Mozart called him “Papa.” Beethoven said he “never learned anything” from him. King George III called him a “good honest German gentleman,” but preferred the music of Handel.
None of these rather homely views quite capture the importance of Franz Joseph Haydn. With over 100 symphonies and nearly 70 string quartets to his name, he is widely credited as the creator of these musical forms. In pioneering the Viennese classical style, he is the key figure bridging the Baroque and Romantic periods. He was recognized in his lifetime as the greatest composer of his age.
In addition to genius, though, Haydn had the resources to bring his talent to fruition. His achievements would not have been possible without the help of Hungary’s greatest noble family.
Character and Early Life
Suffering from a nasal polyp and not an overly handsome man, Haydn never commissioned a portrait of himself. Painters working on others’ commissions tended to idealize his likeness. He had none of the stereotypical personality quirks of creative artists. Not arrogant like his unruly pupil Beethoven or irreverent like his friend Mozart, his natural and unaffected manner reflected his humble origins as the son of a wheelwright.Georg August Griesinger, one of three men who wrote biographies of Haydn based on personal recollections, wrote that his bearing “bespoke prudence and a quiet gravity.”
The Esterhazy Family
In 1761, the 29-year-old Haydn entered the service of Hungary’s wealthiest and most powerful family. Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy outlined what was expected of Haydn in his contract as the new Vice-Kapellmeister. Rule number 4, for example, stipulated that Haydn “shall be under obligation to compose such music as his Serene Highness may command, and neither to communicate such compositions to any other person, nor to allow them to be copied.” In rule 5, Hayden was also instructed to “appear daily in the antechamber before and after midday, and inquire whether his Highness is pleased to order a performance of the orchestra.”
It was a demanding position, but Haydn now had a stable job, free of the insecurities of the freelance lifestyle. Then a year later, two things happened: Paul Anton died, and his brother Nikolaus, the new prince, began building Esterhaza Palace.
Dubbed “The Little Versailles,” Esterhaza is now the jewel of Hungary. But it was originally built on a swamp that had to be drained. The land was subject to summertime mosquito infestations and bitter winds in winter. Because of the climate, Haydn was often ill during his tenure there.
While the rural site wasn’t auspicious, Prince Nikolaus made up for it by pouring vast sums of money into the palace’s construction. Over the course of four years, he filled the estate with gardens, hunting areas, cascading fountains, a greenhouse for fruit trees, a pavilion, Romanesque temples, and a menagerie of exotic animals. The palace itself contained more than 100 guest rooms, a large library, and an art gallery.
Methods of Composition
In a letter to Griesinger, Haydn famously explained the effect that living at Esterhaza had on his compositional style:“My Prince was content with all my works, I received approval, I could, as head of an orchestra, make experiments, observe what enhanced an effect, and what weakened it, thus improving, adding to, cutting away, and running risks. I was set apart from the world, there was nobody in my vicinity to confuse and annoy me in my course, and so I had to be original.”
With an orchestra of professional musicians on-site, Haydn could leave his worktable and test musical passages on different instruments whenever the occasion suited him. Though he was isolated from the musical center of Vienna, he often received visitors at court and occasionally traveled into the city.
Later Life
In 1790, Nikolaus died. His son Nikolaus II was left to deal with the large debts of his father’s extravagant spending and was forced to cut costs. As is often still the case in American public schools, the music budget was among the first to be slashed.Haydn, approaching 60 and internationally famous, decided to head to London, where his music was much beloved.
“Papa!” Mozart said to Haydn when learning of his plans to travel to England. “You have had no training for the great world, and you speak too few languages.”
“Oh!” said Haydn, “my language is understood all over the world.”
It was while in London, late in life, that Haydn composed many of his greatest works, including his oratorio “The Creation.” He was fortunate to have another great noble appreciator in the person of King George III. George wanted Haydn to stay in England permanently, but the good German gentleman still felt bound to his homeland and the Esterhazy family.
In 1795, he returned to Hungary to resume his position as kapellmeister to Nikolaus II. He had minimal responsibilities this time around, and after developing health problems he stopped composing by 1803. When he died six years later, he had amassed considerable wealth. With no children or siblings to leave it to, his wealth was generously distributed among the poor, schoolchildren, orphans, and humble folk he had known.
