A short biography of Haydn is the most important thing. F. J. Haydn. Biography of the composer. Youth and young adulthood

Born in , his father, a wheelwright, sent his son to study singing as a child. Soon (1740) the boy was accepted into the choir at the famous Viennese St. Stephen's Cathedral, where he sang for ten years. Along the way, the talented choir singer was taught to play different musical instruments, which allowed him to subsequently earn a living playing the violin, harpsichord and organ. Working as an accompanist for the venerable Italian composer and vocal teacher N. Porpora, he began to try himself as a composer and received the teacher’s approval. Basically, of course, it was church music. Haydn's musical career progressed. For two years (1759 - 1761) he worked as music director for Count Morcin, and then as vice-bandmaster for Prince Esterhazy, an aristocrat with Hungarian roots. Paul Anton Esterházy took Haydn into his service after the death of G. I. Werner, already a famous composer in Austria, who served as bandmaster in his house. The duty of a musician is to compose music commissioned by the employer and lead an ensemble of musicians. In 1762, Nikolaus Esterhazy, the younger brother of the previous owner, who was nicknamed “The Magnificent,” became such a customer.

At first, Nikolaus Esterhazy lived near Vienna in Eisenstadt, in his family castle. Then he moved to a new castle, built in a cozy corner near the lake. At first, Haydn wrote mainly instrumental music (symphonies, plays) for the afternoon rest of the princely family and for concerts that the owner organized every week. In those years, Joseph wrote several symphonies, cantatas, 125 plays and church music, and from 1768, after the opening of a new theater in Eszterhaz, he began to write operas. In the early 70s, he gradually moved away from the entertainment content of his music. His symphonies become serious and even dramatic, such as “Complaint”, “Suffering”, “Mourning”, “Farewell”. Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy did not like such tragic music; he repeatedly pointed this out to the composer, but still gave him the right, with his permission, to write music for other orders. And the author writes “Solar Quartets,” which are distinguished by their courage, scale, and sophistication of writing. It begins with these quartets classical genre string quartet. And he himself is developing the characteristic style of a mature composer. He wrote several operas for the Esterhazy Theater: “The Pharmacist”, “Deceived Infidelity”, “Moonlight”, “Loyalty Rewarded”, “Armide”. But they were not available to the general public. However, European publishers discovered a new talent and willingly published his works.

The new agreement with Esterhazy deprived the latter of exclusive rights to Haydn's music. In the 80s his fame grew. He writes piano trios, sonatas, symphonies, string quartets, including those dedicated to the future Russian Emperor Paul, known as “Russians”. The new period of the composer’s work was also marked by six quartets in honor of the King of Prussia. They were different and new form, and special melody, and a variety of contrasts. Going beyond Central Europe, an orchestral passion song entitled “Seven Words of the Savior on the Cross,” written by Joseph for a Spanish cathedral, also became known. This passion was subsequently arranged by the author for performance by a string quartet, choir, and orchestra, and it is still popular. After the death of Nikolaus Esterhazy (1790), Haydn remained in his house as conductor, but received the right to live in the capital and work abroad. For several years he has been working in, where he writes a lot: a concert symphony, music for choirs, several sonatas for piano, and arranges folk songs, opera series “The Soul of a Philosopher” (based on the myth of Orpheus). There he became an honorary doctor of Oxford University, there the royal family listened to his music, there he became acquainted with the work of G.F. Handel. In 1795, Haydn had to return to Esterhazy. Now the main responsibility of the bandmaster was to compose masses in honor of the princess’s name day. He wrote six masses that have a symphonic scope, prayerful focus, and civic motifs inspired by the events of the Napoleonic Wars. The best instrumental concerto for trumpet and orchestra (1796), two monumental oratorios “The Creation of the World” and “The Seasons” are examples of the mature Haydn. In 1804 he was given the title of “Honorary Citizen of Vienna”. He hardly worked as a composer anymore. He died in Vienna on his birthday - March 31, 1809, leaving an indelible mark on the art of music.

We will conclude our story about the Viennese troika with a biography of Haydn. All of them - Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn - are connected in one way or another. Beethoven was younger than all of them, inspired by creativity and studied with Haydn. But we have already talked about it in other articles.

Now we have a slightly different task - to succinctly talk about the Vienna Troika. Later we will tell you more about it, but for now... let's return to our topic.

Representative of the Vienna classical school Franz Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn - the great Austrian composer, founder of the classical instrumental music and the founder of the modern orchestra. Haydn is considered by many to be the father of the symphony and quartet.

Joseph Haydn was born on March 31, 1732 in the small town of Rohrau, Lower Austria, into the family of a wheelwright. The composer's mother was a cook. The love of music was instilled in little Joseph by his father, who was seriously interested in vocals. The boy had excellent hearing and a sense of rhythm, and thanks to these musical abilities he was accepted into the church choir in the small town of Gainburg. Later he would move to Vienna, where he would sing in choir chapel at cathedral St. Stefan.

Haydn had a wayward character, and at the age of 16 he was expelled from the choir - at a time when his voice began to break. He is left without a livelihood. In such a hopeless situation, the young man takes up various jobs. He even has to be a servant to the Italian singing teacher Nikolai Porpora. But even working as a servant, Haydn did not give up music, but took lessons from the composer.

Seeing the young man's love for music, Porpora offers him the position of valet companion. He held this position for about ten years. Haydn receives lessons as payment for his work music theory, from which he learns a lot about music and composition. Gradually financial situation young men are improving, and musical works are crowned with success. Haydn is looking for a rich patron, which is the imperial prince Pal Antal Esterhazy. Already in 1759 young genius composes his first symphonies.

Haydn married quite late, at the age of 28, to Anna Maria Cller, and, as it turned out, unsuccessfully. Anna Maria often showed disrespect for her husband's profession. There were no children, which also played an important role, introducing additional discord into the family. But despite all this, Haydn was faithful to his wife for 20 years. But after so many years, he suddenly fell in love with 19-year-old Luigia Polzelli, an Italian opera singer, and even promised to marry her, but soon this passionate affection passed.

In 1761, Haydn became the second bandmaster at the court of the Esterházy princes, one of the most influential families in Austria. During his rather long career at the Esterházy court, he composed huge amount operas, quartets and symphonies (104 in total). His music evokes the admiration of many listeners, and his skill reaches perfection. He becomes famous not only in his homeland, but also in England, France, and Russia. In 1781, Haydn met, who became his close friend. In 1792 he met the young man and took him on as a student.

Joseph Haydn (31 March 1732 – 31 May 1809)

Upon arrival in Vienna, Haydn wrote his two famous oratorios: “The Creation of the World” and “The Seasons.” Composing the oratorio “The Seasons” was not easy, he was tormented by headaches and insomnia. After writing his oratorios, he writes almost nothing.

Life has been too stressful, and the composer’s strength is gradually leaving him. Their recent years Haydn spends his time in Vienna, in a small secluded house.

Died great composer May 31, 1809. Later, the remains were transferred to Eisenstadt, where many years of his life passed.

104 symphonies, 83 quartets, 52 piano sonatas, 2 oratorios, 14 masses and 24 operas.

Vocal works:

Operas

"The Lame Demon", 1751
"Orpheus and Eurydice, or the soul of a philosopher", 1791
"Pharmacist"
"The Lunar World", 1777

Oratorios

"Creation of the World"
"Seasons"

Symphonic music

"Farewell Symphony"
"Oxford Symphony"
"Funeral Symphony"

Composer Franz Joseph Haydn is called the founder of the modern orchestra, the “father of the symphony,” and the founder of the classical instrumental genre.

Composer Franz Joseph Haydn called the founder of the modern orchestra, the “father of the symphony,” the founder of the classical instrumental genre.

Haydn was born in 1732. His father was a carriage maker, his mother served as a cook. House in the town Rorau on the river bank Leiths, where little Joseph spent his childhood, has survived to this day.

Craftsman's Children Matthias Haydn loved music very much. Franz Joseph was a gifted child - from birth he was given a ringing melodic voice and absolute pitch; he had a great sense of rhythm. The boy sang in the local church choir and tried to learn to play the violin and clavichord. As always happens with teenagers, young Haydn lost his voice during adolescence. He was immediately fired from the choir.

For eight years the young man earned money by giving private music lessons and constantly improved with the help of independent studies and tried to compose works.

Life brought Joseph together with a Viennese comedian and popular actor - Johann Joseph Kurtz. It was luck. Kurtz ordered music from Haydn for his own libretto for the opera The Crooked Demon. Comic work was successful - it took two years to complete theater stage. However, critics were quick to accuse the young composer of frivolity and “buffoonery.” (This stamp was later repeatedly transferred by retrogrades to other works of the composer.)

Meet the composer Nicola Antonio Porporoi gave Haydn a lot in terms of creative mastery. He served the famous maestro, was an accompanist in his lessons, and gradually studied himself. Under the roof of a house, in a cold attic, Joseph Haydn tried to compose music on an old clavichord. In his works the influence of the works of famous composers and folk music: Hungarian, Czech, Tyrolean motifs.

In 1750, Franz Joseph Haydn composed the Mass in F major, and in 1755 he wrote the first string quartet. From that time on, there was a turning point in the composer’s fate. Josef received an unexpected material support from the landowner Carl Furnberg. The patron recommended the young composer to a count from the Czech Republic - Josef Franz Morzin- Viennese aristocrat. Until 1760, Haydn served as Morzin's bandmaster, had a table, shelter and salary, and could seriously study music.

Since 1759, Haydn has created four symphonies. At this time, the young composer got married - it happened impromptu, unexpectedly for him. However, marriage to a 32-year-old Anna Aloysia Keller was concluded. Haydn was only 28, he never loved Anna.

20 shillings, 1982, Austria, Haydn

After his marriage, Josef lost his position with Morcin and was left without income. He was lucky again - he received an invitation from an influential Prince Paul Esterhazy, who was able to appreciate his talent.

Haydn served as conductor for thirty years. His responsibility was to lead the orchestra and manage the choir. At the prince's request, the composer composed operas, symphonies, and instrumental pieces. He could write music and listen to it performed live right there. During his service with Esterhazy, he created many works - one hundred and four symphonies alone were written in those years!

Haydn's symphonic concepts were unpretentious, simple and organic for the average listener. Storyteller Hoffman once called Haydn's works "the expression of a childishly joyful soul."

The composer's skill has reached perfection. The name Haydn was known to many outside Austria - he was known in England and France, in Russia. However, the famous maestro had no right to perform or sell works without Esterhazy's consent. In today’s language, the prince owned the “copyright” to all of Haydn’s works. Even long trips without the knowledge of the “master” were prohibited for Haydn.

Once, while in Vienna, Haydn met Mozart. The two brilliant musicians talked a lot and performed quartets together. Unfortunately, the Austrian composer had few such opportunities.

Joseph also had a lover - a singer Luigia, a Moorish woman from Naples, is a charming but selfish woman.

The composer could not leave the service and become independent. In 1791, the old Prince Esterhazy died. Haydn was 60 years old. The prince's heir dissolved the chapel and assigned the conductor a pension so that he would not have to earn a living. At last Franz Joseph Haydn became a free man! He went on a sea voyage and visited England twice. During these years, the already middle-aged composer wrote many works - among them twelve “London Symphonies”, the oratorio “The Seasons” and “The Creation of the World”. The work “Seasons” became the apotheosis of his creative path.

Large-scale musical works were not easy for the aging composer, but he was happy. The oratorios became the peak of Haydn's work - he wrote nothing else. In recent years, the composer lived in a small secluded house on the outskirts of Vienna. Fans visited him - he loved to talk with them, remembering his youth, full of creative searches and hardships.

Sarcophagus where Haydn's remains are buried

How can I save up to 20% on hotels?

It’s very simple - look not only on booking. I prefer the search engine RoomGuru. He searches for discounts simultaneously on Booking and on 70 other booking sites.

J. Haydn is rightfully considered the founder of several directions at once: the modern orchestra, quartet, symphony and classical instrumental music.

Brief biography of Haydn: childhood years

Joseph was born in the small Austrian town of Rohrau. All his ancestors were artisans and peasants. Josef's parents were there too ordinary people. My father worked as a carriage driver. Mother served as a cook. The boy inherited his musicality from his father. While still a five-year-old child, he attracted attention because he had a ringing voice, excellent hearing and a sense of rhythm. At first he was taken to sing in a church choir in the town of Gainburg, and from there he ended up in the chapel at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. This was a great opportunity for the boy to get music education. He stayed there for 9 years, but as soon as his voice began to break, the young man was fired without any ceremony.

J. Haydn. Biography: composer's debut

From that moment on, a completely different life began for Joseph. For eight years he made a living by giving music and singing lessons, playing the violin at holidays, and even just on the road. Haydn understood that without education he would not be able to advance further. He independently studied theoretical works. Soon fate brought him together with the famous comic actor Kurtz. He immediately appreciated Joseph’s talent and invited him to write music for the libretto that he composed for the opera “The Crooked Demon.” The essay did not reach us. But what is certain is that the opera was a success.

The debut immediately brought the young composer popularity in democratic circles and bad reviews from adherents of old traditions. Studies with Nicola Porpora turned out to be important for the development of Haydn as a musician. Italian composer looked through Joseph's writings and gave valuable advice. Subsequently, the composer’s financial situation improved, and new works appeared. The landowner Karl Fürnberg, a music lover, provided Joseph with significant support. He recommended him to Count Morcin. Haydn remained in his service as a composer and conductor for only a year, but at the same time he had free accommodation, food and received a salary. In addition, such a successful period inspired the composer to new compositions.

J. Haydn. Biography: marriage

While serving under Count Morcin, Joseph became friends with the hairdresser I. P. Keller and fell in love with his youngest daughter Teresa. But things didn’t come to marriage. For hitherto unknown reasons, the girl left her father's house. Keller invited Haydn to marry him eldest daughter, and he agreed, which he later regretted more than once.

Joseph was 28 years old, Maria Anna Keller was 32. She turned out to be a very limited woman who did not at all appreciate her husband’s talent, and was also too demanding and wasteful. Soon Joseph had to leave the count for two reasons: he accepted only single people into the chapel, and then, having gone bankrupt, he was forced to disband it completely.

J. Haydn. Biography: service with Prince Esterhazy

The threat of being left without a permanent salary did not hang over the composer for long. Almost immediately he received an offer from Prince P. A. Esterhazy, a patron of the arts even richer than the previous one. Haydn spent 30 years as his conductor. His responsibilities included managing the singers and orchestra. He also had to compose symphonies, quartets and other works at the request of the prince. Haydn wrote most of his operas during this period. In total, he composed 104 symphonies, main value which lies in the organic reflection of the unity of the physical and spiritual principles in man.

J. Haydn. Biography: travel to England

The composer, whose name became known far beyond the borders of his homeland, has still not traveled anywhere except Vienna. He could not do this without the permission of the prince, and he did not tolerate the absence of his personal bandmaster. At these moments, Haydn felt his dependence especially acutely. When he was already 60 years old, Prince Esterhazy died and his son dissolved the chapel. So that his “servant” had the opportunity not to enter the service of someone else, he assigned him a pension. Free and happy, Haydn went to England. There he gave concerts in which he was a conductor while performing his own works. Absolutely all of them were held in triumph. Haydn became an honorary fellow of Oxford University. He visited England twice. During this period he composed 12 London Symphonies.

Biography of Haydn: last years

These works became the pinnacle of his creativity. Nothing significant was written after them. The stressful life took away his strength. He spent his last years in silence and solitude in a small house located on the outskirts of Vienna. Sometimes admirers of his talent visited him. J. Haydn died in 1809. He was buried first in Vienna, and later the remains were transferred to Eisenstadt, the city in which the composer spent many years of his life.

Joseph Haydn's brief biography for children and adults is outlined in this article.

Joseph Haydn short biography

Franz Joseph Haydn- Austrian composer, representative of the Viennese classical school, one of the founders of the symphony and string quartet.

Born on March 31, 1732 in the small town of Rohrau, Lower Austria, in the family of a carriage maker. Josef's love for music was instilled in him by his father, who was into vocals. The boy had excellent hearing and a sense of rhythm, and thanks to these abilities he was accepted into the church choir in the small town of Gainburg. Later he will move to Vienna, where he will sing in the choir chapel at the Cathedral of St. Stefan.

Seeing the young man's love for music, Porpora offers him the position of valet companion. He held this position for about ten years. As payment for his work, Haydn received music theory lessons, from which he learned a lot about music and composition. Gradually, the young man’s financial situation improves, and his musical works are crowned with success. Haydn is looking for a rich patron, which is the imperial prince Pal Antal Esterhazy. Already in 1759, the young genius composed his first symphonies.

Haydn married Anna Maria Clair at the age of 28. Anna Maria often showed disrespect for her husband's profession. They had no children, but he was faithful to his wife for 20 years. But after so many years, he suddenly fell in love with 19-year-old Luigia Polzelli, an Italian opera singer, and even promised to marry her, but soon this passionate affection passed.

In 1761, Haydn became the second bandmaster at the court of the Esterházy princes, one of the most influential families in Austria. During his rather long career at the Esterházy court, he composed a huge number of operas, quartets and symphonies (104 in total). He becomes famous not only in his homeland, but also in England, France, and Russia. In 1781, Haydn met Mozart, who became his close friend. In 1792 he met the young Beethoven and took him on as a student.