Austrian composer, one of the greatest classics of musical art. Born on March 31 or April 1, 1732 (data on the date of birth are contradictory) in a peasant family in Rorau (Burgenland region in the eastern part of Lower Austria). His father, Matthias Haydn, was a carriage master, his mother, Maria Koller, served as a cook in the family of Count Harrach, the owner of the estate in Rorau. Josef was the second child of his parents and their eldest son. It used to be believed that Haydn's ancestors were Croats (who in the 16th century began to move to Burgenland, fleeing from the Turks), but thanks to E. Schmidt's research, it turned out that the composer's family was purely Austrian.
Early years. Recalling his childhood, Haydn wrote in 1776: "My father ... was an ardent lover of music and played the harp without knowing the notes at all. As a child of five, I absolutely could sing his simple melodies, and this prompted my father to entrust me to the care of our relative , the rector of the school in Hainburg, so that I could study the fundamental principles of music and other sciences necessary for youth ... When I was seven years old, the late Kapellmeister von Reuter (G.K. my weak but pleasant voice.He took me with him and assigned me to the chapel (St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna), where, continuing my education, I studied singing, playing the harpsichord and violin, and from very good teachers. Until the age of eighteen I performed soprano parts with great success, and not only in the cathedral, but also at court.Then I lost my voice, and I had to drag out a miserable existence for eight whole years ... I composed mainly at night, not knowing if I had any either a gift for composition or not, and recorded his music diligently, but not quite right. This went on until I had the good fortune to learn the true foundations of art from Mr. Porpora (N. Porpora, 1685-1766), who then lived in Vienna.
In 1757, Haydn accepted an invitation from the Austrian aristocrat Count Fürnberg to spend the summer at his Weinzirl estate, which was adjacent to the large Benedictine monastery at Melk on the Danube. The genre of the string quartet was born in Weinzierl (the first 12 quartets, written in the summer of 1757, were opuses 1 and 2). Two years later Haydn became Kapellmeister to Count Ferdinand Maximilian Morcin at his Lukavec castle in the Czech Republic. For the Mortsin Chapel, the composer wrote his First Symphony (in D major) and several divertissements for wind instruments (some of them were relatively recently, in 1959, found in a hitherto unexplored Prague archive). On November 26, 1760, Haydn married Anna Maria Keller, the daughter of a count's barber. This union turned out to be childless and generally unsuccessful: Haydn himself usually called his wife "a fiend."
Soon, Count Morcin, in order to reduce costs, dissolved the chapel. Then Haydn accepted the position of vice-kapellmeister offered to him by Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy. The composer arrived at the princely estate of Eisenstadt in May 1761 and remained in the service of the Esterhazy family for 45 years.
In 1762 Prince Paul Anton died; his brother Miklós "The Magnificent" became his successor - at this time the Esterhazy family became famous throughout Europe for its patronage of the arts and artists. In 1766, Miklós rebuilt the family hunting house into a luxurious palace, one of the richest in Europe. Esterhaza, the new residence of the prince, was called; among other things, there was a real opera house with 500 seats and a puppet theater (for which Haydn composed operas). In the presence of the owner, concerts and theatrical performances were given every evening.
Haydn and all the musicians of the chapel had no right to leave Esterhaza while the prince himself was there, and none of them, with the exception of Haydn and the conductor of the orchestra, the violinist L. Tomasini, were not allowed to bring their families to the palace. It so happened that in 1772 the prince stayed longer than usual in Esterhase, and the musicians asked Haydn to write a piece that would remind his highness that it was high time for him to return to Vienna. This is how the famous Farewell Symphony appeared, where in the final part the orchestra players finish their parts one by one and leave, and only two solo violins remain on the stage (these parts were played by Haydn and Tomasini). The prince looked with surprise at how his bandmaster and conductor put out the candles and headed for the exit, but he understood the hint, and the next morning everything was ready for departure to the capital.
Glory years. Gradually, Haydn's fame began to spread throughout Europe, which was facilitated by the activities of Viennese firms engaged in the correspondence of notes and selling their products throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Austrian monasteries also did much to spread Haydn's music; copies of his various works are kept in a number of monastic libraries in Austria and the Czech Republic. Parisian publishers printed Haydn's writings without the consent of the author. The composer himself in most cases did not know at all about these pirated publications and, of course, did not receive any profit from them.
In the 1770s, opera performances at Esterhase gradually developed into regular opera seasons; their repertoire, which consisted mainly of operas by Italian authors, was studied and performed under the direction of Haydn. From time to time he composed his own operas: one of them, Lunar World based on the play by C. Goldoni (Il mondo della luna, 1777), was resumed in 1959 with great success.
Haydn spent the winter months in Vienna, where he met and became friends with Mozart; they admired each other, and neither of them allowed anyone to speak ill of his friend. In 1785, Mozart dedicated six magnificent string quartets to Haydn, and one day at a quartet meeting held in Mozart's apartment, Haydn told Wolfgang's father, Leopold Mozart, that his son was "the greatest of the composers" whom he, Haydn, knows from reviews or personally. Mozart and Haydn enriched each other creatively in many ways, and their friendship is one of the most fruitful alliances in the history of music.
In 1790, Prince Miklos died, and for a while Haydn received freedom of movement. Subsequently, Prince Anton Esterházy, Miklós's heir and Haydn's new master, having no particular love for music, disbanded the orchestra altogether. Having learned about the death of Miklós, I.P. Zalomon, a German by birth, who worked in England and achieved great success in organizing concerts there, hastened to arrive in Vienna and conclude a contract with Haydn.
English publishers and impresarios had long tried to invite the composer to the English capital, but Haydn's duties as Esterhazy's court bandmaster prevented long absences from Austria. Now the composer willingly accepted Salomon's offer, especially since he had two lucrative contracts in store: for composing an Italian opera for the Royal Theater and for composing 12 instrumental compositions for concerts. In fact, Haydn did not recompose all 12 pieces: several nocturnes, previously unknown in England, had been written earlier by order of the Neapolitan king, and the composer's portfolio also included several new quartets. Thus, for the English concerts of the 1792 season, he wrote only two new symphonies (NN95 and 96) and put into the programs a few more symphonies that have not yet been performed in London (NN90-92), but were composed earlier by order of Count d "Ogny from Paris (the so-called Parisian symphonies).
Haydn and Salomon arrived at Dover on New Year's Day 1791. In England, Haydn was received with honor everywhere, and the Prince of Wales (the future King George IV) showed him many signs of attention. The cycle of Haydn's concertos by Salomon was a huge success; at the premiere of Symphony N96 in March, the slow movement had to be repeated - "a rare occurrence", as the author noted in a letter home. The composer decided to stay in London for the next season as well. For him, Haydn composed four new symphonies. Among them was the famous symphony Surprise (N104, Symphony with a beat of the timpani: in its slow part, the tender music is suddenly interrupted by the deafening beat of the timpani; Haydn seemed to have said what he wanted: to make the ladies jump in their chairs "). For England, the composer also composed the beautiful choir Tempest (The Storm) into English text and the Concert Symphony (Sinfonia concertante).
On the way home in the summer of 1792, Haydn, passing through Bonn, met L. van Beethoven and took him as a student; the aging master immediately recognized the scale of the young man's talent and in 1793 predicted that "he will someday be recognized as one of the best musicians in Europe, and I will proudly call myself his teacher." Until January 1794, Haydn lived in Vienna, then went to England and stayed there until the summer of 1795: this trip was no less triumphant than the previous ones. During this time, the composer created his last - and best - six symphonies (NN99-104) and six magnificent quartets (op. 71 and 74).
Last years. After returning from England in 1795, Haydn took his former place at the court of Esterhazy, where Prince Miklos II now became the ruler. The composer's main duty was to compose and rehearse every year a new mass for the birthday of Princess Maria, Miklós's wife. Thus, the last six Haydnian masses were born, including Nelson's, which has always and everywhere enjoyed the special sympathy of the public.
The last period of Haydn's work also includes two large oratorios - The Creation of the World (Die Schpfung) and The Seasons (Die Jahreszeiten). During his stay in England, Haydn became acquainted with the work of G. F. Handel, and, apparently, the Messiah and Israel in Egypt inspired Haydn to create his own epic choral works. The oratorio The Creation of the World was first performed in Vienna in April 1798; Seasons - three years later. Work on the second oratorio seems to have exhausted the master's strength. Haydn spent his last years in peace and quiet in his cozy house on the outskirts of Vienna, in Gumpendorf (now within the capital). In 1809 Vienna was besieged by Napoleonic troops and in May they entered the city. Haydn was already very weak; he got out of bed only to sing the clavier of the Austrian national anthem, which he himself had composed a few years earlier. Haydn died May 31, 1809.
Formation of style. Haydn's style is organically linked to the soil on which he grew up - with Vienna, the great Austrian capital, which was for the Old World the same "melting pot" that New York was for the New World: Italian, South German and other traditions were fused here in the same style. Viennese composer of the mid-18th century he had at his disposal several different styles: one - "strict", intended for masses and other church music: in it, as before, the main role belonged to polyphonic writing; the second is operatic: the Italian style prevailed in it until the time of Mozart; the third is for "street music" represented by the genre of cassations, often for two horns and strings, or for a wind ensemble. Once in this motley world, Haydn quickly created his own style, moreover, the same for all genres, be it a mass or a cantata, a street serenade or a clavier sonata, a quartet or a symphony. According to the stories, Haydn claimed that he was most influenced by K.F.E.
As for the Haydnian symphonies, they are firmly connected with the Austrian tradition: the works of G.K.
Creation. Among Haydn's best-known works are The Creation and The Seasons, epic oratorios in the late Handel style. These works made the author famous in Austria and Germany to a greater extent than his instrumental opuses.
By contrast, in England and America (as well as in France), the foundation of the Haydnian repertoire is orchestral music, and some of the symphonies - at least the same Symphony with a beat of the timpani - enjoy, deservedly or not, a special preference. Popularity is retained in England and America and other London symphonies; the last of them, N12 in D major (London), is rightfully considered the pinnacle of Haydnian symphonism.
Unfortunately, works of chamber genres in our time are not so well known and loved - perhaps because the practice of home, amateur quartet and ensemble music in general is gradually fading away. Professional quartets performing before the “public” are not an environment in which music is performed only for the sake of music itself, but Haydn’s string quartets and piano trios, which contain the musician’s deeply personal, intimate statements, his deepest thoughts, are intended primarily for performances in an intimate chamber atmosphere among close people, but not at all for virtuosos in front, cold concert halls.
The twentieth century revived Haydn's Masses for soloists, choir and orchestra - monumental masterpieces of the choral genre with complex accompaniment. Although these compositions have always been fundamental in Vienna's church music repertoire, they have never previously been distributed outside of Austria. At present, however, sound recording has conveyed to the general public these beautiful works, which mainly belong to the late period of the composer's work (1796-1802). Among the 14 masses, the most perfect and dramatic is Missa in Angustiis (Mass in times of fear, or Nelson's Mass, composed in the days of the historic victory of the English fleet over the French in the battle of Abukir, 1798).
With regard to clavier music, one should especially highlight the late sonatas (NN50-52, dedicated to Teresa Jensen in London), the late clavier trios (almost all created during the composer's stay in London) and the exceptionally expressive Andante con variazione in F minor (in the autograph kept by in the New York Public Library, this work is called "sonata"), appeared in 1793, between Haydn's two trips to England.
In the genre of the instrumental concerto, Haydn did not become an innovator, and in general did not feel any particular attraction to him; The most interesting example of the concerto in the composer's work is undoubtedly the concerto for trumpet and orchestra in E-flat major (1796), written for an instrument with valves, a distant predecessor of the modern valve trumpet. In addition to this late composition, one should mention the Cello Concerto in D major (1784) and a cycle of elegant concertos written for the Neapolitan king Ferdinand IV: they are soloed by two hurdy-gurdies with organ pipes (lira organizzata) - rare instruments that sound like a barrel organ.
The value of Haydn's work. In the 20th century it turned out that Haydn cannot be considered, as previously believed, the father of the symphony. Complete symphonic cycles, including the minuet, were created already in the 1740s; that even earlier, between 1725 and 1730, four Albinoni symphonies appeared, also with minuets (their manuscripts were found in the German city of Darmstadt). I. Stamitz, who died in 1757, i.e. at the time when Haydn began to work in orchestral genres, he was the author of 60 symphonies. Thus, Haydn's historical merit is not in creating the symphony genre, but in summarizing and improving what was done by his predecessors. But Haydn can be called the father of the string quartet. Apparently, before Haydn there was no genre with the following typical features: 1) composition - two violins, viola and cello; 2) four-part (allegro in sonata form, slow part, minuet and finale or allegro, minuet, slow part and finale) or five-part (allegro, minuet, slow part, minuet and finale - options that do not change the form in essence). This model grew out of the genre of divertissement in the form in which it was cultivated in Vienna in the middle of the 18th century. Many five-part divertissements are known, written by different authors around 1750 for different compositions, i.e. for a wind ensemble or for wind and strings (a composition of two horns and strings was especially popular), but so far it has not been possible to find a cycle for two violins, viola and cello.
We now know that among the many technical innovations previously attributed to Haydn, most, strictly speaking, are not his discoveries; Haydn's greatness lies rather in the fact that he was able to comprehend, elevate and bring to perfection the previously existing simple forms. I would like to note one technical discovery, mainly due to Haydn personally: this is the form of the rondo sonata, in which the principles of the sonata (exposition, development, reprise) merge with the principles of the rondo (A-B-C-A or A-B-A-C -A-B-A). Most of the finales in Haydn's later instrumental compositions (such as the finale of the N97 in C major) are excellent examples of the rondo sonata. In this way, a distinct formal distinction was achieved between the two rapid movements of the sonata cycle, the first and the final.
Haydn's orchestral writing reveals a gradual weakening of the connection with the old basso continuo technique, in which a keyboard instrument or organ filled the sound space with chords and formed a "skeleton" on which other lines of a modest orchestra of those times were superimposed. In Haydn's mature works, basso continuo practically disappears, except, of course, for recitatives in vocal works, where clavier or organ accompaniment is still needed. In his interpretation of woodwinds and brass, Haydn from the very first steps reveals an innate sense of color; even in rather modest scores, the composer demonstrates an unmistakable flair in the choice of orchestral timbres. Written with very limited means, Haydn's symphonies are, in the words of Rimsky-Korsakov, orchestrated as well as any other music in Western Europe.
A great master, Haydn tirelessly updated his language; together with Mozart and Beethoven, Haydn formed and brought to a rare degree of perfection the style of the so-called. Viennese classicism. The beginnings of this style lie back in the Baroque era, and its later period leads directly to the era of romanticism. Fifty years of Haydn's creative life filled the deepest stylistic abyss - between Bach and Beethoven. In the 19th century all attention was focused on Bach and Beethoven, and at the same time they forgot the giant who managed to bridge between these two worlds.
One of the greatest composers of all time is Franz Joseph Haydn. Brilliant musician of Austrian origin. The man who created the foundations of the classical music school, as well as the orchestral and instrumental standard that we observe in our time. In addition to these merits, Franz Josef represented the Vienna Classical School. There is an opinion among musicologists that the musical genres of symphony and quartet were first composed by Joseph Haydn. The talented composer lived a very interesting and eventful life. You will learn about this and much more on this page.
Franz Joseph Haydn. Movie.
short biography
On March 31, 1732, little Josef was born in the fair commune of Rorau (Lower Austria). His father was a wheelwright and his mother worked as a kitchen maid. Thanks to his father, who loved to sing, the future composer became interested in music. Absolute pitch and an excellent sense of rhythm were bestowed on little Josef by nature. These musical abilities allowed the talented boy to sing in the Gainburg church choir. Later, Franz Josef will be admitted to the Vienna Choir Chapel at the Catholic Cathedral of St. Stephen.
At the age of sixteen, Josef lost his job - a place in the choir. This happened just at the time of the voice mutation. Now he has no income for existence. Out of desperation, the young man takes on any job. The Italian vocal maestro and composer Nicola Porpora took the youngster as his servant, but Josef found profit in this work as well. The boy delves into musical science and begins to take lessons from a teacher.
Porpora could not fail to notice that Josef had genuine feelings for music, and on this basis, the famous composer decides to offer the young man an interesting job - to become his personal valet companion. Haydn held this position for almost ten years. The maestro paid for his work mainly not with money, he studied music theory and harmony with the young talent for free. So the talented young man learned many important musical fundamentals in different directions. Over time, Haydn's material problems slowly begin to disappear, and his initial compositional works are successfully accepted by the public. At this time, the young composer writes the first symphony.
Despite the fact that in those days it was already considered "too late", Haydn only at the age of 28 decides to start a family with Anna Maria Keller. And this marriage was unsuccessful. According to his wife, Josef had an obscene profession for a man. Over the course of two dozen lives together, the couple did not have children, which also affected the unsuccessfully established family history. But an unpredictable life brought Franz Josef together with the young and charming opera singer Luigia Polzelli, who was only 19 years old when they met. But the passion faded pretty quickly. Haydn seeks patronage among rich and powerful people. In the early 1760s, the composer got a job as the second bandmaster in the palace of the influential Esterhazy family. For 30 years, Haydn has been working at the court of this noble dynasty. During this time, he composed a huge number of symphonies - 104.
Haydn had few close friends, but one of them was Amadeus Mozart. Composers meet in 1781. After 11 years, Joseph is introduced to the young Ludwig van Beethoven, whom Haydn makes his student. Service at the palace ends with the death of the patron - Josef loses his position. But the name of Franz Joseph Haydn has already thundered not only in Austria, but also in many other countries such as: Russia, England, France. During his stay in London, the composer earned almost as much in one year as in 20 years as bandmaster of the Esterházy family, his former
Russian quartet op.33
Interesting Facts:
It is generally accepted that Joseph Haydn's birthday is March 31st. But, in his certificate, another date was indicated - April 1. According to the composer's diaries, such a minor change was made in order not to celebrate his holiday on the "April Fool's Day".
Little Josef was so talented that at the age of 6 he could play the drums! When the drummer, who was supposed to take part in the Great Week procession, suddenly died, Haydn was asked to replace him. Because the future composer was not tall, due to the peculiarities of his age, then a hunchback walked in front of him, who had a drum tied on his back, and Josef could calmly play the instrument. The rare drum still exists today. It is located in the Hainburg Church.
It is known that Haydn had a very strong friendship with Mozart. Mozart greatly respected and revered his friend. And if Haydn criticized the work of Amadeus or gave any advice, Mozart always listened, Joseph's opinion for the young composer was always in the first place. Despite the peculiar temperaments and age difference, the friends had no quarrels and disagreements.
Symphony No. 94. "Surprise"
1. Adagio - Vivace assai
2. Andante
3. Menuetto: Allegro molto
4. Finale: Allegro molto
Haydn has a Symphony with timpani beats, or it is also called "Surprise". The history of the creation of this symphony is interesting. Josef periodically toured London with the orchestra, and one day he noticed how some of the audience fell asleep during the concert or were already having beautiful dreams. Haydn suggested that this happens because the British intelligentsia are not used to listening to classical music and have no special feelings for art, but the British are a people of traditions, so they always attended concerts. The composer, the soul of the company and the merry fellow, decided to act cunningly. After a short thought, he wrote a special symphony for the English public. The work began with quiet, smooth, almost lulling melodic sounds. Suddenly, in the process of sounding, a drum beat and thunder of timpani were heard. Such a surprise was repeated in the work more than once. Thus, Londoners no longer fell asleep in concert halls where Haydn conducted.
Symphony No. 44. "trauer".
1. Allegro con brio
2. Menuetto - Allegretto
3. Adagio 15:10
4.Presto 22:38
Concerto for piano and orchestra, D major.
The last work of the composer is the oratorio "The Seasons". He composes it with great difficulty, he was hampered by a headache and problems with sleep.
The great composer dies at the age of 78 (May 31, 1809). Joseph Haydn spent his last days at his home in Vienna. Later it was decided to transport the remains to the city of Eisenstadt.
Joseph Haydn was given a long life by fate - the composer died at the age of 77, but this is not the only reason why his creative heritage is so extensive: he wrote more than a hundred symphonies alone.
The future composer was born in the village of Rorau, located in the possessions of the counts of Harrach in Lower Austria. There is also a peculiar secret in the composer's biography: in his works he willingly quoted Croatian folk melodies, and in the area where he was born, representatives of this people live now, lived then - along with the Hungarians and Czechs ... it is not excluded (although not proven ) that the "father of the symphony" could have Slavic roots.
Matthias Haydn - Joseph's father - was a carriage master, but the family was fond of amateur music making, which allowed his parents to notice the boy's musical abilities. To learn choral singing, play the violin and harpsichord, he was sent to his relatives in Hainburg an der Donau. Here, the director of the chapel of the Vienna Cathedral drew the attention of a talented boy, and the eight-year-old Joseph went to Vienna, where he worked as a chorister for several years. Often he performed solo, because Josef had an excellent treble, but only this was appreciated in him: no one taught him compositions, and when the young man's voice began to break, he was simply thrown out into the street.
Dragging out a half-starved existence, earning a penny by private lessons and playing the violin in a wandering ensemble, the young man, despite the circumstances, improved his composing skills. He studies the clavier music of Philipp Emmanuel Bach, delves into the musical and theoretical works of German authors. For the composition lessons that Nicola Porpora gave him, Haydn was not able to pay and instead of paying he worked them out as an accompanist in singing lessons and even as a servant.
Luck smiled on Haydn in 1759 - he became the conductor of the court chapel of Count Morcin. In the service of this aristocrat, Haydn wrote his first symphonies and quartets. True, he did not stay as bandmaster of Mortsin for long - in 1761 the count dissolved his chapel, but during this time another aristocrat, the Hungarian prince Esterhazy, managed to pay attention to the composer. He accepted Haydn to the post of vice-kapellmeister, and in 1766 - bandmaster. In this position, he was obliged to direct the orchestra, compose music and even stage operas.
Perhaps the position of the court bandmaster played a certain role in what a huge legacy Haydn left - often, by order of Prince Esterhazy, the composer had to not only write a symphony in one day, but also learn it with the court orchestra. And yet, the main explanation for such a high productivity lies in the “method” that Joseph Haydn himself once described: every morning, having made a prayer, he set to composing music, and if he didn’t succeed, he prayed again - and worked again ... truly , he was a "craftsman" in the best, highest sense of the word - a man whose whole life was spent in tireless work ... Perhaps he learned this from his father - a carriage master?
Haydn entered the history of music as the "father of the symphony". This genre existed before, but it was in Haydn's work that the sonata-symphony cycle became what we know it now - three parts in a sonata and four in a symphony, each of which has something that is not in the others ... The quintessence of classicism thinking with his cult of reason and measure. This scheme turned out to be so successful that it did not collapse either under the pressure of the passions of romanticism or in the storms of the 20th century - it changed, appeared in a new quality, but always remained - and we owe this to Joseph Haydn.
At first, Haydn's works, written in the service of Esterhazy, were considered the property of this aristocratic family, but in 1779 the contract was changed, and the composer received the right to sell his scores to publishers. This contributed to the international fame of the composer.
At the court of Esterhazy, Haydn served for about thirty years. In 1790, the prince died, his son disbanded the orchestra, but according to the prince's will, the composer received a lifelong pension. Thanks to this, Haydn was able to go abroad, which he could not afford before. Twice the composer visited London, where his music enjoyed great success. For the first time in many years, the composer had the opportunity to work with large orchestras and perform in large halls in front of the general public, and not in front of a narrow circle of aristocrats. The composer's twelve symphonies, written at this time and known as the London Symphonies, became the pinnacle of his symphonic work.
Exceptional performance allowed Haydn to surprise the world at the age of 67. At this age, when people are already reluctant to take on something new, the composer created a work in a genre that he had previously turned to only once and without much success - the oratorio "", which the critic Alexander Serov later called "a gigantic creation." Two years later, a new masterpiece in the oratorio genre followed - "". The oratorios became the "spectacular point" of Haydn's creative path. In the last years of his life, he no longer created music. The composer passed away in 1809 - shortly after the Napoleonic troops attacked Vienna.
According to the composer himself, most of all in a difficult life and tireless work, he was supported by the realization that his work would serve people as “a source from which a burdened, weary soul, burdened with troubles, will draw calm and vigor.” One cannot but agree with this when listening to his sonatas, symphonies and oratorios.
Music Seasons
On our website) wrote up to 125 symphonies (of which the first were designed for string orchestra, oboes, horns; the latter, in addition, for flute, clarinets, bassoons, trumpets and timpani). Of Haydn's orchestral compositions, the Seven Words of the Savior on the Cross and over 65 divertissements, cassations, etc. are also known. In addition, Haydn wrote 41 concertos for a wide variety of instruments, 77 string quartets, 35 trios for piano, violin and cellos, 33 trios for other instrumental combinations, 175 pieces for baritone (Count Esterhazy's favorite instrument), 53 piano sonatas, fantasies, etc., and many other instrumental pieces. Of Haydn's vocal works are known: 3 oratorios, 14 masses, 13 offertorias, cantatas, arias, duets, trios, etc. Haydn wrote 24 more operas, most of which were intended for the modest home theater of Count Esterhazy; Haydn himself did not want their execution elsewhere. He also composed the Austrian national anthem.
Portrait of Joseph Haydn. Artist T. Hardy, 1791
Haydn's significance in the history of music is based mainly on his symphonies and quartets, which have not lost their lively artistic interest even today. Haydn was the finalist of that process of separating instrumental music from vocal music, which began long before him on the basis of dance forms and whose main representatives before Haydn were S. Bach, his son Em. Bach, Sammartini and others. The sonata form of the symphony and quartet, as developed by Haydn, served as the basis of instrumental music for the entire classical period.
Joseph Haydn. The best works
Haydn's merit is also great in the development of the orchestral style: he was the first to initiate the individualization of each instrument, highlighting its characteristic, original properties. One instrument with him is often opposed to another, one orchestral group to another. That is why Haydn's orchestra is notable for its hitherto unknown life, variety of sonorities, expressiveness, especially in the latest compositions, which did not remain without the influence of Mozart, who was a friend and admirer of Haydn. Haydn also expanded the form of the quartet, and by the nobility of his quartet style he gave it a special and profound significance in music. "Old cheerful Vienna", with its humor, naivety, cordiality and, at times, unbridled agility, with all the conventions of the era of the minuet and pigtails, was reflected in the works of Haydn. But when Haydn had to convey a deep, serious, passionate mood in music, he also achieved strength here, unprecedented among his contemporaries; in this respect he adjoins directly to Mozart and
This year marks the 280th anniversary of the birth of J. Haydn. I was interested to learn some facts from the life of this composer.
1. Although in the composer's metrics in the column "date of birth" it is written "April 1st", he himself claimed that he was born on the night of March 31, 1732. A small biographical study published in 1778 attributes to Haydn the following words: “My brother Michael declared that I was born on March 31. He did not want people to say that I came into this world as an “April Fool”.
2. Albert Christoph Dees, a biographer of Haydn who wrote about his early years, tells how, at the age of six, he also learned to play the drum and took part in the procession during Holy Week, where he replaced the suddenly deceased drummer. The drum was tied to the back of a hunchback so that a little boy could play it. This instrument is still kept in the church of Hainburg. 
3. Haydn started writing music without any knowledge of musical theory. One day, the bandmaster caught Haydn writing a twelve-voice choir to the glory of the Virgin, but did not even bother to offer advice or help to the novice composer. According to Haydn, during his stay in the cathedral, the mentor taught him only two theory lessons. How the music is "arranged" the boy learned in practice, studying everything that he had to sing at the services.
Later, he told Johann Friedrich Rochlitz: “I never had a real teacher. I started learning from the practical side - first singing, then playing musical instruments, and only then composition. I listened more than studied. I listened carefully and tried to use what made the greatest impression on me. That's how I acquired knowledge and skills." 
4. In 1754 Haydn received news that his mother had died at the age of forty-seven. Fifty-five-year-old Matthias Haydn soon after married his maid, who was only nineteen. So Haydn had a stepmother who was three years younger than him. 
5. Haydn's beloved girl, for unknown reasons, preferred a monastery to a wedding. It is not known why, but Haydn married her older sister, who turned out to be grumpy and completely indifferent to music. According to the musicians with whom Haydn worked, in an effort to annoy her husband, she used manuscripts of his works instead of baking paper. In addition, the spouses did not manage to experience parental feelings - the couple did not have children. 
6. Tired of a long separation from their families, the musicians of the orchestra turned to Haydn with a request to convey to the prince their desire to see their relatives and the maestro, as always, came up with a tricky way to tell about their anxiety - this time with the help of a musical joke. In Symphony No. 45, the final movement ends in the key of C sharp major instead of the expected F sharp major (this creates instability and tension that needs to be resolved). At this point, Haydn inserts an Adagio to convey the mood of the musicians to his patron. The orchestration is original: the instruments fall silent one after another, and each musician, having finished the part, extinguishes the candle at his music stand, collects the notes and quietly leaves, and in the end only two violins remain playing in the silence of the hall. Fortunately, without getting angry at all, the prince took the hint: the musicians wanted to go on vacation. The next day, he ordered everyone to prepare for an immediate departure to Vienna, where the families of most of his servants remained. And Symphony No. 45 has since been called "Farewell". 
7. John Bland, a London publisher, came to Esterhase, where Haydn lived, in 1789 to get hold of his new works. There is a story connected with this visit that explains why the String Quartet in F minor, Op. 55 No. 2, called "Razor". With difficulty shaving with a dull razor, Haydn, according to legend, exclaimed: "I would give my best quartet for a good razor." Upon hearing this, Blend immediately handed him his set of English steel razors. True to his word, Haydn donated the manuscript to the publisher. 
8. Haydn and Mozart first met in Vienna in 1781. A very close friendship developed between the two composers, without a hint of envy or a hint of rivalry. The great respect with which each of them treated the work of the other contributed to mutual understanding. Mozart showed his older friend his new works and unconditionally accepted any criticism. He was not a student of Haydn, but he valued his opinion above that of any other musician, even his father. They were very different in age and temperament, but, despite the differences in characters, the friends never quarreled. 
9. Prior to discovering Mozart's operas, Haydn wrote more or less regularly for the stage. He was proud of his operas, but, feeling the superiority of Mozart in this musical genre and at the same time not at all jealous of a friend, he lost interest in them. In the autumn of 1787, Haydn received an order from Prague for a new opera. The answer was the following letter, from which one can see the strength of the composer's attachment to Mozart and how alien Haydn was to striving for personal gain: "You are asking me to write an opera buffa for you. If you are going to stage it in Prague, I am forced to reject your offer, so how all my operas are so closely tied to Esterhase that they cannot be properly performed outside of her. Everything would be different if I could write a completely new work especially for the Prague Theater. But even then it would be difficult for me to compete with a man like Mozart." 
10. There is a story explaining why the Symphony No. 102 in B flat major is called "The Miracle". At the premiere of this symphony, as soon as its last sounds ceased, all the spectators rushed to the front of the hall to express their admiration for the composer. At that moment, a huge chandelier fell off the ceiling and fell right on the spot where the audience had recently been sitting. That no one was hurt was a miracle. 
Thomas Hardy, 1791-1792
11. The Prince of Wales (later King George IV) commissioned a portrait of Haydn from John Hoppner. When the composer sat down on a chair to pose for the artist, his face, always cheerful and cheerful, became uncommonly serious. Wanting to return the smile inherent in Haydn, the artist specially hired a German maid to entertain the eminent guest with a conversation while the portrait was being painted. As a result, in the painting (now in the collection of Buckingham Palace), Haydn does not have such a tense expression on his face. 
John Hoppner, 1791
12. Haydn never considered himself handsome, on the contrary, he thought that nature had deprived him outwardly, but at the same time, the composer was never deprived of the attention of ladies. His cheerful nature and subtle flattery ensured him their favor. He was on very good terms with many of them, but with one, Mrs. Rebecca Schroeter, widow of the musician Johann Samuel Schroeter, he was especially close. Haydn even admitted to Albert Christoph Dees that if he had been single at that time, he would have married her. Rebecca Schroeter repeatedly sent fiery love messages to the composer, which he carefully copied into his diary. At the same time, he maintained a correspondence with two other women for whom he also had strong feelings: with Luigia Polcelli, a singer from Esterhase, who at that time lived in Italy, and Marianne von Genzinger. 
13. One day, a friend of the composer, the famous surgeon John Hunter, suggested that Haydn remove polyps in his nose, from which the musician suffered most of his life. When the patient arrived in the operating room and saw the four burly attendants who were supposed to hold him during the operation, he was frightened and began to scream and struggle in horror, so that all attempts to operate on him had to be abandoned. 
14. By the beginning of 1809, Haydn was almost an invalid. The last days of his life were restless: Napoleon's troops captured Vienna in early May. During the bombing of the French, a shell fell near Haydn's house, the whole building shook, and panic arose among the servants. The patient must have suffered greatly from the roar of the cannonade, which did not stop for more than a day. Nevertheless, he still had the strength to reassure his servants: "Don't worry, as long as Papa Haydn is here, nothing will happen to you." When Vienna surrendered, Napoleon ordered that a sentry be posted near Haydn's house to ensure that the dying man was no longer disturbed. It is said that almost every day, despite his weakness, Haydn played the Austrian national anthem on the piano - as an act of protest against the invaders. 
15. In the early morning of May 31, Haydn fell into a coma and quietly left this world. In the city where enemy soldiers were in charge, many days passed before people learned of Haydn's death, so that his funeral went almost unnoticed. On June 15, a funeral service was held in honor of the composer, at which Mozart's Requiem was performed. The service was attended by many senior ranks of the French officers. At first, Haydn was buried in a cemetery in Vienna, but in 1820 his remains were transferred to Eisenstadt. When the grave was opened, it was found that the composer's skull was missing. It turns out that two of Haydn's friends bribed the gravedigger at the funeral to take the composer's head. From 1895 to 1954, the skull was in the museum of the Society of Music Lovers in Vienna. Then, in 1954, he was finally buried along with the rest of the remains in the garden of the Bergkirche, the city church of Eisenstadt. 
