Joseph Haydn

Overview Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" (108) and "Father of the String Quartet" (over 80)because of his important contributions to these forms He was also instrumental in the development of the piano trio and in the evolution of sonata form.

Life Joseph Haydn was born in Rohrau, Austria, a village near the border with Hungary, to a non-musical family Was sent to live with a relative Johann Matthias Frankh, the schoolmaster and choirmaster in Hainburg, at the age of six. Began his musical training there, and soon was able to play both harpsichord and violin. The people of Hainburg were soon hearing him sing treble parts in the church choir.

Struggles as a freelancer Starting in 1749, Haydn worked at many different jobs: as a music teacher, as a street serenader, and eventually, in 1752, as valet–accompanist for the Italian composer Nicola Porpora, from whom he later said he learned "the true fundamentals of composition". As his skills increased, Haydn began to acquire a public reputation, first as the composer of an opera, Der krumme Teufel "The Limping Devil", written for the comic actor Johann Joseph Felix Kurz, whose stage name was "Bernardon". The work was premiered successfully in 1753, but was soon closed down by the censors.

With the increase in his reputation, Haydn eventually was able to obtain aristocratic patronage, crucial for the career of a composer in his day. In 1757, Haydn worked as a Kapellmester (music director) under court Morzin. He led the count's small orchestra and wrote his first symphonies for this ensemble. Count Morzin soon suffered financial reverses that forced him to dismiss his musical establishment, but Haydn was quickly offered a similar job (1761) as Vice Kapellmeister to the Esterházy family, one of the wealthiest and most important in the Austrian Empire. When the old Kapellmeister, Gregor Werner, died in 1766, Haydn was elevated to full Kapellmeister.

During the nearly thirty years that Haydn worked at the Esterházy court, he produced a flood of compositions, and his musical style continued to develop. His popularity in the outside world also increased. As a "house officer" in the Esterházy establishment, Haydn wore livery and followed the family as they moved among their various palaces, most importantly the family's ancestral seat Schloss Esterházy in Eisenstadt and later on Eszterháza, a grand new palace built in rural Hungary in the 1760s. Haydn had a huge range of responsibilities, including composition, running the orchestra, playing chamber music for and with his patrons, and eventually the mounting of operatic productions.

Haydn met Mozart sometime around Haydn was hugely impressed with Mozart's work and praised it unstintingly to others. Mozart evidently returned the esteem, as seen in his dedication of a set of six quartets, now called the "Haydn" quartets, to his friend. In 1790, Prince Nikolaus died and was succeeded by a thoroughly unmusical prince who dismissed the entire musical establishment and put Haydn on a pension. Freed of his obligations, to visit England and conduct new symphonies with a large orchestra.

Musically, the visits to England generated some of Haydn's best-known work, including the Surprise, Military, Drumroll, and London symphonies, the Rider quartet, and the "Gypsy Rondo" piano trio. While traveling to London in 1790, Haydn had met the young Ludwig van Beethoven in his native city of Bonn. On Haydn's return, Beethoven came to Vienna and during the time up to the second London visit was Haydn's pupil.

Haydn returned to Vienna in 1795, turned to the composition of large religious works for chorus and orchestra. – two great oratorios (The Creation and The Seasons) – six masses for the Eszterházy family, which by this time was once again headed by a musically inclined prince. – Haydn also composed instrumental music: the popular Trumpet Concerto and the last nine in his long series of string quartets, including the Fifths, Emperor, and Sunrise quartets.

Character of music A central characteristic of Haydn's music is the development of larger structures out of very short, simple musical motifs, often derived from standard accompanying figures. The music is often quite formally concentrated, and the important musical events of a movement can unfold rather quickly. Haydn's work was central to the development of what came to be called sonata form. Perhaps more than any other composer's, Haydn's music is known for its humor. Much of the music was written to please and delight a prince, and its emotional tone is correspondingly upbeat.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works (41 symphonies (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik), and 27 piano concertos.), many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. He is among the most enduringly popular of classical composers.

Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood in Salzburg. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. At 17, he was engaged as a court musician in Salzburg, but grew restless and travelled in search of a better position, always composing abundantly. While visiting Vienna in 1781, he was dismissed from his Salzburg position. He chose to stay in the capital, where he achieved fame but little financial security.

During his final years in Vienna, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, and portions of the Requiem, which was largely unfinished at the time of Mozart's death. Works – including 41 symphonies (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik), and Concertos (27 piano concertos, 5 or 6 for violin, 2 for flute, one for clarinet and bassoon) – Operas:He produced operas in each of the prevailing styles: opera buffa, such as The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte; opera seria, such as Idomeneo; and Singspiel, of which Die Zauberflöte is the most famous example by any composer. Solo instrumental music (Piano sonatas, Violin sonatas, etc.) Requiem in D minor – Listening –Introitus and Kyrie

Style At the time he began composing, European music was dominated by the style galant, a reaction against the highly evolved intricacy of the Baroque. a versatile composer, and wrote in every major genre, including symphony, opera, the solo concerto, chamber music including string quartet and string quintet, and the piano sonata. He almost single-handedly developed and popularized the Classical piano concerto. He wrote a great deal of religious music, including large-scale masses, but also dances, divertimenti, serenades, and other forms of light entertainment.

The central traits of the Classical style are all present in Mozart's music. Clarity, balance, and transparency are the hallmarks of his work. Especially during his last decade, Mozart exploited chromatic harmony to a degree rare at the time, with remarkable assurance and to great artistic effect.