing religious works for chorus and orchestra. He wrote The Creation and The Seasons which are both oratorios.
He died in 1809 while Vienna was being attacked by the French army under Napoleon.
[edit] References
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited by Stanley Sadie. 1980 ISBN 1-56159-174-2
