Franz Joseph Haydn
Family
Childhood
Career
Birth and Death
Music
died in 1809, at the age of 77. Vienna was under siege by the French army, but Napoleon posted a guard of honor outside Haydn's house to pay homage.
Born in a small village in Austria in 1732
father was a wheelmaker
Haydn was one of 12 children
displayed an early talent for music
at the age of 8, he was accepted as a choirboy at St.Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna (stayed till he was 18, when his voice changed)
at the cathedral, he learned to play the harpsicord and the violin
about 1750-1760, he made a living giving harpsichord lessons and playing in local orchestras.
In 1761, Haydn was hired as an assistant music director to the household of Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy. He was responsible for composing music on demand, supervising and rehearsing the other musicians, and caring for the instruments.
When Prince Paul Anton died in 1762, he was succeeded by his brother Nikolaus, who was an avid music lover. Nikolaus built a palace that had 2 large music rooms and 2 small theatres for opera. The palace was called Esterhaza.
In 1766 Haydn was promoted to music director at Esterhaza. He was responsible for directing all the music at the palace.
2 full operas, and 2 big concerts were preformed each week
Extra concerts were put on whenever an important visitor came to the palace.
Music was performed at meals, and the prince had chamber music played in his rooms almost everyday.
composed about 12 operas, more than 100 symphonies, nearly 70 sting quartets, more than 50 keyboard sonatas, and a large amount of choral music, songs, and other chamber music.
After he left the service of the Esterhazy family in 1790, he moved back to Vienna
He travelled to London twice, and he wrote his final 12 symphonies, that are known as the London symphonies
In his final years he wrote 2 great oratorios, The Creation (1798) and The Seasons (1801)