Franz Joseph Haydn was born in the village of Rohrau, Austria (near the border with Hungary) on March 31, 1732. Though musical, neither of his parents were trained in music or could even read music. When Haydn's musical talents were recognized, his parents arranged for him to be apprenticed to a relative, Johann Matthias Frankh, who served as schoolmaster and choirmaster in Hainburg. Haydn's musical skills developed quickly. He learned to play both the harpsichord and violin and sang treble parts in the church choir. It is likely that his singing brought him to the attention of Georg von Reutter, the director of music at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. In 1740, having passed his audition with
Reutter, Haydn moved to Vienna and worked as a chorister for the next nine years. Reutter was little help to Haydn in the areas of music theory and
composition. Yet, Haydn's experience alone working at St. Stephen's as
professional musician gave him plenty of opportunities to learn.
After being expelled from St. Stephen's in 1749, first, for
being no longer physically able to sing the high choral parts and, second, for
an apparent practical joke on a fellow chorister, Haydn began his career as a
freelance musician. Knowing that he received insufficient training composition
during his time at St. Stephen's, Haydn took it upon himself to work out the
exercises of Johann Joseph Fux's Gradus ad Parnassum and study Philipp
Emanul Bach's Essay. As his skill in composition grew so do his
reputation and by the mid 1750's he was drawing the attention of the
aristocracy. In 1757, he accepted the position of Kapellmeister to Count
Morzin.
As Kapellmeister, Haydn directed the Count's orchestra and
he composed his first symphonies during this time. However, Count Morzin soon
incurred financial losses that forced him to dismiss the musicians in his
employ. Despite the setback, the Esterházy family, one of the wealthiest in the
Austrian Empire, quickly hired Haydn as Vice Kapellmestier in 1761. By 1766,
upon the death of the former Kapellmeister, Haydn was promoted to the position
of Kapellmeister. Under the Esterházy establishment, Haydn was charged with
conducting the orchestra, composing, performing chamber music and eventually
even staging operatic productions. With the support of the musical princes of
the Esterházy family, Haydn produced a plethora of composition over the
succeeding decades.
In 1790, a new prince, and one little interested in music,
became the head of the Esterházy estate. Consequently, he dismissed all the
musicians and placed Haydn on a pension. Now free from his duties, Haydn took
up an offer from Johann Peter Salomon to compose and conduct new symphonies in
England. Haydn made two visits to England, one in 1791-92 and another 1794-95,
both to much success. Incidentally, it was while in route to England in 1790
that Haydn met a young musician by the name of Beethoven in Bonn, Germany.
Beethoven would later study composition with Haydn prior to his second trip to
England.
With the success of his trips to England, Haydn was
financially secure and in 1795 moved into a large house in Gumpendorf, a suburb
of Vienna. At this point, he turned to the composition of large-scale sacred
works for orchestra and choir. Though not directly in the employ of the
Esterházy family, Haydn composed six masses for them during this time. In 1802,
he became physically unable to compose. He was well taken care of during his
final years and received several public honors. On May 31, 1809, Haydn died at
the age of 77, shortly after Napoleon's troops began their attack on Vienna. A
couple of weeks later, on June 15, a memorial service was held and Mozart's
Requiem performed.
Franz Joseph Haydn
Biography
Franz Joseph Haydn was born in the village of Rohrau, Austria (near the border with Hungary) on March 31, 1732. Though musical, neither of his parents were trained in music or could even read music. When Haydn's musical talents were recognized, his parents arranged for him to be apprenticed to a relative, Johann Matthias Frankh, who served as schoolmaster and choirmaster in Hainburg. Haydn's musical skills developed quickly. He learned to play both the harpsichord and violin and sang treble parts in the church choir. It is likely that his singing brought him to the attention of Georg von Reutter, the director of music at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. In 1740, having passed his audition with Reutter, Haydn moved to Vienna and worked as a chorister for the next nine years. Reutter was little help to Haydn in the areas of music theory and composition. Yet, Haydn's experience alone working at St. Stephen's as professional musician gave him plenty of opportunities to learn.After being expelled from St. Stephen's in 1749, first, for being no longer physically able to sing the high choral parts and, second, for an apparent practical joke on a fellow chorister, Haydn began his career as a freelance musician. Knowing that he received insufficient training composition during his time at St. Stephen's, Haydn took it upon himself to work out the exercises of Johann Joseph Fux's Gradus ad Parnassum and study Philipp Emanul Bach's Essay. As his skill in composition grew so do his reputation and by the mid 1750's he was drawing the attention of the aristocracy. In 1757, he accepted the position of Kapellmeister to Count Morzin.
As Kapellmeister, Haydn directed the Count's orchestra and he composed his first symphonies during this time. However, Count Morzin soon incurred financial losses that forced him to dismiss the musicians in his employ. Despite the setback, the Esterházy family, one of the wealthiest in the Austrian Empire, quickly hired Haydn as Vice Kapellmestier in 1761. By 1766, upon the death of the former Kapellmeister, Haydn was promoted to the position of Kapellmeister. Under the Esterházy establishment, Haydn was charged with conducting the orchestra, composing, performing chamber music and eventually even staging operatic productions. With the support of the musical princes of the Esterházy family, Haydn produced a plethora of composition over the succeeding decades.
In 1790, a new prince, and one little interested in music, became the head of the Esterházy estate. Consequently, he dismissed all the musicians and placed Haydn on a pension. Now free from his duties, Haydn took up an offer from Johann Peter Salomon to compose and conduct new symphonies in England. Haydn made two visits to England, one in 1791-92 and another 1794-95, both to much success. Incidentally, it was while in route to England in 1790 that Haydn met a young musician by the name of Beethoven in Bonn, Germany. Beethoven would later study composition with Haydn prior to his second trip to England.
With the success of his trips to England, Haydn was financially secure and in 1795 moved into a large house in Gumpendorf, a suburb of Vienna. At this point, he turned to the composition of large-scale sacred works for orchestra and choir. Though not directly in the employ of the Esterházy family, Haydn composed six masses for them during this time. In 1802, he became physically unable to compose. He was well taken care of during his final years and received several public honors. On May 31, 1809, Haydn died at the age of 77, shortly after Napoleon's troops began their attack on Vienna. A couple of weeks later, on June 15, a memorial service was held and Mozart's Requiem performed.