General characteristics of creativity. General characteristics of creativity and haydn years of life

Haydn (Haydn) Joseph (Franz Joseph) (31.3.1732, Rorau, Lower Austria - 31.5.1809, Vienna), Austrian composer. Representative of the Viennese classical school (along with W. A. ​​Mozart and L. van Beethoven). The son of a carriage master. He received his initial musical education from the school teacher and regent I. M. Frank in Hainburg. In 1740-49 he sang in the chapel of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, where he also learned to play the clavier, violin and organ. After his dismissal from the choir, he lived by odd jobs (corresponding notes, private lessons, performances as an organist, violinist, singer); in 1753-56 he worked as an accompanist for N. Porpora, simultaneously mastering the technique of composing. He made up for the lack of a systematic musical education based on the theoretical works of I. J. Fuchs, I. Mattheson, K. F. E. Bach. The beginning of Haydn's fame dates back to the 1750s, when, by order of the actor J. F. Kurz (Bernardon) and on his libretto, he created the singspiel "The Lame Demon" (based on the play of the same name by A. R. Lesage, staged in 1752, Vienna; not preserved). The string trios and quartets (1755; written for Baron Furnberg's musical circle) revealed the features of the composer's individual style: inexhaustible ingenuity, ease in using song and dance folklore, and a penchant for humorous effects.

In 1759-61, Haydn served as bandmaster at the Lukavice estate (near the city of Pilsen) at the court of Count Moritz, for whose chapel he created his first symphonies, in 1761-90 - with the Hungarian princes Esterhazy (vice bandmaster in Eisenstadt, from 1766 the first bandmaster) . Since 1769, he worked mainly in the summer residence of Esterházy on Lake Neusiedl. After the dissolution of the choir in 1790, Haydn received a lifetime pension from the prince and moved to Vienna, nominally remaining the court bandmaster. In 1791-1792 and 1794-95, Haydn visited England, where he participated in the subscription concerts of I. P. Salomon as a composer (including with specially written "London" symphonies No. 93-104) and conductor.

Haydn traveled a long and complex creative path from composing small divertissements and string trios to creating extended quartets and symphonies, from the direct use of folk household sources to their free implementation. Influences dating back to the Baroque and to the gallant style (in particular, to the composers of the Mannheim school) affected his early symphonies. Haydn's stylistic independence became stronger as he mastered the principles of motive-thematic development. In this sense, symphonies No. 22 ("Philosopher", Es-dur, 1764), No. 30 ("Hallelujah", C-dur), No. 31 ("With the melody of a horn, or On the traction", D-dur, 1765). Decisive shift towards crystallization own style marked the symphonies No. 39 (g-moll, 1770), No. 44 (“Funeral”, e-moll), No. 45 (“Farewell”, fis-moll, 1772), No. 49 (“La passione”, f-moll, 1768). In them and in 12 string quartets op. 17 (1771) and op. 20 (1772), lyrical-dramatic tendencies are clearly manifested, bringing Haydn closer to the course of Sturm und Drang in literature, as well as to the work of C. F. E. Bach. Stylistic echoes with the music of the latter are especially clear in the piano sonatas (D-dur, 1767; c-moll, 1771; F-dur, 1773), in the slow parts of the quartets, op. 9 No. 2 (circa 1770), op. 17 No. 5 (1771) and others. At the same time, striving for a logically organized embodiment of the idea, harmony, thoughtfulness of the statement, Haydn, as L. van Beethoven later did, sometimes turned to polyphonic form (fugues in quartets op. 20: No. 2 C-dur, No. 5 f-moll, No. 6 A-dur). An important achievement of the composer is the disclosure of the contrasting possibilities inherent in the thematic material as the basis for further musical transformations. With this, Haydn finally defined symphonism as a method of musical thinking.

Haydn considered the year 1781 to be the beginning of his creative maturity, noting that the 6 quartets op. 33 (the so-called "Russians", dedicated to the heir to the Russian throne, Pavel Petrovich) are written "in a completely new manner." This style he further honed over the course of two decades. The difference between the mature instrumental works of Haydn from the previous ones is in the perfect mastery of the technique of transformation thematic material. With the exception of the early symphonies No. 6-8 (“Morning”, “Noon”, “Evening”, 1761, written, apparently, taking into account the tastes of P. A. Esterhazy), symphony No. 26 (“Lamentatione”, d-moll, about 1770), instrumental passion "Seven last words our Savior on the Cross” [commissioned by the Cadiz Cathedral (Spain), version for orchestra and string quartet - 1787; in the form of an oratorio - around 1795], Haydn did not create program (in the proper sense of the word) works. At the same time, many of his works subsequently received names due to easily arising plot and subject associations. Sometimes prompted by the composer himself, they are mostly dictated by the clarity of images associated with genre themes.

In the oratorios The Creation of the World (text by G. van Swieten based on the poem Paradise Lost by J. Milton, 1798) and The Seasons (text by van Swieten based on the poem by J. Thomson, 1801), Haydn developed a lyric-epic interpretation of the genre, from G. F. Handel (acquaintance with his work was one of the strongest impressions taken from Haydn's trips to England). Oratorios are characterized by a bright national color, genre specificity, relief of images, and simplicity of artistic means. In them (mainly in The Four Seasons) Haydn widely uses the techniques of instrumental sound representation. The "Creation of the World" expressed the ideas of the Enlightenment about the high destiny of man. The Four Seasons are associated with the philosophy of J. J. Rousseau; this oratorio draws a parallel between the change of seasons and the course of human life. The highest achievements of Haydn's work include his last 6 masses (1796-1802). In them, one can hear a dramatic and intense understanding of the contrasts of life, the opposition of light and shadow, joy and suffering. Along with polyphonic, Haydn widely uses the techniques of symphonic development of material (a similar concept was continued in L. van Beethoven's Solemn Mass). The composer found an individual solution for each of the masses. Thus, the echoes of the war are heard in "Benedictus" of the mass in d-moll and "Agnus Dei" of the mass in C-dur (reflected in the name itself - "Mass of the Times of War").

In the music of Haydn, the desire of the era for naturalness and simplicity, inspired by the motto "Back to nature" (J.J. Rousseau), was manifested to a large extent. In Haydn's works equally elements of a democratic intonational-figurative system, and the sophistication of a gallant style are presented. The broad folklore origins of Haydn's music, its connections with folk art Austrians, Slavs, Hungarians, Italians corresponded to the multinational nature of the Austrian musical culture. The element of running that prevails in many fast parts of Haydn’s works was generated by the composer’s desire to establish an optimistic outlook on life, to accumulate in his work a reserve of energy from which, according to Haydn himself, “a person burdened with care or tired of work will draw rest and vigor.” The composer took a decisive step towards the individualization of the symphony, achieved differentiation and at the same time generalization of its content. According to I. Brahms, Haydn was the first to determine the responsibility that falls on a composer who starts creating a symphony. The name of Haydn is associated with the completion of the formation of modern symphony orchestra. He established the composition of the so-called classical (small) orchestra, which included a bow quintet (first and second violins, violas, cellos, double basses) and a group of wind instruments built on the principle of pairing (see Orchestra). Some of Haydn's works reflect sublime philosophical reflections, in meaning and in terms of means of embodiment, directly in contact with the work of L. van Beethoven (Largo of the 88th symphony in G-dur, 1787; Largo e sostenuto of the 37th piano sonata in D-dur, 1780). The prototype of Beethoven's theme of fate appears in the 1st part of the 49th piano sonata Es-dur (1790). Haydn also anticipated some expressive colors of musical romanticism, especially in the field of harmony (Andante of the unfinished string quartet op. 103, d-moll, 1803; introduction to the oratorio "Creation of the World"), orchestration ("Et incarnatus" of the last mass).

Haydn's vast legacy covers everything musical genres, which existed in Europe in the 18th century: 24 operas, including singspiel; 4 oratorios, 14 masses, numerous spiritual compositions, including 2 Te Deum, Stabat Mater, 2 Salve regina, Ave regina, 2 offertoria; solo cantatas and arias for voice and orchestra; for orchestra - more than 100 symphonies, overtures, dances; for instruments with an orchestra - a symphony-concert for a mixed composition of soloists, 11 concertos for clavier, 4 - for violin, 4 - for cello, 3 - for horn, etc.; ensembles - about 50 divertissements and suites for various compositions, about 100 string quartets, more than 40 trios for piano, violin and cello, string trios, including 21 for two violins and cello, 126 with bowed baritone, 11 with wind and others; for piano - 52 sonatas, 12 pieces, including Andante with variations in f-moll, more than 90 dances; for voice or voices with piano - 13 ensembles, 47 songs, 55 canons and rondos; over 400 treatments folk songs, of which more than 300 are Scottish, Irish and Welsh, including poems by R. Burns, W. Scott and others.

In Russia, during the life of Haydn, his symphonic, chamber ensembles and clavier compositions were popular; the real glory of the composer was brought by the performance of the oratorios "Creation of the World" (in German, Italian and translated by N. M. Karamzin, 1801) and “The Seasons” (translated by V. A. Zhukovsky, 1802), which influenced the formation of the oratorio genre in Russian music. Honorary Doctor of Oxford University (1791), member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music (1798), honorary citizen of the city of Vienna (1804), honorary member of the Musical Society of the city of Laibach (now Ljubljana, 1804), the Philharmonic Society in St. Petersburg (1808).

Sheet music: Werke / Hrsg. von J. Haydn-Institut Köln. Munch., 1958-. Bd 1-; Diletto musicale / Hrsg. von H. C. R. Landon u. A. W.; Münch., 1959-; Kritische Ausgabe sämtlicher Symphonien / Hrsg. von H. C. R. Landon. W., 1965-1968. Bd 1-12.

Decree. cit.: Hoboken A. von. J. Haydn. Thematisch-bibliographisches Werkverzeichnis. Mainz, 1957-1978. Bd 1-3.

Letters, materials: The collected correspondence and London notebooks / Ed. H. C. R. Landon. L., 1959; Gesammelte Briefe und Aufzeichnungen / Hrsg. von D. Bartha. Kassel, 1965.

Lit.: Pohl C. F. J. Haydn. IN.; Lpz., 1875-1927. Bd 1-3 (vervollständigt von H. Botstiber); Kuhao Fr. H. J. Haydn i hrvatske narodne popievke. Zagreb, 1880; Geiringer K. J. Haydn. Potsdam, 1932; idem. hayden. A creative life in music. 3rd ed. Berk., 1982 (with I. Geiringer); Wirt h H. J. Haydn als Dramatiker. Wolfenbüttel; V., 1940; Griesinger G. A. Biographische Notizenüber J. Haydn. W., 1954. Lpz., 1984; Landon H. C. R. The symphonies of J. Haydn. L., 1955. Suppl. L., 1961; idem. Haydn: chronicle and works. L., 1976-1980. Vol. 1-5; Bartha D., Somfai L. Haydn als Opernkapellmeister. Bdpst, 1960; Bericht über die internationale Konferenz zum Andenken J. Haydns: Budapest 1959. Bdpst, 1961; Seeger H. J. Haydn. Lpz., 1961; The Haydn yearbook / Ed. H. C. R. Landon. W., 1962-. Vol. 1; Steinpress B. Music of Haydn in Russia during the life of the composer // Musical performance. M., 1970, Sat. 6; Kremlev Yu. A. Y. Haydn. M., 1972; Novak L. I. Haydn. M., 1973; Larsen J. Die Haydn-Überlieferung. Munich, 1980; idem. Handel, Hayden, and the Viennese classical style. Ann Arbor, 1988; Larsen J., Feder G. The new Grove Haydn. L., 1982; J. Haydn. Münch., 1985 (Musik-Konzepte. N. 41); Vignal M. J. Haydn. R., 1988; Grave F.K., Grave M.G. F. J. Haydn: a guide to research. N.Y.; L., 1990; Larsen J. P., Feder G., Scheideler U. Haydn. Stuttg.; Weimar, 1994; Hayden and his world. Princeton, 1997; Haydn studies. Camb., 1998; Klimovitsky A. I. Haydn // Musical Petersburg. Encyclopedic Dictionary. SPb., 2000.T. 1: 18th century. Book. 1; Finscher L. J. Haydn und seine Zeit. Laber, 2000; Dis A.K. The life story of J. Haydn, recorded from his words. M., 2000; How to perform Haydn / Comp. A. M. Merkulov. M., 2004; Brown A. R., Berkenstock J. T. J. Haydn in Literature: a bibliography // Haydn-Studien. Koln; Munch., 1974. Bd 3. N. 3-4; Walter H. Haydn-Biblio-graphie 1973-1990 // Ibid. Koln; Munich, 1985-1992. Bd 5-6.

P. A. Vulfius, S. V. Grokhotov.

"FATHER" OF THE SYMPHONY JOSEPH HAYDN

This composer created with the hope that his works would help people become at least a little happier and serve as a source of vigor and inspiration. With these thoughts, he set about his favorite pastime. became the "father" of the symphony, the discoverer of other musical genres, he first wrote on German secular oratorios, and his masses became the pinnacle of the Viennese classical school.

Carriage maker's son

He was awarded many honorary titles, became a member of musical academies and societies, and the fame that came to him was well-deserved. No one could have imagined that the son of a carriage master from Austria would achieve such honors. Born in 1732 in the small Austrian village of Rorau. His father had no musical education, but he independently mastered playing the harp, not indifferent to music was the mother of the future composer. WITH early childhood parents discovered that Josef had good vocal skills and hearing. Already at the age of five, he loudly sang along with his father, and then learned to play the violin and clavier and came to the church choir to perform masses.

The far-sighted father sent the young Josef to a neighboring town to his relative Johann Matthias Frank, the rector of the school. He taught children not only grammar and mathematics, but also gave them singing and violin lessons. There, Haydn mastered string and wind instruments and learned to play the timpani, retaining gratitude to his teacher for life.

Diligence, perseverance and natural beautiful treble made young Josef famous in the city. One day I came there Viennese composer Georg von Reuter, to select underage singers for his chapel. made an impression on him and at the age of 8 he got into the choir of the largest cathedral in Vienna. For eight years, young Haydn mastered the art of singing, the subtleties of composition, and even tried to compose spiritual works for several voices.

heavy bread

The most difficult period for Haydn began in 1749, when he had to earn a living by taking lessons, singing in various church choirs, and accompanying singers and play in ensembles. At the same time, the young man never lost heart and did not lose his desire to comprehend everything new. He took lessons from the composer Nicolo Porpora, and paid him by accompanying his young students. Haydn studied books on composition and analyzed clavier sonatas, until late at night he diligently composed music of various genres. And in 1951, in one of the suburban theaters in Vienna, Haydn's singspiel called "The Lame Demon" was staged. In 1755 he produced his first string quartet, and four years later his first symphony. These genres will become the most important in all the composer's work in the future.

The Strange Union of Joseph Haydn

The fame acquired in Vienna helped the young musician get a job with Count Morzin. It was for his chapel that he wrote his first five symphonies. By the way, in less than two years of work with Mortsin, the composer managed to tie the knot. 28-year-old Josef had tender feelings for the youngest daughter of the court hairdresser, and she, unexpectedly for everyone, went to the monastery. Then Haydn, either in retaliation or for some other reason, married her sister Maria Keller, who was 4 years older than Joseph. Their family union did not become happy. The composer's wife was grumpy and wasteful, she did not appreciate her husband's talent at all, she folded his manuscripts into papillottes or used them instead of baking paper. But, surprisingly, they family life in the absence of love, desired children and home comfort lasted about 40 years.

In the service of the prince

The turning point in the creative life of Joseph Haydn was 1761, when he signed a working contract with Prince Paul Esterhazy. For a long 30 years, the composer served as court bandmaster of an aristocratic family. The prince and his relatives lived in Vienna only in winter, and spent the rest of the time at his residence in the town of Eisenstadt or at the estate in Esterhazy. Therefore, Joseph had to leave the capital for 6 years. When Prince Paul died, his brother Nikolaus expanded the chapel to 16 people. There were two theaters in the family estate: one was intended for the performance of operas and dramas, and the second for puppet shows.

Of course, Haydn's position was highly dependent, but for that time it was considered quite natural. The composer valued his now comfortable life and always remembered his youthful years of need. Sometimes he was seized by spleen and a desire to throw off these fetters. Under the contract, he was obliged to compose those works that the prince wished. The composer had no right to show them to anyone, make copies or write for someone else. He had to be with Esterhazy all the time. Because of this, Joseph Haydn never managed to visit his homeland. classical music in Italy.

But there was another side to this life. Haydn did not experience material and domestic difficulties, so he could safely engage in creativity. The entire orchestra was at his full disposal, thanks to which the composer had a great opportunity to experiment and perform his compositions at almost any time.

Late love

Prince Esterhazy Castle Theater

He devoted four decades to the symphony. He wrote more than a hundred works in this genre. In the theater of Prince Esterhazy, he staged 90 operas. And in the Italian troupe of this theater, the composer also found late love. The young Neapolitan singer Luigia Polcelli enchanted Haydn. Passionately in love, Josef achieved an extension of the contract with her, especially for her simplified the vocal parts, perfectly understanding her capabilities. But Luigia did not bring him real happiness - she was too selfish. Therefore, even after the death of his wife, Haydn prudently did not marry her, and even in the last version of the will he reduced the amount originally allocated to her by half, while noting that there were more needy people.

Glory and male friendship

At last the time has come when glory Joseph Haydn went beyond the borders of his native Austria. By order of the concert society of Paris, he wrote six symphonies, then received orders from the capital of Spain. His works began to be published in Naples and London, and the competing entrepreneurs of the Foggy Albion invited him on tour. The most amazing event was the performance of two symphonies by Joseph Haydn in New York.

At the same time, the life of the great composer was illuminated by friendship with. It should be noted that their relationship was never overshadowed by the slightest rivalry or envy. Mozart claimed that it was from Joseph that he first learned how to create string quartets, so he dedicated several works to "Papa Haydn". Josef himself considered Wolfgang Amadeus the greatest contemporary composer.

Pan-European triumph

After 50 years, the usual way of life Joseph Haydn changed drastically. He received freedom, although he continued to be listed with the heirs of Prince Esterhazy as a court bandmaster. The chapel itself was dissolved by the descendants of the prince, and the composer left for Vienna. In 1791 he was invited on tour to England. The terms of the contract included the creation of six symphonies and their performance in London, as well as the writing of an opera and twenty other works. Haydn was given one of the best orchestras at his disposal, in which 40 musicians worked. A year and a half spent in London became triumphant for Joseph. The second English tour was no less successful and turned out to be the pinnacle of creativity for him. During these two trips to England, the composer composed almost 280 works and became a doctor of music at Oxford University - the oldest educational institution England. The king even offered the composer to stay in London, but he refused and returned to his native Austria.

By that time, the first lifetime monument was erected to him in his homeland near the village of Rorau, and in the capital an evening was organized at which Haydn's new symphonies and a piano concert performed by the maestro's student - were performed. They first met in Bonn when Haydn was on his way to London. At first, the classes were tense, but Wolfgang always treated the elderly composer with the greatest respect, and then dedicated piano sonatas to him.

In recent years I have become fascinated choral music. This interest arose after visiting grand festival in honor of George Frideric Handel, organized at Westminster Cathedral. Haydn then created several masses, as well as the oratorios The Seasons and The Creation of the World. The performance of the latter at the University of Vienna marked the composer's 76th birthday.

musical protest

At the beginning of 1809, the maestro's health deteriorated completely, he became almost an invalid. were also restless last days his life. Vienna was captured by Napoleon's troops, a shell fell near Haydn's house and the sick composer had to calm the servants. After surrender Napoleon gave the order to place a sentry near Haydn's house so that no one would disturb the dying. There is still a legend in Vienna that the weakened composer played the Austrian anthem almost every day in protest against the French invaders.

Gone Joseph Haydn the same year. A few years later, the descendants of Prince Esterhazy decided to rebury the maestro in the church of the city of Eisenstadt. When the coffin was opened, no skull was found under the preserved wig. It turned out that Haydn's friends secretly seized him before burial. Until 1954, the skull was in the museum of the Vienna Society of Music Lovers and only in the middle of the 20th century was it connected with the remains.

DATA

The musicians of the Prince Esterhazy Chapel often remained separated from their families for a long time. Once they turned to Haydn to tell the prince about their desire to see their relatives. The maestro figured out how to do it. The guests came to listen to his new symphony. Candles were lit on the music stands and notes were opened. After the first sounds, the horn player played part of his part, put down the instrument, put out the candle and left. one for to others, all musicians have done so. The guests just looked at each other in disbelief. The moment came when the last sound ceased, and all the lights went out. The prince understood Haydn's original hint and gave the musicians an opportunity to take a break from the uninterrupted service.

For most of his life he suffered from polyps in his nose. One day, his surgeon friend offered to remove them and save the composer from suffering. At first, he agreed, went into the operating room, saw several healthy orderlies who were to keep the maestro, was so frightened that he ran out of the room screaming, and was left with polyps.

Updated: April 7, 2019 by: Elena

Haydn is rightly considered the father of the symphony and quartet, the great founder of classical instrumental music, and the founder of the modern orchestra.

Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31, 1732 in Lower Austria, in the small town of Rorau, located on the left bank of the Leita River, between the towns of Brook and Hainburg, near the Hungarian border. Haydn's ancestors were hereditary Austro-German peasant artisans. The composer's father, Matthias, was a coachman. Mother - nee Anna Maria Koller - served as a cook.

The musicality of the father, his love for music was inherited by the children. Little Josef attracted the attention of musicians at the age of five. He had excellent hearing, memory, sense of rhythm. His sonorous silvery voice led everyone into admiration.

Thanks to their outstanding musical ability the boy first got into the church choir of the small town of Gainburg, and then into the choir chapel at the cathedral (main) St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. It was significant event in the life of Haydn. After all, he had no other opportunity to receive a musical education.

Singing in the choir was very good for Haydn, but the only school. The boy's abilities developed rapidly, and difficult solo parts began to be entrusted to him. The church choir often performed at city festivities, weddings, and funerals. The choir was also invited to participate in court celebrations. And how much time did it take to perform in the church itself, to rehearse? All this was a heavy burden for the little singers.

Josef was quick-witted and quickly perceived everything new. He even found time to play the violin and clavichord and achieved significant success. Only now his attempts to compose music did not meet with support. For nine years of being in the choir chapel, he received only two lessons from its leader!

However, the lessons did not appear immediately. Before that, I had to go through a desperate time of looking for a job. Little by little, I managed to find some work, although it did not provide, but still allowed me not to die of hunger. Haydn began to give singing and music lessons, played the violin at festive evenings, and sometimes just highways. On commission, he composed several of his first works. But all these earnings were accidental. Haydn understood that to become a composer one had to study hard and hard. He began to study theoretical works, in particular the books of I. Mattheson and I. Fuchs.

The collaboration with the Viennese comedian Johann Joseph Kurz proved to be useful. Kurtz was at that time very popular in Vienna as talented actor and author of a number of farces.

Kurtz, having met Haydn, immediately appreciated his talent and offered to compose music for the libretto of the comic opera The Crooked Demon compiled by him. Haydn wrote music, which, unfortunately, has not come down to us. We only know that The Crooked Demon was performed in the winter of 1751-1752 in the theater at the Karinth Gate and was a success. "Haydn received 25 ducats for him and considered himself very rich."

The bold debut of a young, still little known composer on theater stage in 1751 immediately brought him popularity in democratic circles and ... very bad reviews from the zealots of the old musical traditions. Reproaches of "buffoonery", "frivolity" and other sins were later transferred by various zealots of the "sublime" to the rest of Haydn's work, from his symphonies to his masses.

The last step creative youth Haydn - before he embarked on an independent composer's path - had classes with Nicola Antonio Porpora, Italian composer and bandmaster, a representative of the Neapolitan school.

Porpora reviewed Haydn's composing experiments and gave him instructions. Haydn, to reward the teacher, was an accompanist in his singing lessons and even waited on him.

Under the roof, in the cold attic where Haydn huddled, on an old broken clavichord, he studied the works of famous composers. A folk songs! How many he listened to them, wandering day and night through the streets of Vienna. Here and there a variety of folk tunes sounded: Austrian, Hungarian, Czech, Ukrainian, Croatian, Tyrolean. Therefore, Haydn's works are permeated with these wonderful melodies, for the most part cheerful and cheerful.

In the life and work of Haydn, a turning point was gradually brewing. His financial situation began to improve little by little, his position in life grew stronger. At the same time, the great creative talent brought its first significant fruits.

Around 1750, Haydn wrote a small mass (in F major), showing in it not only a talented assimilation of modern techniques of this genre, but also an obvious inclination to compose "jolly" church music. More important fact is the composition by the composer of the first string quartet in 1755.

The impetus was an acquaintance with a music lover, landowner Karl Furnberg. Inspired by Fürnberg's attention and material support, Haydn first wrote a series of string trios, and then the first string quartet, which was soon followed by about two dozen others. In 1756 Haydn composed the Concerto in C major. Haydn's philanthropist also took care of strengthening his financial position. He recommended the composer to the Viennese Bohemian aristocrat and music lover Count Josef Franz Morzin. Mortsin spent the winter in Vienna, and in the summer he lived on his estate Lukawiec near Pilsen. In the service of Mortsin, as a composer and bandmaster, Haydn received gratuitous premises, meals and salaries.

This service turned out to be short-lived (1759-1760), but still helped Haydn to take further steps in composition. In 1759, Haydn created his first symphony, followed by four others in the coming years.

Both in the field of the string quartet and in the field of the symphony, Haydn had to define and crystallize the genres of the new musical era: composing quartets, creating symphonies, he showed himself to be a bold, determined innovator.

While in the service of Count Morzin, Haydn fell in love with the youngest daughter of his friend, the Viennese hairdresser Johann Peter Keller, Teresa, and seriously intended to marry her. However, the girl, for reasons that remain unknown, left parental home, and her father did not find anything better than to say: "Haydn, you should marry my eldest daughter." It is not known what prompted Haydn to respond positively. One way or another, but Haydn agreed. He was 28 years old, the bride - Maria Anna Aloysia Apollonia Keller - 32. The marriage was concluded on November 26, 1760, and Haydn became ... an unhappy husband for many decades.

His wife soon showed herself to be a woman of the highest degree of narrow-mindedness, dullness and quarrelsomeness. She absolutely did not understand and did not appreciate the great talent of her husband. "She didn't care," Haydn once said in his old age, "whether her husband was a shoemaker or an artist."

Maria Anna ruthlessly destroyed a number of Haydn's music manuscripts, using them for papillottes and pâté linings. Moreover, she was very wasteful and demanding.

Having married, Haydn violated the conditions of service with Count Morcin - the latter accepted only unmarried people into his chapel. However, he did not have to hide the change in his personal life for a long time. Financial shock forced Count Morcin to give up musical pleasures and dissolve the chapel. Haydn was in danger of being left without a permanent income again.

But then he received an offer from a new, more powerful patron of the arts - the richest and most influential Hungarian magnate - Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy. Drawing attention to Haydn in Morzin's castle, Esterhazy appreciated his talent.

Not far from Vienna, in the small Hungarian town of Eisenstadt, and in the summer in the Estergaz country palace, Haydn spent thirty years as a bandmaster (conductor). The responsibilities of the bandmaster included directing the orchestra and singers. Haydn also had to compose symphonies, operas, quartets and other works at the request of the prince. Often the capricious prince ordered to write a new composition for next day! Talent and extraordinary diligence rescued Haydn here too. Operas appeared one after another, as well as symphonies, including "The Bear", "Children's", "School Teacher".

Leading the chapel, the composer could listen to the live performance of the works he created. This made it possible to correct everything that did not sound good enough, and remember what turned out to be especially successful.

During his service with Prince Esterhazy, Haydn wrote most of his operas, quartets and symphonies. In total, Haydn created 104 symphonies!

IN symphonies Haydn I did not set myself the task of individualizing the plot. The composer's programming is most often based on individual associations and pictorial "sketches". Even where it is more solid and consistent - purely emotionally, as in the "Farewell Symphony" (1772), or genre-wise, as in the "Military Symphony" (1794), it still lacks distinct plot foundations.

The enormous value of Haydn's symphonic concepts, for all their comparative simplicity and unpretentiousness - in a very organic reflection and implementation of the unity of the spiritual and physical world of man.

This opinion is expressed, and very poetically, by E.T.A. Hoffmann:

“In the writings of Haydn, the expression of a childishly joyful soul dominates; his symphonies lead us into boundless green groves, into a cheerful, motley crowd of happy people, young men and girls rush before us in choral dances; laughing children hide behind trees, behind rose bushes playfully tossing flowers. A life full of love, full of bliss and eternal youth, as before the fall; no suffering, no sorrow - only a sweetly elegiac desire for a beloved image that rushes far away, in the pink shimmer of evening, not approaching or disappearing, and while he is there, the night does not come, for he himself is the evening dawn burning above over the mountain and over the grove.

Haydn's craftsmanship has reached perfection over the years. His music invariably aroused the admiration of numerous Esterhazy guests. The name of the composer became widely known outside of his homeland - in England, France, Russia. Six symphonies performed in Paris in 1786 were called "Parisian". But Haydn had no right to go anywhere outside the princely estate, print his works or simply donate them without the consent of the prince. And the prince did not like the absences of "his" Kapellmeister. He was accustomed to Haydn, along with other servants, waiting at a certain time for his orders in the hall. At such moments, the composer especially acutely felt his dependence. "Am I a bandmaster or a bandleader?" he exclaimed bitterly in letters to friends. Once he still managed to escape and visit Vienna, see acquaintances, friends. How much joy brought him meetings with his beloved Mozart! Fascinating conversations gave way to the performance of quartets, where Haydn played the violin and Mozart the viola. With particular pleasure, Mozart performed the quartets written by Haydn. In this genre, the great composer considered himself his student. But such encounters were extremely rare.

Haydn had a chance to experience other joys - the joys of love. On March 26, 1779, the Polcellis were received into the Esterhazy Chapel. Antonio, the violinist, was no longer young. His wife, the singer Luigi, a Mauritanian from Naples, was only nineteen years old. She was very attractive. Luigia lived unhappily with her husband, as did Haydn. Exhausted by the company of his quarrelsome and quarrelsome wife, he fell in love with Luigi. This passion lasted, gradually weakening and fading, until the composer's old age. Apparently, Luigia reciprocated Haydn, but still, more self-interest than sincerity was manifested in her attitude. In any case, she steadily and very persistently extorted money from Haydn.

Rumor even called (it is not known whether it is fair) the son of Luigi Antonio, the son of Haydn. Her eldest son Pietro became the composer's favorite: Haydn took care of him like a father, took an active part in his education and upbringing.

Despite his dependent position, Haydn could not leave the service. At that time, the musician had the opportunity to work only in court chapels or lead the church choir. Before Haydn, not a single composer had ever ventured into an independent existence. Didn't dare to leave permanent job and Haydn.

In 1791, when Haydn was already about 60 years old, the old prince Esterhazy died. His heir, who did not feed Great love to music, dissolved the chapel. But he was also flattered that the composer, who had become famous, was listed as his bandmaster. This forced the young Esterhazy to give Haydn a pension sufficient to keep "his servant" from entering his new service.

Haydn was happy! Finally, he is free and independent! On the offer to go with concerts in England, he agreed. Traveling by ship, Haydn saw the sea for the first time. And how many times he dreamed about it, trying to imagine the boundless water element, the movement of the waves, the beauty and variability of the color of the water. Once in his youth, Haydn even tried to convey in music a picture of a raging sea.

Life in England was also unusual for Haydn. Concerts in which he conducted his works were held with triumphant success. This was the first open mass recognition of his music. The University of Oxford elected him an honorary member.

Haydn visited England twice. Over the years, the composer wrote his famous twelve London Symphonies. The London Symphonies complete the evolution of Haydn's symphony. His talent reached its peak. The music sounded deeper and more expressive, the content became more serious, the colors of the orchestra became richer and more varied.

Despite being very busy, Haydn managed to listen to new music as well. A particularly strong impression was made on him by the oratorios of the German composer Handel, his older contemporary. The impression of Handel's music was so great that, returning to Vienna, Haydn wrote two oratorios - "The Creation of the World" and "The Seasons".

The plot of the "Creation of the World" is extremely simple and naive. The first two parts of the oratorio tell about the emergence of the world by the will of God. The third and last part is about the paradise life of Adam and Eve before the fall.

A number of judgments of contemporaries and immediate descendants about the "Creation of the World" by Haydn are characteristic. This oratorio was a huge success during the composer's lifetime and greatly increased his fame. However, there were also critical voices. Naturally, the visual figurativeness of Haydn's music shocked philosophers and aesthetics, tuned in to the "sublime" way. Serov enthusiastically wrote about the "Creation of the World":

“What a gigantic creation is this oratorio! There is, by the way, one aria depicting the creation of birds - this is a decisively higher triumph of onomatopoeic music, and, moreover, "what energy, what simplicity, what ingenuous grace!" - it is decidedly beyond comparison. The oratorio The Four Seasons should be recognized as an even more significant work by Haydn than The Creation of the World. The text of the oratorio The Seasons, like the text of The Creation, was written by van Swieten. The second of Haydn's great oratorios is more diverse and deeply human not only in content but also in form. This is a whole philosophy, an encyclopedia of pictures of nature and Haydn's patriarchal peasant morality, glorifying work, love for nature, the delights of rural life and the purity of naive souls. In addition, the plot allowed Haydn to create a very harmonious and complete, harmonious musical concept of the whole.

The composition of the huge score of The Four Seasons was not easy for the decrepit Haydn, it cost him many worries and sleepless nights. In the end, he was tormented by headaches and the persistence of musical performances.

The London Symphonies and oratorios were the pinnacle of Haydn's work. After the oratorios, he wrote almost nothing. Life has been too stressful. His strength was gone. Last years the composer spent on the outskirts of Vienna, in a small house. A quiet and secluded dwelling was visited by admirers of the composer's talent. The conversations touched on the past. Haydn especially liked to remember his youth - hard, labor, but full of bold, persistent searches.

Haydn died in 1809 and was buried in Vienna. Subsequently, his remains were transferred to Eisenstadt, where he spent so many years of his life.

haydn composer instrumental orchestra

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-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.

Brief biography Joseph Haydn and a lot of interesting facts about the composer read on our page.

Short biography of Haydn

Haydn's biography began on March 31, 1732, when little Joseph 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 a father who loved to sing, future composer became interested in music. Perfect 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, due to the move, will be admitted to the Vienna Choir Chapel at the Catholic Cathedral of St. Stephen.


Due to stubbornness, sixteen-year-old 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 did not have a decent profession for a man. Within two dozen life together the couple never had children, which also affected the unsuccessfully developed family history. With all these troubles, the musical genius has been a faithful husband for 20 years. But an unpredictable life brought Franz Josef to a young and charming opera singer Luigia Polzelli, who at the time of their acquaintance was only 19 years old. Passionate love befell them, and the composer promised to marry her. But the passion faded rather quickly, and he did not keep his promise. 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 (Austria). 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 did not have many 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 time in London, the composer earned almost as much in one year as he did in 20 years as bandmaster for the Esterházy family, his former employers.

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 in his house in Vienna. Later it was decided to transport the remains to the city of Eisenstadt.



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 "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.
  • The young Haydn's singing voice was so impressive that he was asked to join the choir school at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna when the boy was only five years old.
  • The choirmaster of St. Stephen's Cathedral suggested that Haydn be subjected to a certain operation to prevent the breakage of his voice, but fortunately the father of the future composer stepped in and prevented this.
  • When the composer's mother died at the age of 47, his father quickly married a young maid, who was 19 years old. The difference between the age of Haydn and the stepmother was only 3 years, and the "son" turned out to be older.
  • Haydn loved a girl who for some reason decided that life in a monastery was better than family life. Then the musical genius called the elder sister of his beloved, Anna Maria, to marry. But this thoughtless decision did not lead to anything good. The wife turned out to be grumpy and did not understand her husband's musical hobbies. Haydn wrote that Anna Maria used his music manuscripts as kitchen utensils.


  • In the biography of Haydn there is an interesting legend about the name of the String Quartet f-moll "Razor". One morning, Haydn was shaving with a dull razor, and when his patience snapped, he shouted that if he were given a normal razor now, he would give his wonderful work for this. At that moment, John Blend was nearby, a man who wanted to publish the composer's manuscripts, which no one had yet seen. After hearing this, the publisher did not hesitate to hand over their English steel razors to the composer. Haydn kept his word and presented the new work to the guest. Thus, the String Quartet received such an unusual name.
  • 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 young composer always came first. Despite the peculiar temperaments and age difference, the friends had no quarrels and disagreements.


  • "Miracle" - this is the name attributed to symphonies No. 96 in D-dur and No. 102 in B-dur. All this is due to one story that happened after the concert of this work ended. People rushed to the stage to thank the composer and bow before him for the most beautiful music. As soon as the audience was at the front of the hall, a chandelier fell behind them with a crash. There were no casualties - and it was a miracle. Opinions differ on the premiere of which particular symphony this amazing incident occurred.
  • The composer suffered for more than half his life with polyps in his nose. This became known to the surgeon, and part-time good friend Joseph to John Hunter. The doctor recommended to come to him for an operation, which Haydn first decided on. But, when he came to the office where the operation was to take place and saw 4 big assistant surgeons, whose task was to hold the patient during the painful procedure, the brilliant musician got scared, broke out and shouted loudly. In general, the idea of ​​getting rid of polyps has sunk into oblivion. As a child, Josef suffered from smallpox.


  • 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 watching 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.
  • When the composer died, he was buried in Vienna. But later it was decided to rebury the remains of the genius of music in Eisenstadt. When opening the grave, it was discovered that Josef's skull was missing. It was a trick of two friends of the composer who took their own head by bribing people in the cemetery. For almost 60 years (1895-1954), the skull of the Viennese classic was located in the museum (Vienna). It wasn't until 1954 that the remains were reunited and buried together.


  • Mozart was delighted with Haydn and often invited him to his concerts, and Joseph reciprocated the young child prodigy and often played with him in a quartet. It is noteworthy that at the funeral of Haydn sounded "Requiem" by Mozart who died 18 years before his friend and teacher.
  • Haydn's portrait can be found on German and Soviet postage stamps, issued in 1959 on the 150th anniversary of the composer's death, and on the Austrian 5 euro coin.
  • The German anthem and the old Austro-Hengen anthem owe their music to Haydn. After all, it was his music that became the basis of these patriotic songs.

Films about Joseph Haydn

Based on Haydn's biography, many informative documentaries have been shot. All these films are interesting and captivating. Some of them are more about musical achievements and discoveries of the composer, and some tell various facts from the personal life of the Viennese classic. If you have a desire to get to know this musical figure better, then we bring to your attention a small list of documentaries:

  • Film company "Academy media" filmed a 25-minute documentary"Haydn" from the "Famous Composers" series.
  • In the vastness of the Internet you can find two interesting films "In Search of Haydn". The first part lasts a little over 53 minutes, the second 50 minutes.
  • Haydn is described in some episodes from the documentary section "History by Notes". From episodes 19 to 25, each of which lasts less than 10 minutes, you can explore interesting biographical data of the great composer.
  • There is a short documentary from Encyclopedia Chanel about Joseph Haydn that is only 12 minutes long.
  • An interesting 11-minute film about Haydn's perfect pitch can also be easily found on the Internet "Perfect pitch - Franz Joseph Haydn".



  • In Gaia Ritchie's 2009 Sherlock Holmes, the Adagio from String Quartet No. 3 in D-dur is heard during the scene, where Watson and his fiancée Mary dine with Holmes at a restaurant called The Royal.
  • The 3rd movement of the cello concerto is used in the 1998 English film Hilary and Jackie.
  • The Piano Concerto is featured in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can.
  • The minuet from the 33rd sonata is inserted into the musical accompaniment of the film "The Runaway Bride" (continued famous movie"Gorgeous").
  • Adagio e cantibile from Sonata No. 59 is used in The Vampire Diaries 1994 starring Brad Pitt.
  • Sounds of the string quartet B-dur "Sunrise" are heard in the horror film "Relic" in 1997.
  • In the magnificent film "The Pianist", which received 3 Oscars, Haydn's quartet No. 5 sounds.
  • Also, string quartet #5 comes from the music for the 1998 films Star Trek: Uprising and Fort
  • Symphonies #101 and #104 can be found in the 1991 film "Lord of the Tides".
  • The 33rd string quartet is used in the 1997 comedy George of the Jungle.
  • The third part of string quartet No. 76 "Emperor" can be found in the films "Casablanca" 1941, "Bullworth" 1998, "Cheap Detective" 1978, and "The Dirty Dozen".
  • The Trumpet Concerto is featured in "The Big Deal" with Mark Wahlberg.
  • In Bicentennial Man, based on the book of the brilliant science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, you can hear Haydn's symphony No. 73 "The Hunt".

Haydn House Museum

In 1889, the Haydn Museum was opened in Vienna, which is located in the composer's house. For 4 whole years, Josef slowly built his "corner" from the money earned during the tour. Initially, there was a low house, which, at the behest of the composer, was rebuilt by adding floors. The second floor was the residence of the musician himself, and below he settled his assistant Elsper, who copied the notes of Haydn.

Almost all exhibits in the museum are the personal property of the composer during his lifetime. Handwritten notes, painted portraits, the instrument that Haydn worked on, and other interesting things. It is unusual that the building has small room destined Johannes Brahms . Johannes greatly respected and honored the work of the Viennese classic. This hall is filled with his personal belongings, furniture and tools.

Unfortunately, when they talk about the Viennese classics, they first of all remember Ludwig Van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But many musicologists are sure that if there were no such brilliant composer as Franz Joseph Haydn, we would not have known about the other greatest talents of the era of classicism. The compositions and compositions of Haydn stood at the origins of all classical music and gave it the opportunity to develop and improve to this day.

Video: watch a film about Joseph Haydn

Haydn is rightly considered the father of the symphony and quartet, the great founder of classical instrumental music, and the founder of the modern orchestra.

Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31, 1732 in Lower Austria, in the small town of Rorau, located on the left bank of the Leita River, between the towns of Brook and Hainburg, near the Hungarian border. Haydn's ancestors were hereditary Austro-German peasant artisans. The composer's father, Matthias, was a coachman. Mother - nee Anna Maria Koller - served as a cook.

The musicality of the father, his love for music was inherited by the children. Little Josef attracted the attention of musicians at the age of five. He had excellent hearing, memory, sense of rhythm. His sonorous silvery voice led everyone into admiration.

Thanks to his outstanding musical abilities, the boy first got into the church choir of the small town of Gainburg, and then into the choir chapel at the Cathedral (main) St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. This was a significant event in the life of Haydn. After all, he had no other opportunity to receive a musical education.

Singing in the choir was very good for Haydn, but the only school. The boy's abilities developed rapidly, and difficult solo parts began to be entrusted to him. The church choir often performed at city festivities, weddings, and funerals. The choir was also invited to participate in court celebrations. And how much time did it take to perform in the church itself, to rehearse? All this was a heavy burden for the little singers.

Josef was quick-witted and quickly perceived everything new. He even found time to play the violin and clavichord and achieved significant success. Only now his attempts to compose music did not meet with support. For nine years of being in the choir chapel, he received only two lessons from its leader!

However, the lessons did not appear immediately. Before that, I had to go through a desperate time of looking for a job. Little by little, I managed to find some work, although it did not provide, but still allowed me not to die of hunger. Haydn began to give singing and music lessons, played the violin at festive evenings, and sometimes just on the highways. On commission, he composed several of his first works. But all these earnings were accidental. Haydn understood that to become a composer one had to study hard and hard. He began to study theoretical works, in particular the books of I. Mattheson and I. Fuchs.

The collaboration with the Viennese comedian Johann Joseph Kurz proved to be useful. Kurtz was at that time very popular in Vienna as a talented actor and author of a number of farces.

Kurtz, having met Haydn, immediately appreciated his talent and offered to compose music for the libretto of the comic opera The Crooked Demon compiled by him. Haydn wrote music, which, unfortunately, has not come down to us. We only know that The Crooked Demon was performed in the winter of 1751-1752 in the theater at the Karinth Gate and was a success. "Haydn received 25 ducats for him and considered himself very rich."

The bold debut of a young, still little-known composer on the theater stage in 1751 immediately brought him popularity in democratic circles and ... very bad reviews from zealots of old musical traditions. Reproaches of "buffoonery", "frivolity" and other sins were later transferred by various zealots of the "sublime" to the rest of Haydn's work, from his symphonies to his masses.

The last stage of Haydn's creative youth - before he embarked on an independent composer's path - were classes with Nicola Antonio Porpora, an Italian composer and bandmaster, a representative of the Neapolitan school.

Porpora reviewed Haydn's composing experiments and gave him instructions. Haydn, to reward the teacher, was an accompanist in his singing lessons and even waited on him.

Under the roof, in the cold attic where Haydn huddled, on an old broken clavichord, he studied the works of famous composers. And folk songs! How many he listened to them, wandering day and night through the streets of Vienna. Here and there a variety of folk tunes sounded: Austrian, Hungarian, Czech, Ukrainian, Croatian, Tyrolean. Therefore, Haydn's works are permeated with these wonderful melodies, for the most part cheerful and cheerful.

In the life and work of Haydn, a turning point was gradually brewing. His financial situation began to improve little by little, his position in life grew stronger. At the same time, the great creative talent brought its first significant fruits.

Around 1750, Haydn wrote a small mass (in F major), showing in it not only a talented assimilation of modern techniques of this genre, but also an obvious inclination to compose "jolly" church music. A more important fact is that the composer composed the first string quartet in 1755.

The impetus was an acquaintance with a music lover, landowner Karl Furnberg. Inspired by Fürnberg's attention and material support, Haydn first wrote a series of string trios, and then the first string quartet, which was soon followed by about two dozen others. In 1756 Haydn composed the Concerto in C major. Haydn's philanthropist also took care of strengthening his financial position. He recommended the composer to the Viennese Bohemian aristocrat and music lover Count Josef Franz Morzin. Mortsin spent the winter in Vienna, and in the summer he lived on his estate Lukawiec near Pilsen. In the service of Mortsin, as a composer and bandmaster, Haydn received gratuitous premises, meals and salaries.

This service turned out to be short-lived (1759-1760), but still helped Haydn to take further steps in composition. In 1759, Haydn created his first symphony, followed by four others in the coming years.

Both in the field of the string quartet and in the field of the symphony, Haydn had to define and crystallize the genres of the new musical era: composing quartets, creating symphonies, he showed himself to be a bold, determined innovator.

While in the service of Count Morzin, Haydn fell in love with the youngest daughter of his friend, the Viennese hairdresser Johann Peter Keller, Teresa, and seriously intended to marry her. However, the girl, for reasons that remain unknown, left her parents' house, and her father did not find anything better than to say: "Haydn, you should marry my eldest daughter." It is not known what prompted Haydn to respond positively. One way or another, but Haydn agreed. He was 28 years old, the bride - Maria Anna Aloysia Apollonia Keller - 32. The marriage was concluded on November 26, 1760, and Haydn became ... an unhappy husband for many decades.

His wife soon showed herself to be a woman of the highest degree of narrow-mindedness, dullness and quarrelsomeness. She absolutely did not understand and did not appreciate the great talent of her husband. "She didn't care," Haydn once said in his old age, "whether her husband was a shoemaker or an artist."

Maria Anna ruthlessly destroyed a number of Haydn's music manuscripts, using them for papillottes and pâté linings. Moreover, she was very wasteful and demanding.

Having married, Haydn violated the conditions of service with Count Morcin - the latter accepted only unmarried people into his chapel. However, he did not have to hide the change in his personal life for a long time. Financial shock forced Count Morcin to give up musical pleasures and dissolve the chapel. Haydn was in danger of being left without a permanent income again.

But then he received an offer from a new, more powerful patron of the arts - the richest and most influential Hungarian magnate - Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy. Drawing attention to Haydn in Morzin's castle, Esterhazy appreciated his talent.

Not far from Vienna, in the small Hungarian town of Eisenstadt, and in the summer in the Estergaz country palace, Haydn spent thirty years as a bandmaster (conductor). The responsibilities of the bandmaster included directing the orchestra and singers. Haydn also had to compose symphonies, operas, quartets and other works at the request of the prince. Often the capricious prince ordered to write a new essay by the next day! Talent and extraordinary diligence rescued Haydn here too. Operas appeared one after another, as well as symphonies, including "The Bear", "Children's", "School Teacher".

Leading the chapel, the composer could listen to the live performance of the works he created. This made it possible to correct everything that did not sound good enough, and remember what turned out to be especially successful.

During his service with Prince Esterhazy, Haydn wrote most of his operas, quartets and symphonies. In total, Haydn created 104 symphonies!

In the symphonies, Haydn did not set himself the task of individualizing the plot. The composer's programming is most often based on individual associations and pictorial "sketches". Even where it is more solid and consistent - purely emotionally, as in the "Farewell Symphony" (1772), or genre-wise, as in the "Military Symphony" (1794), it still lacks distinct plot foundations.

The enormous value of Haydn's symphonic concepts, for all their comparative simplicity and unpretentiousness, is in a very organic reflection and implementation of the unity of the spiritual and physical world of man.

This opinion is expressed, and very poetically, by E.T.A. Hoffmann:

“In the writings of Haydn, the expression of a childishly joyful soul dominates; his symphonies lead us into boundless green groves, into a cheerful, motley crowd of happy people, young men and girls rush before us in choral dances; laughing children hide behind trees, behind rose bushes, playfully throwing flowers. A life full of love, full of bliss and eternal youth, as before the fall; no suffering, no sorrow - only a sweetly elegiac desire for a beloved image that rushes far away, in the pink shimmer of evening, not approaching or disappearing, and while he is there, the night does not come, for he himself is the evening dawn burning above over the mountain and over the grove.

Haydn's craftsmanship has reached perfection over the years. His music invariably aroused the admiration of numerous Esterhazy guests. The name of the composer became widely known outside of his homeland - in England, France, Russia. Six symphonies performed in Paris in 1786 were called "Parisian". But Haydn had no right to go anywhere outside the princely estate, print his works or simply donate them without the consent of the prince. And the prince did not like the absences of "his" Kapellmeister. He was accustomed to Haydn, along with other servants, waiting at a certain time for his orders in the hall. At such moments, the composer especially acutely felt his dependence. "Am I a bandmaster or a bandleader?" he exclaimed bitterly in letters to friends. Once he still managed to escape and visit Vienna, see acquaintances, friends. How much joy brought him meetings with his beloved Mozart! Fascinating conversations gave way to the performance of quartets, where Haydn played the violin and Mozart the viola. With particular pleasure, Mozart performed the quartets written by Haydn. In this genre, the great composer considered himself his student. But such encounters were extremely rare.

Haydn had a chance to experience other joys - the joys of love. On March 26, 1779, the Polcellis were received into the Esterhazy Chapel. Antonio, the violinist, was no longer young. His wife, the singer Luigi, a Mauritanian from Naples, was only nineteen years old. She was very attractive. Luigia lived unhappily with her husband, as did Haydn. Exhausted by the company of his quarrelsome and quarrelsome wife, he fell in love with Luigi. This passion lasted, gradually weakening and fading, until the composer's old age. Apparently, Luigia reciprocated Haydn, but still, more self-interest than sincerity was manifested in her attitude. In any case, she steadily and very persistently extorted money from Haydn.

Rumor even called (it is not known whether it is fair) the son of Luigi Antonio, the son of Haydn. Her eldest son Pietro became the composer's favorite: Haydn took care of him like a father, took an active part in his education and upbringing.

Despite his dependent position, Haydn could not leave the service. At that time, the musician had the opportunity to work only in court chapels or lead the church choir. Before Haydn, not a single composer had ever ventured into an independent existence. Haydn did not dare to part with a permanent job.

In 1791, when Haydn was already about 60 years old, the old prince Esterhazy died. His heir, who did not have a great love for music, dissolved the chapel. But he was also flattered that the composer, who had become famous, was listed as his bandmaster. This forced the young Esterhazy to give Haydn a pension sufficient to keep "his servant" from entering his new service.

Haydn was happy! Finally, he is free and independent! On the offer to go with concerts in England, he agreed. Traveling by ship, Haydn saw the sea for the first time. And how many times he dreamed about it, trying to imagine the boundless water element, the movement of the waves, the beauty and variability of the color of the water. Once in his youth, Haydn even tried to convey in music a picture of a raging sea.

Life in England was also unusual for Haydn. Concerts in which he conducted his works were held with triumphant success. This was the first open mass recognition of his music. The University of Oxford elected him an honorary member.

Haydn visited England twice. Over the years, the composer wrote his famous twelve London Symphonies. The London Symphonies complete the evolution of Haydn's symphony. His talent reached its peak. The music sounded deeper and more expressive, the content became more serious, the colors of the orchestra became richer and more varied.

Despite being very busy, Haydn managed to listen to new music as well. A particularly strong impression was made on him by the oratorios of the German composer Handel, his older contemporary. The impression of Handel's music was so great that, returning to Vienna, Haydn wrote two oratorios - "The Creation of the World" and "The Seasons".

The plot of the "Creation of the World" is extremely simple and naive. The first two parts of the oratorio tell about the emergence of the world by the will of God. The third and last part is about the paradise life of Adam and Eve before the fall.

A number of judgments of contemporaries and immediate descendants about the "Creation of the World" by Haydn are characteristic. This oratorio was a huge success during the composer's lifetime and greatly increased his fame. However, there were also critical voices. Naturally, the visual figurativeness of Haydn's music shocked philosophers and aesthetics, tuned in to the "sublime" way. Serov enthusiastically wrote about the "Creation of the World":

“What a gigantic creation is this oratorio! There is, by the way, one aria depicting the creation of birds - this is a decisively higher triumph of onomatopoeic music, and, moreover, "what energy, what simplicity, what ingenuous grace!" - it is decidedly beyond comparison. The oratorio The Four Seasons should be recognized as an even more significant work by Haydn than The Creation of the World. The text of the oratorio The Seasons, like the text of The Creation, was written by van Swieten. The second of Haydn's great oratorios is more diverse and deeply human not only in content but also in form. This is a whole philosophy, an encyclopedia of pictures of nature and Haydn's patriarchal peasant morality, glorifying work, love for nature, the delights of rural life and the purity of naive souls. In addition, the plot allowed Haydn to create a very harmonious and complete, harmonious musical concept of the whole.

The composition of the huge score of The Four Seasons was not easy for the decrepit Haydn, it cost him many worries and sleepless nights. In the end, he was tormented by headaches and the persistence of musical performances.

The London Symphonies and oratorios were the pinnacle of Haydn's work. After the oratorios, he wrote almost nothing. Life has been too stressful. His strength was gone. The last years the composer spent on the outskirts of Vienna, in a small house. A quiet and secluded dwelling was visited by admirers of the composer's talent. The conversations touched on the past. Haydn especially liked to remember his youth - hard, labor, but full of bold, persistent searches.

Haydn died in 1809 and was buried in Vienna. Subsequently, his remains were transferred to Eisenstadt, where he spent so many years of his life.


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