Joseph Haydn | Biography, Compositions, & Facts

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data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Haydn">Joseph Haydn</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/biography/Joseph-Haydn">Introduction & Top Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref3068"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Joseph-Haydn#ref3068">Early years</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref3069"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Joseph-Haydn#ref3069">Esterházy patronage</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref3070"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Joseph-Haydn/English-period">English period</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref3071"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Joseph-Haydn/English-period#ref3071">The late Esterházy and Viennese period</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref93022"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Joseph-Haydn/Works-development-and-achievement">Works, development, and achievement</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Haydn/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Joseph-Haydn">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Haydn/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/11164-004-1E94E698/detail-Joseph-Haydn-portrait-collection-Thomas-Hardy-1791.jpg" 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Coauthor of <i>Haydn: A Creative Life in Music.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Karl Geiringer</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/HC-Robbins-Landon/4071" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">H.C. Robbins Landon</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Freelance writer and music historian. Honorary Professorial Fellow, University of Wales College of Cardiff, 1971–79. Coeditor, <em>Haydn Yearbook. </em>Author of <em>Haydn: A Documentary Study </em>and...</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> H.C. Robbins Landon</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Haydn/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-22T00:00:00CST" >Nov 22, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Haydn/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>In full: </dt> <dd>Franz Joseph Haydn</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd>March 31, 1732, Rohrau, <a href="/place/Austria">Austria</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Died: </dt> <dd>May 31, 1809, <a href="/place/Vienna">Vienna</a> (aged 77)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Also Known As: </dt> <dd>Franz Joseph Haydn</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Works: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Deutschlandlied">“Deutschlandlied”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Emperor-Quartet">“Emperor Quartet”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Gott-erhalte-Franz-den-Kaiser">“Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/London-Symphonies">“London Symphonies”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Military-Symphony">“Military Symphony”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Paris-Symphonies">“Paris Symphonies”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Requiem-mass-by-Haydn">“Requiem”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Surprise-Symphony">“Surprise Symphony”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/The-Creation-by-Haydn">“The Creation”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/The-Seasons-by-Haydn">“The Seasons”</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Family Members: </dt> <dd>brother <a href="/biography/Michael-Haydn">Michael Haydn</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Joseph-Haydn"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> <button class="facts-list-show-more-btn mt-15 p-0 mx-auto btn font-14 d-block font-weight-normal"> <span class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></span> <span class="show-more-label">Show More</span> </button> </div><script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Why is Joseph Haydn important?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer who was one of the most important figures in the development of the Classical style in music during the 18th century. He helped establish the forms and styles for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/art\/string-quartet-music\">string quartet<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/art\/symphony-music\">symphony<\/a>." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is Joseph Haydn famous for?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Haydn was an extremely prolific composer, and some of his most well-known works include the London Symphonies, <em>The Creation<\/em>, <em>Trumpet Concerto<\/em>, and <em>Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major<\/em>. His compositions are often characterized as light, witty, and elegant." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What was Joseph Haydn\u2019s family like?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Haydn was the second son of humble parents: his father was a wheelwright, and his mother, before her marriage, was a cook. His younger brother, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Michael-Haydn\">Michael<\/a>, also became a composer and was highly regarded for his church music. Haydn married Maria Anna Keller in 1760, but the couple had no children." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>How was Joseph Haydn educated? <\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "When Haydn was a child, he received a basic music education from his cousin. He later served as a chorister for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Saint-Stephens-Cathedral\">St. Stephen\u2019s Cathedral<\/a> in Vienna, where he gained practical music skills but little instruction in theory. 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" } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Why is Joseph Haydn important?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer who was one of the most important figures in the development of the Classical style in music during the 18th century. He helped establish the forms and styles for the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/string-quartet-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">string quartet</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/symphony-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">symphony</a>.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is Joseph Haydn famous for?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Haydn was an extremely prolific composer, and some of his most well-known works include the London Symphonies, <em>The Creation</em>, <em>Trumpet Concerto</em>, and <em>Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major</em>. His compositions are often characterized as light, witty, and elegant.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What was Joseph Haydn’s family like?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Haydn was the second son of humble parents: his father was a wheelwright, and his mother, before her marriage, was a cook. His younger brother, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Haydn" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Michael</a>, also became a composer and was highly regarded for his church music. Haydn married Maria Anna Keller in 1760, but the couple had no children.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="4"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>How was Joseph Haydn educated? </div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>When Haydn was a child, he received a basic music education from his cousin. He later served as a chorister for <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Stephens-Cathedral" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">St. Stephen’s Cathedral</a> in Vienna, where he gained practical music skills but little instruction in theory. After being expelled when his voice changed, Haydn largely taught himself through the study of musical works.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="5"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>How did Joseph Haydn die? </div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Haydn died peacefully in his home in Vienna in 1809 at the age of 77. </p></div></div></div><button class="show-more-button js-toggle-top-questions btn btn-unstyled font-14 d-flex pr-10 rounded-sm"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></button></div></div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="127401" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/42/19242-050-B889DD5F/Joseph-Haydn-string-quartet.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/257714/127401"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/42/19242-050-B889DD5F/Joseph-Haydn-string-quartet.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/42/19242-050-B889DD5F/Joseph-Haydn-string-quartet.jpg?w=300" alt="Joseph Haydn" data-width="1600" data-height="1298" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/42/19242-050-B889DD5F/Joseph-Haydn-string-quartet.jpg" data-href="/media/1/257714/127401">Joseph Haydn</a><span>Joseph Haydn conducting a string quartet. </span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref234282"></span>Joseph Haydn</strong> (born March 31, 1732, Rohrau, Austria—died May 31, 1809, Vienna) was an Austrian composer who was one of the most important figures in the development of the Classical style in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">music</a> during the 18th century. He helped establish the forms and styles for the string <span id="ref234283"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/quartet-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">quartet</a> and the <span id="ref234284"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/symphony-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">symphony</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref3068"> <h2 class="h1">Early years</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Haydn was the second son of humble parents. His father was a wheelwright, his mother, before her marriage, a cook for the lords of the village. Haydn early revealed unusual musical gifts, and a cousin who was a school principal and choirmaster in the nearby city of Hainburg offered to take him into his home and train him. Haydn, not <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="yet" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/yet" data-type="EB">yet</a> six years old, left home, never to return to the parental cottage except for rare brief visits.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The young Haydn sang in the church <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/choir-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">choir</a>, learned to play various instruments, and obtained a good basic knowledge of music. But his life changed decisively when he was eight years old. The musical director of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Stephen" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">St. Stephen’s</a> Cathedral in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Vienna" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Vienna</a> had observed the boy on a visit to Hainburg and invited him to serve as chorister at the Austrian capital’s most important church. Haydn’s parents accepted the offer, and thus in 1740 Haydn moved to Vienna. He stayed at the choir school for nine years, acquiring an enormous practical knowledge of music by constant performances but, to his disappointment, receiving little instruction in music theory. He had to work hard to fulfill his obligations as a chorister, and when his voice changed, he was expelled from both the cathedral choir and the choir school.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">With no money and few possessions, Haydn at 17 was left to his own devices. He found refuge for a while in the garret of a fellow musician and supported himself “miserably” with odd musical jobs. He meanwhile undertook an <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="arduous" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arduous" data-type="MW">arduous</a> course of self-instruction through the study of musical works—notably those of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Philipp-Emanuel-Bach" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach</a>—and of leading manuals of musical theory. A fortunate chance brought him to the attention of the Italian composer and singing teacher <span id="ref234285"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicola-Porpora" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Nicola Porpora</a>, who accepted him as accompanist for voice lessons and corrected Haydn’s <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="compositions" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compositions" data-type="MW">compositions</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">With persistence and energy, Haydn made progress. He was eventually introduced to the music-loving Austrian nobleman <span id="ref234286"></span>Karl Joseph von Fürnberg, in whose home he played <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/chamber-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">chamber music</a>. For the instrumentalists there he wrote his first string quartets.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/composers-their-music" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/03/136303-131-B005A386/notes-Illustration-classical-music-composer-composition-blog-2009.jpg" alt="Illustration of musical notes. classical music composer composition. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, history and society, music notes" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Composers & Their Music</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Through the recommendation of Fürnberg, in 1758 Haydn was engaged as musical director and chamber composer for the Bohemian count <span id="ref234287"></span>Ferdinand Maximilian von Morzin. Haydn was put in charge of an <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/orchestra-music" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">orchestra</a> of about 16 musicians, and for this ensemble he wrote his first symphony as well as numerous divertimenti for wind band or for <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/wind-instrument" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">wind instruments</a> and strings. These early musical compositions were still <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="conventional" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/conventional" data-type="EB">conventional</a> in character, yet a certain freshness of melodic invention and sparkle marked them as the work of a future master.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h3"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref3069"> <h2 class="h1"><span id="ref234288"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Esterhazy-family" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Esterházy</a> patronage</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="124998" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/129309-050-E344F49B/Joseph-Haydn.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/257714/124998"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/129309-050-E344F49B/Joseph-Haydn.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/129309-050-E344F49B/Joseph-Haydn.jpg?w=300" alt="Joseph Haydn" data-width="1163" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/09/129309-050-E344F49B/Joseph-Haydn.jpg" data-href="/media/1/257714/124998">Joseph Haydn</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Haydn stayed only briefly with von Morzin, as financial difficulties forced his patron to dismiss the orchestra. Soon Haydn was invited to enter the service of Prince Pál Antal <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Esterhazy-family" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Esterházy</a>. The Esterházys were one of the wealthiest and most-influential families of the Austrian empire and boasted a distinguished record of supporting music. Prince Pál Antal had a well-appointed orchestra performing regularly in his castle at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Eisenstadt" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Eisenstadt</a>, a small town some 30 miles (48 km) from Vienna. Because his aged music director was ailing, the prince appointed the relatively unknown Haydn to be assistant conductor in 1761. While the music director oversaw <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/liturgical-music" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">church music</a>, Haydn conducted the orchestra and coached the singers in almost daily rehearsals, composed most of the music required, and served as chief of the musical personnel. Haydn carried out his duties extremely well and revealed <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="tact" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/tact" data-type="EB">tact</a>, good nature, and skill in dealing with people. From his first symphonies written for the Esterházys, Haydn amply displayed his characteristic good humour and wit, as well as the dependable freshness of his musical ideas, although full maturity would come much later. His employment by the Esterházy family proved decisive for his career, and he remained in their service until his death.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1766 Haydn became musical director at the Esterházy court. He raised the quality and increased the size of the prince’s musical ensembles by appointing many choice instrumentalists and singers. His ambitious plans were supported by Prince Miklós, who, on the death of his brother in 1762, had become head of the Esterházy family. He was able to appreciate Haydn’s musical contributions and created an atmosphere <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="conducive" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conducive" data-type="MW">conducive</a> to the development and maturing of Haydn’s art. In addition to composing operas for the court, Haydn composed symphonies, string quartets, and other chamber music. The prince was a passionate performer on the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/baryton" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">baryton</a>, and Haydn provided for his patron more than 150 compositions featuring this now-obsolete cellolike instrument.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Haydn served Prince Miklós for nearly 30 years. He frequently visited Vienna in the prince’s retinue, and on these visits a close friendship developed between himself and <span id="ref234289"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wolfgang-Amadeus-Mozart" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</a>. The two composers felt inspired by each other’s work. Mozart declared that he had learned from Haydn how to write quartets and dedicated a superb set of six such works to his “beloved friend.” Haydn’s music, too, shows the impact of his young friend. The mature composer was by no means set in his ways; he was flexible and receptive to new ideas.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="86343" data-asm-type="audio"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media border-0" data-type="audio"><audio src="https://cdn.britannica.com/98/92498-005-A75AB808/Allegro-moderato-Hob-Pierre-Fournier-Joseph-Haydn-1953.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" controls=""></audio></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/98/92498-005-A75AB808/Allegro-moderato-Hob-Pierre-Fournier-Joseph-Haydn-1953.mp3" data-href="/media/1/257714/86343">Joseph Haydn: <em>Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major</em></a><span>First movement, “Allegro moderato,” of Joseph Haydn's <em>Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major</em>, Hob. VII b:2; from a 1953 recording featuring cellist Pierre Fournier and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra conducted by Karl Münchinger.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">During the 1760s Haydn’s fame began to spread throughout Europe. The Austrian and Czech monasteries did much to <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="disseminate" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disseminate" data-type="MW">disseminate</a> his church music as well as his symphonies, divertimenti, sonatas, and concertos. Aristocratic patrons in south Germany, Italy, and the Austrian empire assiduously collected his music, and their libraries would eventually become important sources for copies of his work.</p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD11 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The period from 1768 to about 1774 marks Haydn’s maturity as a composer. The music written then, from the <em>Stabat Mater</em> (1767) to the large-scale <em>Missa Sancti Nicolai</em> (1772), would be sufficient to place him among the chief composers of the era. The many operas he wrote during these years did much to <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="enhance" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enhance" data-type="MW">enhance</a> his own reputation and that of the Esterházy court. Among his other important works from this period are the string quartets of Opus 20, the <em>Piano Sonata in C Minor</em>, and the symphonies in minor keys, especially the so-called <em>Trauersymphonie in E Minor</em>, No. 44 (“Mourning Symphony,” so named because its slow movement, which was a particular favourite of the composer, was performed at a memorial service for Haydn) and the <em>“Farewell” Symphony</em>, No. 45. For reasons that have no historical grounding, this has come to be known as Haydn’s Sturm-und-Drang (“storm and stress”) period, after a literary movement that came somewhat later; however inapt historically, the term does describe the character of many of these works and in fact has come to stand for the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="turgid" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turgid" data-type="MW">turgid</a> style they so often exhibit.</p><span class="marker MOD11 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD12 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The following decade and a half did even more to enhance Haydn’s fame. His operatic output continued strong until 1785, notwithstanding the destruction of the Esterházy opera house by fire in 1779. Increasingly, however, his audience lay outside his employer’s court. In 1775 he composed his first large-scale <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/oratorio" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">oratorio</a>, <em>Il ritorno di Tobia</em>, for the Musicians’ Society in Vienna; for unknown reasons, relations between Haydn and the Viennese musicians cooled considerably a few years later. By the early 1780s, though, things seemed much improved, and the Viennese firm Artaria published his six Opus 33 quartets. These important works quickly set a new standard for the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="genre" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genre" data-type="MW">genre</a>, putting many of his competitors in this increasingly lucrative market out of business. (Mozart was a notable exception, but even he took several years to complete his own set of six quartets.) In 1784 Haydn revised <em>Tobia</em> for another Viennese performance, adding choral numbers and cutting back on some of the extended da capo structures, a clear sign that he was well aware of changing sensibilities. In mid-decade as well came a commission from Paris to compose a set of symphonies, and Haydn’s resulting “Paris” symphonies are a landmark of the genre. It was also about this time that he received the commission to compose the <em>Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross</em>; for the incorrigibly cheerful Haydn, writing seven successive dour movements was a particularly difficult undertaking, but the effort resulted in one of his most-admired works.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD12 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD13 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Haydn’s professional success was not matched in his personal life. His marriage to Maria Anna Keller in 1760 produced neither a pleasant, peaceful home nor any children. Haydn’s wife did not understand music and showed no interest in her husband’s work. Her <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="disdain" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disdain" data-type="MW">disdain</a> went to the extremes of using his manuscripts for pastry pan linings or curl papers. Haydn was not insensitive to the attractions of other women, and for years he carried on a love affair with Luigia Polzelli, a young Italian mezzo-soprano in the prince’s service.</p><span class="marker MOD13 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":3,"pageId":257714,"pageLength":1508,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"BIO_PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Joseph Haydn | Biography, Compositions, & Facts | Britannica