Joseph Haydn and His Contributions to the Musical World

Joseph Haydn is known as one of the most profound composers of the classical period. His efforts towards the musical world are now legendary as are his pieces of which he specialised and strongly produced Symphonies and String Quartets. He also took part making history creating sonatas and piano trios.

Born on the 31st March 1732, the Austrian born composer grew up in the small farming village of Rohrau (located near the border of Hungary) with his father Mathias Haydn who made money as a wheelwright and helped out in the mayors’ office, his mother Maria Koller who was a cook for the palace of Count Harrach as well as eleven other siblings of which he was the second oldest.

His family was quite musical as his father was a self taught harp player and folk musician. Haydn often told stories of his childhood and recalled his family singing with their neighbours on many occasions. The family often performed shows on a Sunday. His father would play the harp whilst Haydn and his mother would sing. His musical talent was discovered by his father who soon realised he would have no career in Rohrau.

The acceptance of a proposal from their relative Johann Matthias Frankh gave Haydn the opportunity to attend music school at the age of 5. The school was not a place of fond memory as there were small portions of food and often the children got flogged, not to mention the homesickness. But through it all, Haydn succeeded well with his school work and an opportunity to prove himself was never turned down. He was pretty good at singing at the time and 2 years later he joined the Viennese Cathedral choir, where he was trained to further improve his singing and also learnt to play the piano and violin. This was where he spent his schooling yea...

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...d a few years later and Haydn took another turn in his career. This time his travels lead him to London where he was again employed, this time by J.P Salomon to compose symphonies. He was 60 years old at the time, but yet he still produced many new pieces and perhaps produced the best of his collection called “The London Symphony”

He moved back to Austria, producing a few more pieces until his faithful house keeper Elssler announced he had passed away on the 31st May 1809. He lived to the age of 77 and made a huge contribution to the musical world.

.“I could work on my worm-eaten piano and did not envy any king for his happiness.”- A famous quote from Haydn as a poor man whilst living in an attic.

http://www.wien.gv.at/english/culture/haydn/biography.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/22673/haydn.html

http://www.essortment.com/all/franzjosephhay_rwml.htm